Dual Battery Shore Power Charging Question

[1Louder]

Remember that you should measure OCV on the PM1 after the battery rests for at least 8 hours after coming off the charger. Need to let the surface charge dissipate. Or, you can flash off the surface charge by turning on the headlights for 30 seconds. Fun with batteries!

Sounds good. I will check it in the morning although I have ruined the current results because I have been driving around. Good news is the battery showed 12.97 volts when I pulled into the garage. I am not expecting that to hold but it is higher than what it was before the fuse modification.

Edit and now 2 hours later down to 12.6. Sigh........ So no load it held 12.7 for a long time just can't get it up past that and hold in the vehicle.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

Have you tried the full reconditioning cycle on the Ctek 7200, with the battery disconnected from load? Might take a couple of days, or might not work.

 

[1Louder]

Have you tried the full reconditioning cycle on the Ctek 7200, with the battery disconnected from load? Might take a couple of days, or might not work.

I have not. From what I read that was for a deeply discharged battery only but I could give it a try.

Someone suggested putting the charger on one battery and then connect the batteries with jumper cables and charge them. Not sure how that increases charge on the battery but I am also willing to give that a try.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

Someone suggested putting the charger on one battery and then connect the batteries with jumper cables and charge them. Not sure how that increases charge on the battery but I am also willing to give that a try.

You only need to do that if the battery you are trying to charge is so low that the charger can't sense that there is a battery attached to it. The second battery tells the charger that it is OK to start charging.

If your PM1 is under warranty, get it back to Sears ASAP. If they say it is OK, tell them to give it a full charge, let it sit overnight, and then you will come back to check the voltage tomorrow. If they won't swap it out, get the readings on a work order and keep it for your files, so that you have a record of having complained while it was still in warranty.

For now, try a full reconditioning cycle on the Ctek. Disconnect the battery, preferably out of the vehicle, and start the recond cycle. I think you have to use the "snowflake" setting on the charger for this cycle, and you should be using that setting for all recharging on this battery. During the recond cycle, check the battery occasionally to make sure it is not outgassing through the vent (well ventilated area, etc.), and check the case every once in a while to be sure it is not overheating. If the battery will hold 12.6V, you should be able to bring it back, but maybe not with that charger.

 

[1Louder]

You only need to do that if the battery you are trying to charge is so low that the charger can't sense that there is a battery attached to it. The second battery tells the charger that it is OK to start charging.

That's what I thought but they seemed to be implying that it could bring the voltage higher. I have not been able to find anything in writing to back this up.

If your PM1 is under warranty, get it back to Sears ASAP. If they say it is OK, tell them to give it a full charge, let it sit overnight, and then you will come back to check the voltage tomorrow. If they won't swap it out, get the readings on a work order and keep it for your files, so that you have a record of having complained while it was still in warranty.

Yes, it is still under warranty. I have a very busy schedule the next 2 weeks but could take it in after that.

For now, try a full reconditioning cycle on the Ctek. Disconnect the battery, preferably out of the vehicle, and start the recond cycle. I think you have to use the "snowflake" setting on the charger for this cycle, and you should be using that setting for all recharging on this battery. During the recond cycle, check the battery occasionally to make sure it is not outgassing through the vent (well ventilated area, etc.), and check the case every once in a while to be sure it is not overheating. If the battery will hold 12.6V, you should be able to bring it back, but maybe not with that charger.

CTEK says that is only for deeply discharged batteries but I could try it and see what happens as long as I have time to monitor things. Snowflake is the proper setting for AGM batteries on normal charge. Not sure if the mode moves over for Recondition. The Optima has been on the charger for 3 days. Time to go see what it shows and holds...

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Ducky's Dad]

CTEK says that is only for deeply discharged batteries

There is a set of instructions on the Odyssey website for reconditioning their batteries, and I think they recommend taking it down to 10.6V (don't trust my memory on this), and then bringing it back up on one of their chargers. Ctek 7200 may not have enough amperage to do much on that big a battery. If I were in your shoes (was there last spring, but without the warranty), I'd get Sears to swap it out under warranty and then invest in a bigger charger to keep the new one in good shape. Sears may already have some of the G31s from Northstar.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

So no load it held 12.7 for a long time just can't get it up past that and hold in the vehicle.

