| Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334620] |
Wed, 04 July 2018 17:57  |
trapper
Messages: 52
Registered: April 2015
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Karma: 0
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Hi all,
So for 2.5 years I've been running a pair of Trojan T-105 6V batteries and they have been working great. I have a PD Power Converter/Charger.
Well the other day the batteries just went dead. I came out and there was nothing. I thought maybe I left lights on or something. Anyways I plugged in the RV and let it charge throughout the day and night. My battery monitor said I was at 100% but I couldn't get more than one LED light going! No fan...nothing.
I pulled the batteries and put in another 12v deep cycle I had laying around and everything inside the coach is fine.
When I put the hydrometer in the Trojans they all read in the 1.3 range which according to Trojan is full charge.
But this is where it gets odd... when I check the volts they both are in the 8.3-8.4 range. 16.7V when I have them in series.
Thoughts?
75 Glenbrook
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334635 is a reply to message #334620] |
Wed, 04 July 2018 23:25  |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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How many holes for water?
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334643 is a reply to message #334635] |
Thu, 05 July 2018 08:23 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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That is what I was thinking. They make an 8 volt golf cart battery. If that is not it, then start cleaning cables. Especially the positive ones. Both ends.
Also find another meter. Your's might be off. I had one of those Harbor Freight ones that read 2 volts too high at 12vdc. It drove me nuts for a while because I could not figure out some of the readings I was getting.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334659 is a reply to message #334643] |
Thu, 05 July 2018 09:49 |
trapper
Messages: 52
Registered: April 2015
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Karma: 0
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Ken Burton wrote on Thu, 05 July 2018 08:23
Also find another meter. Your's might be off. I had one of those Harbor Freight ones that read 2 volts too high at 12vdc. It drove me nuts for a while because I could not figure out some of the readings I was getting.
That's a good idea. I do have another....
75 Glenbrook
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334660 is a reply to message #334659] |
Thu, 05 July 2018 10:06 |
Justin Brady
Messages: 769
Registered: April 2015
Location: Bell Buckle, TN
Karma: 11
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+1 On trying a different meter. 16.7V is higher than a disconnected battery should ever be (or physically can be I believe, except with a surface charge within minutes of disconnecting a malfunctioning charger, or equalizing etc).
That wouldn't explain why they don't work though.
Try connecting a larger 12V load directly to the batteries, like a spare water pump or something.
Justin Brady
http://www.thegmcrv.com/
1976 Palm Beach 455
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334668 is a reply to message #334620] |
Thu, 05 July 2018 11:32 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Simpson 260 can be had reasonably on eBay and for GMC use it's plenty accurate... and easier to read. "If it works, it's a Fluke." Take that either way 
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
[Updated on: Thu, 05 July 2018 11:33] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334678 is a reply to message #334620] |
Thu, 05 July 2018 15:48 |
dshafer
Messages: 68
Registered: June 2016
Location: SW Ohio
Karma: 3
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I'd also get a load meter to test those batteries. Having voltage doesn't necessarily mean amperage is available. Maybe a bad connection internally or externally as someone suggested.
1977 26 foot 403
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| Re: [GMCnet] Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334712 is a reply to message #334664] |
Fri, 06 July 2018 09:34 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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richshoop wrote on Thu, 05 July 2018 10:14If the meter is NOT labelled 'Fluke' it is just an indicator.
Years ago we switched from a mixture of Triplett an Simpson analog meters to Fluke digitals. We ordered thousands of them and Fluke even changed the front label on them to include our company name.
Well it was a disaster. We had so many failures and their repair service was so bad that we started to repair them in our own repair facility in Chicago that normally did our oscilloscopes repair and bi-annual calibrations. Their accuracy was poor and off sometimes as much as 15%. Luckily most of the guys still has their old analog meters as back ups when readings looked bad or when they quit completely. Or they would drive to the office and grab a Simpson 260s. I still have a couple of broken Flukes around here somewhere. Laurie's company issued Fluke still works. I saw her using it on something last week.
