First let me say I understand that the battery voltage does not necessarily indicate a full charge battery but when the hydrometer indicates it full should the voltage should be close to what's expected ?
Measuring all cells in my 24 volt battery bank measure between 1.275 - 1.280 which indicates the batteries are in a full charge state. The cells SG was made with a Hydro Volt hydrometer.
However after 5 hours of darkness (2:00am in the morning) and the only load on the batteries was the Kid. The Kid displayed a voltage of 25.9 which I think is high. Is it possible that 25.9 is a good voltage for a fully charged 24 volt battery bank?
I don't have a Fluke to calibrate the kid so should I adjust the Kid voltage to the standard value for a full charge 24 volt bank to 25.5 volts? Or just leave it alone? It seems like 400 millivolts is a lot to be off. Is it possible that the batteries could have a surface charge of 25.9 even with the Kid as a load? The batteries were in float when the Sun went down.
My batteries are the standard hybrid marine. The kid settings were, absorb 29.2, and float 27.6
Thanks
Kent
Kent,
I believe the experts will say, "get a meter" so you can calibrate the kid. Even a cheap one is better than nothing. I had a problem setting up one of my Kids because of calibration. It was frustrating until I was told to calibrate. After calibration, it was smooth sailing. :)
Quote from: Kent3 on August 25, 2014, 07:25:51 PM
I don't have a Fluke to calibrate the kid so should I adjust the Kid voltage to the standard value for a full charge 24 volt bank to 25.5 volts? Or just leave it alone? It seems like 400 millivolts is a lot to be off. Is it possible that the batteries could have a surface charge of 25.9 even with the Kid as a load? The batteries were in float when the Sun went down.
Don't adjust the kid unless you have something to adjust it with (like an accurate voltmeter). 25.9 sounds just a bit high, but not high enough that i would concern myself about it. All flooded lead acid batteries do not have the same chemistry, and I don't really know what the resting voltage for
your batteries should be. Also, resting voltage is temperature dependent.
--vtMaps
I have two or three HF digital VOMs but they all read different. I read somewhere that a new 9 v alkaline battery measures about 9.5 volts. I guess I could adjust my VOM to a new 9 v battery.
Quote from: Kent3 on August 25, 2014, 09:50:33 PM
I have two or three HF digital VOMs but they all read different. I read somewhere that a new 9 v alkaline battery measures about 9.5 volts. I guess I could adjust my VOM to a new 9 v battery.
The most reliable readily available reference is the common carbon-zinc battery. A, C or D cell works fine. I am not sure you could trust a carbon zinc 9V package, but I have never tried it.
The zero current (high impedance meter) voltage of a new(ish) never discharged carbon zinc battery is 1.54V, with good precision and accuracy.
Inetdog,
I gotta disagree with you on that! (carbon -Zinc battery). Mercury button batteries are the test standard, they are 1.35 volt with much better stability than any other battery type. Long been used in calibration labs for that reason.
td
Quote from: Highflyer on August 25, 2014, 07:59:22 PMKent,
I believe the experts will say, "get a meter" so you can calibrate the kid. Even a cheap one is better than nothing. I had a problem setting up one of my Kids because of calibration. It was frustrating until I was told to calibrate. After calibration, it was smooth sailing. :)
I agree.
I had received my Beta Kid but did not have an accurate multimeter to calibrate it with. I kept adjusting it on my own. After my multimeter arrived, I used it to calibrate the Kid and all has worked fine since.
The meter I purchased is a Klein MM1000 Multimeter, from Ace Hardware. It cost me about $26 USD. A buddy then brought it over (to Cambodia) for me.
Definitely buy a decent little multimeter. You will need it down the road anyway.