[liphook]

Today was the second day trying to use my diy reel system, it lasted 10 minutes before I had the batt symbol on the controller. Back to backpacks rest of day.

I have a 120ah battery fitted with a trickle charger to the engine, and run a 100psi shurflo  pump from it.

I asked an auto elec I know to look and he says if I’m only doing short journeys, and turn engine off when working, that the battery doesn’t get enough time to charge, which is why it’s not working.


Any advice on this please?

[Ched]

Short journeys won't put enough power back into the battery. Ideally you should mains charge it each night. If you have been regularly draining it below 50% capacity (12v rested) then you have probably killed the battery! 

[Stoots]

Well neither a split charge relay or a battery to battery charger will fully charge your battery if you dont do enough miles.

But i would check the battery isnt faulty and that its holding charge and i would then check its not a bad connection thats causing the controller to detect low battery rather than the battery actually being low...

If everything checks out ok then its just a case of bench charging the battery more often, personally i do this everyday.

[liphook]

Well neither a split charge relay or a battery to battery charger will fully charge your battery if you dont do enough miles.

But i would check the battery isnt faulty and that its holding charge and i would then check its not a bad connection thats causing the controller to detect low battery rather than the battery actually being low...

If everything checks out ok then its just a case of bench charging the battery more often, personally i do this everyday.

I have purchased a mains trickle charger to charge it over night. I thought the 12v trickle charge from battery would be enough but clearly I was wrong.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

What battery reading are you getting?

After charge result without load.  Then a result when running your pump when charged (let it run a few minutes before taking a reading).

Then keep a track of the readings without load during the working day to see how much it's loses.

Should give us an idea of what's going on.

[dd]

If you have been running your battery for a while without bench charging it you have most likely knackered it.

[dd]

Well neither a split charge relay or a battery to battery charger will fully charge your battery if you dont do enough miles.

But i would check the battery isnt faulty and that its holding charge and i would then check its not a bad connection thats causing the controller to detect low battery rather than the battery actually being low...

If everything checks out ok then its just a case of bench charging the battery more often, personally i do this everyday.

I have purchased a mains trickle charger to charge it over night. I thought the 12v trickle charge from battery would be enough but clearly I was wrong.

Best charger in my experience is ctek mxs 5

[Simon Trapani]

Today was the second day trying to use my diy reel system, it lasted 10 minutes before I had the batt symbol on the controller. Back to backpacks rest of day.

I have a 120ah battery fitted with a trickle charger to the engine, and run a 100psi shurflo  pump from it.

I asked an auto elec I know to look and he says if I’m only doing short journeys, and turn engine off when working, that the battery doesn’t get enough time to charge, which is why it’s not working.


Any advice on this please?

I think we need more system details. What diy reel? Trickle charge to engine?

[Don Kee]

Just double check your battery to controller connections, especially the negative wire.
Any wire connections and fuse holders, just make sure they all have a solid connection before you start major surgery on your system.

If all seems to be ok, make sure your battery is fully bench charged at the start of the day and then use your controller to see what the voltage number is.
That’ll give you an indication on whether the battery is actually taking charge.

Again if all seems to be ok, have a look at your flow and calibration settings (auto cal is usually a good starting point). Obvs make sure you haven’t got air locks before you do this. (Air locks usually mean your pump doesn’t shut off, mine usually sounds like a moped!!)

Once you’ve got these out the way it’s easier to start pinning down the issue.

[Jonny 87]

The way to think of it in rough terms is that your charger could take 4 hours to charge up your battery.

That means you’d need to have the engine running for 4 hours to do it. Do you drive 4 hours per day? If not, then that’s the issue.

Mains charging it will likely sort your problem out.

[liphook]

Update.

Tried pump before starting and after a few minutes the flow was stop start with “batt” on controller, I plugged in the smart charger and within 30 minutes it claimed to be fully charged, so guessing battery is goosed.

New battery arrived today so will fit that and see how I go. . It’s a 120ah battery so is that enough for 2 days running a 100psi pump or should I charge it daily?

[dazmond]

Update.

Tried pump before starting and after a few minutes the flow was stop start with “batt” on controller, I plugged in the smart charger and within 30 minutes it claimed to be fully charged, so guessing battery is goosed.

New battery arrived today so will fit that and see how I go. . It’s a 120ah battery so is that enough for 2 days running a 100psi pump or should I charge it daily?

Every other day you should be fine if only running one pump but if you have an electric reel I'd charge it up every night...

Remember leisure batteries last longest if they never get discharged lower than 50% ever!

Lesson learned!

[liphook]

Update.

Tried pump before starting and after a few minutes the flow was stop start with “batt” on controller, I plugged in the smart charger and within 30 minutes it claimed to be fully charged, so guessing battery is goosed.

New battery arrived today so will fit that and see how I go. . It’s a 120ah battery so is that enough for 2 days running a 100psi pump or should I charge it daily?

Every other day you should be fine if only running one pump but if you have an electric reel I'd charge it up every night...

Remember leisure batteries last longest if they never get discharged lower than 50% ever!

Lesson learned!

Thats handy to know. im only running the PSI on 35 so shouldnt be a big draw on battery. my backpacks got charged every two days so be good if i can do the same.

Yes its only the pump and a manual reel

[JandS]

Mine goes on charge every night in garage using a c tek charger......never have an issue with it.......it stays on charge all weekend and holidays too.

[Spruce]

Update.

Tried pump before starting and after a few minutes the flow was stop start with “batt” on controller, I plugged in the smart charger and within 30 minutes it claimed to be fully charged, so guessing battery is goosed.

New battery arrived today so will fit that and see how I go. . It’s a 120ah battery so is that enough for 2 days running a 100psi pump or should I charge it daily?

Every other day you should be fine if only running one pump but if you have an electric reel I'd charge it up every night...

Remember leisure batteries last longest if they never get discharged lower than 50% ever!

Lesson learned!

Thats handy to know. im only running the PSI on 35 so shouldnt be a big draw on battery. my backpacks got charged every two days so be good if i can do the same.

Yes its only the pump and a manual reel

You mean you are running at a flow rate of 35. This figure of 35 has nothing to do with psi. You indirectly set the psi when you calibrate the controller and that remains constant until you recalibrate it again.

[The Jester of Wibbly]

My charger is fitted into van connected permanently to my pair of batteries.   I just connect my camping power lead straight too it each night.

[liphook]

My charger is fitted into van connected permanently to my pair of batteries.   I just connect my camping power lead straight too it each night.

This is what I have set up today.

[JandS]

Running it at 35? That seems low I run at 75 .....not sure I'd get much flow at 35 with a rinse bar must try it.

[liphook]

Another question on my setup please.

I have bought a mains powered trickle charger to charge my battery over night, I haven’t used the battery yet but put it on charge, it’s been on charge 18 hours now and still isn’t saying fully charged. Is this correct?

This is my battery- https://www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/hankook/xl31/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlZixBhCoARIsAIC745Ctm1780yeiLGYVumQ5-OgDzL3SiJi_R0Wl_5RhBfv2BKOHdI_6xJ0aAvVMEALw_wcB

This is my charger-  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TBY1RPJ?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Thanks for the help.

[Jonny 87]

Yeah it could be.

Your charger is very small by the looks of it. 1amp?

Someone else like spruce will be able to tell you exactly, but I think it could take a good 24 plus hours to fully charge at that rate.

A lot of chargers are 4 or 5 amp for example, which is 5 times more power than your charger has.