The same thing happened when we changed to Snap On for hand tools. We broke so many screwdrivers that we started calling them Snap Off tools.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334716 is a reply to message #334620] |
Fri, 06 July 2018 10:21 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Matt, if you tune the digital meter through the dip on a resonant circuit you'll never find the dip point. An analog movement makes it simple. Use the digital where it belongs... looking for a voltage to a couple of decimal places where it matters. 5 volts on some stuff, etc.
--johnny
DOS Tip: Don't trust the cheap digital meter of there's any king of a transmitter nearby.
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334763 is a reply to message #334620] |
Sat, 07 July 2018 07:36 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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It kinda does. I've both, the analog is way easier in that - and many more - instances. I can rock the dip and my Fluke stays on the same dot while the anaklog needle shows true minimum.
--johnny
Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334771 is a reply to message #334766] |
Sat, 07 July 2018 09:58 |
James Hupy
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
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I have a Fluke 77 that is at least 35 years old. Hasn't failed me yet.
Never have replaced the battery. Bought a backup Digital VM, to have in the
coach. First time I used it the tip of one of the probes broke. Tried to
obtain a replacement from mfg. ROTSA RUCK. Sits in a drawer, batteries
dead, as a constant reminder to NEVER, NEVER buy offshore crap that you
might have to depend upon. Your experience may vary.
If I want a quick check, I use a test lamp with a sharp probe and an
alligator clip on the end of the test lead. Quick and dirty, but it always
works.
Jim Hupy
On Sat, Jul 7, 2018, 6:27 AM gene Fisher wrote:
> Never turn on my flukes
> Always use one of my 20 hf free meters 😀
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 7, 2018 at 6:02 AM Johnny Bridges via Gmclist gmclist@list.gmcnet.org> wrote:
>
>> It kinda does. I've both, the analog is way easier in that - and many
>> more - instances. I can rock the dip and my Fluke stays on the same dot
>> while
>> the anaklog needle shows true minimum.
>>
>> --johnny
>>
>>
>> --
>> 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
>> Braselton, Ga.
>> "I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to
> me
>> in hell" - ol Andy, paraphrased
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
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>>
> --
> Gene Fisher -- 74-23,77PB/ore/ca
> “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today --- give him a URL and
> -------
> http://gmcmotorhome.info/
> Alternator Protection Cable
> http://gmcmotorhome.info/APC.html
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| Re: Trojan 6V Battery issue [message #334800 is a reply to message #334620] |
Sun, 08 July 2018 09:40 |
GatsbysCruise
Messages: 261
Registered: January 2017
Location: Waukegan, Illinois
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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If you replaced the Trojans with another battery and the coach reacted normally, good lights and voltage readings, your problem goes directly back to the battery.
Either the cable at the battery was dirty and you disturbed the corrosion when you changed the battery or the problem is directly with the battery.
Get an automotive load tester, if you don't have one and can't borrow one, Harbor freight must have them for cheap. put a test on the batteries in the normal 12v configuration. If the load test is good, then the mystery continues. I am betting there may be an internal failure. If the lead fractures, the voltages can get interesting. Getting a higher than usual reading is certainly odd, but it is pretty normal to get a "normal" reading on a bad battery but when connected up, the voltages goes way down.
I've only been able to test electrically, some of my own batteries. If there is an internal fracture of the lead, there is really no way to see it since the batteries are sealed so well.
Going back the the RV, when you put a different 12v battery on the circuit and you said everything was "normal" and operating correctly, that eliminates everything from the battery posts to the RV. Only the Tie cable and or connections between the series connected batts can be suspect outside of the batteries themselves. If the cable is operational, then check and clean the connectors. Again, with no load, you could get a normal reading but put load on and the reading will go down, caused by a bad connection. This would mimic a crack in the lead inside the battery.
A load test on the batteries should give you an answer. It could be only one battery causing the problem but generally, I don't think we are supposed to mix batteries by age if you only have one bad one. The Trojans sound too new to have gone bad but it happens.
GatsbysCruise. \
74GMC260 Former Glacier Model style. \
Waukegan, Illinois \ Keep those MiniDiscs Spinning \ MY GREYHOUND IS FASTER THAN YOUR HONOR ROLL STUDENT \ WindowsXP-Win7-Win8.1-UBUNTU STUDIO - UBUNTU VOYAGER - Berzin Auto Center
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