Re: replace both batteries .


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Posted by David Sherman [72.47.9.228] on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 at 17:43:19 :

In Reply to: replace both batteries . posted by Bruce in BC [24.207.16.199] on Wednesday, December 08, 2010 at 10:53:29 :

"Weak" and "strong" can mean different things. If the weak battery is weak because it's sulfated and won't take a charge, it will have a higher voltage for the same amount of amps going into it than the good battery, which means the good battery will never get properly charged. If it's weak because it has a shorted cell, it will never come up to the right voltage, its good cells will overcharge, and the good battery will overcharge.

When running any system with 2 batteries in series, it's good to check the individual battery voltages from time to time and make sure they're pretty close, and don't put a brand new battery in with a known weak old one or you'll ruin the new one too. I will mix and match to a certain extent in order to get full life out of all of them, but I always check the voltages. Sometimes a sulfated battery can be rejuvenated to some extent by charging the bejesus out of it for a few days or by adding acid to the electrolyte. I've some "dead" batteries that gave years of service after being doctored like that.

But for the most part, if you don't want to monkey with them, replace both batteries at once, and if one of the take-outs is still good, use it in a 12 volt vehicle. One of the very common causes of trouble in 24 volt systems is guys tapping a 12 volt accessory like a radio, or worse yet 12 volt headlight bulbs, onto the mid-point of the two batteries. This is sure to ruin both batteries eventually.



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