FWIW, my 2150 is about the same as yours, except that mine is new (installed in July, I think). Odyssey told me that my 270 amp alternator should be fine for blowing off the sulfation, and I drove the truck almost 3000 miles in September. It's been mostly parked since about 9/20, and on 9/30 I put it on the Ctek 7200 for a full charge cycle on snowflake setting. The 2150 was at 11.7V after being parked for about ten days, and after 2 full days on the charger, including about a full day in float mode, I rested the battery overnight and it tested at 12.8V OCV (full charge is 12.85V). The next day it registered 12.7V. Truck still parked, today it registered 12.6V. I'm going to let it drop to about 12.0V, then give it a full charge on the Odyssey Ultimizer, see if that actually does a better job than the Ctek. I know the Ultimizer is a lot faster, but not sure yet that it is more effective.

 

[1Louder]

FWIW, my 2150 is about the same as yours, except that mine is new (installed in July, I think). Odyssey told me that my 270 amp alternator should be fine for blowing off the sulfation, and I drove the truck almost 3000 miles in September. It's been mostly parked since about 9/20, and on 9/30 I put it on the Ctek 7200 for a full charge cycle on snowflake setting. The 2150 was at 11.7V after being parked for about ten days, and after 2 full days on the charger, including about a full day in float mode, I rested the battery overnight and it tested at 12.8V OCV (full charge is 12.85V). The next day it registered 12.7V. Truck still parked, today it registered 12.6V. I'm going to let it drop to about 12.0V, then give it a full charge on the Odyssey Ultimizer, see if that actually does a better job than the Ctek. I know the Ultimizer is a lot faster, but not sure yet that it is more effective.

Great follow up. I had a mid-length trip back and forth to Vegas. On my return home the battery was at 12.7 after sitting an hour. In the morning it was at 12.56. Getting to the point where I won't worry about it anymore. I will put it on the CTEK before and after camping trips and hope for the best. The Optima is still sitting at 12.8 after almost 2 weeks outside of the vehicle. I can't get it to 13.1 but it is holding the charge that the CTEK gave it. I think if I go back to the Dual Battery setup I will just use the Optima as the backup batter since it has less available power and keep everything else on the PM-1. When the PM-1 goes then I can reconsider the setup. The problem with the dual battery mounting kit that I am going to buy is that it can't fit a PM-1. I know it can take something larger than the Optima but when/if I cross that bridge I will see what can fit. Hopefully by then solar becomes even cheaper! Ha Ha.... Thanks for all of the feedback.

 

[RandyP]

. .....Sears may already have some of the G31s from Northstar.

Could it be that Sears may sell some Northstar Batteries ?

 

[Ducky's Dad]

Could it be that Sears may sell some Northstar Batteries ?

Back around June the regional Northstar rep told me that Sears had changed their contract for AGMs from Odyssey to Northstar, and that Northstars would start appearing "soon." My local Sears store had no big Odysseys in stock but told me there might be a few left in other stores. That same store also had some DieHard Golds on the rack that looked like they came from Northstar, but the Gold is a lower-spec battery than the Platinum. I have a new Northstar 31M (not Sears) that has slightly better specs than the PM1 or the 2150. Installed it into my Tundra last week but no real experience with it yet.

 

[RandyP]

Is the northstar battery the only battery in the tundra, does it function as th vehicle battery (SLI) ? Its quite a high capacity battery.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

Is the northstar battery the only battery in the tundra, does it function as th vehicle battery (SLI) ? Its quite a high capacity battery.

The Northstar 31M is the only battery in the Tundra (for now), until I can figure out where to stuff another battery. My Dodge has an Odyssey 31M as its primary battery (starting, winching, OBA, lights), but it also has a pair of Optima 34M dual purpose as house batteries for the fridge, and they can be switched in for winching or emergency starting.

 

[Happy Joe]

THANK YOU! ... all.
This thread has prevented me from making a costly and likely stressful mistake!
Enjoy!