C&CC temporary holiday site (1 Viewer)

[Diggerdi]

We are staying on our first C&CC THS at Ripon racecourse. It's the first time we've been "off grid" and I'm still a bit nervous about the leisure batteries going flat! When on hook up it usually reads over 13v for the batteries. Tonight, despite full sun on the solar panel all day and having nothing electrical on, it's reading 12.7v. We now have the tv on and will be putting the lights on shortly. Am I worrying about nothing? Is 12.7v normal?

The site is very nice and we spent an enjoyable couple of hours sitting with our next door neighbours. For someone who is quite shy and doesn't make friends easily, this has made me very happy. Tomorrow night we are going to attend the social event in the "hut". Possibly more new friends to make

 

[2657]

12.7 volts is more or less fully charged, on hook up the 13v is coming from the charger, when you start drawing power the voltage will probably drop a little more, tv and lights shouldn't cause any problems.

If you google 12 volt battery discharge you should get a table showing % discharge, 12.4v is 75%, 12.2v is 50%, I think the advice is to try and not let it drop below 50%.

 

[CWH]

12.7 volts is more or less fully charged, on hook up the 13v is coming from the charger, when you start drawing power the voltage will probably drop a little more, tv and lights shouldn't cause any problems.

If you google 12 volt battery discharge you should get a table showing % discharge, 12.4v is 75%, 12.2v is 50%, I think the advice is to try and not let it drop below 50%.

I so wish I understood electrickery!
How can 12.2 be 50% of 12? Especially if 12.4 is 75%? I just don't get it!

@Diggerdi glad you're having a good time & your electrics are normal!

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[2657]

I so wish I understood electrickery!
How can 12.2 be 50% of 12? Especially if 12.4 is 75%? I just don't get it!

@Diggerdi glad you're having a good time & your electrics are normal!

So do I!

I just google for the figures but I think the 12v is just a nominal figure.

 

[Vanman]

It might help to think of it as strength and output. 12.7v is strong - but it still only delivers 12v. 12.2v is only just strong enough to deliver the 12v that your appliances need, much less and some will stop working* and your batteries will be entering the danger zone. Batteries don't usually show more than 12.7v unless they are being charged

*Some electric fridges etc will stop working before this to prevent battery damage.

 

[CWH]

Thanks @Vanman . I'd love to have a course on Baby Electrickery for Motorhomers (maybe a 'teaching meet'!)

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[Chris]

Thanks @Vanman . I'd love to have a course on Baby Electrickery for Motorhomers (maybe a 'teaching meet'!)

I don't understand electricity either.

It's on a long , long list of other stuff I don't understand

 

[Lofty1]

Electricity is complicated treat it with caution and respect or it will really cause you pain women! Yes women! I mean electricity!!!

 

[CWH]

Yes indeed, anything with more than one cell is too much for us wimmins

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[funflair]

I so wish I understood electrickery!
How can 12.2 be 50% of 12? Especially if 12.4 is 75%? I just don't get it!

@Diggerdi glad you're having a good time & your electrics are normal!

Because it a 12volt battery, once its below 12volts its a 11volt battery and that's no good for 12volt stuff.

Martin

 

[CWH]

Because it a 12volt battery, once its below 12volts its a 11volt battery and that's no good for 12volt stuff.

Martin

Aha! Now that means something to me that I didn't know before, thank you! Another little gem to hang further revelations onto. All these little bits help!

 

[Viennese]

Thanks @Vanman . I'd love to have a course on Baby Electrickery for Motorhomers (maybe a 'teaching meet'!)

@Wildman did one a few years ago, which I should love to have attended and wasn't able to...

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[CWH]

@Wildman did one a few years ago, which I should love to have attended and wasn't able to...

Wonder if there'd be any interest this year - presenter(s) and attendees?

 

[WillH]

I so wish I understood electrickery!
How can 12.2 be 50% of 12? Especially if 12.4 is 75%? I just don't get it!

My son is a Physicist and can talk about batteries for hours. I think he understands them but can't get it across to me. On his advice we went out and bought a little portable solar panel, it was so good we now have a panel on the roof and hardly need a hook-up.

 

[Langtoftlad]

I have this graphic on my phone to remind me:

+ funsters' warnings about don't let the reading drop below 50% for the well being & life expectancy of your battery.

+ the 'real' reading is probably after an hour or so after everything has been turned off.

No idea why etc but it seems to be a common opinion by those who do know.

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[Lenny HB]

If you google 12 volt battery discharge you should get a table showing % discharge, 12.4v is 75%, 12.2v is 50%, I think the advice is to try and not let it drop below 50%.

Don't forget these are off load voltages, readings should be taken with everything turned off and battery rested for at least ½ hr.

I so wish I understood electrickery!
How can 12.2 be 50% of 12? Especially if 12.4 is 75%? I just don't get it!

That is because a 12v battery is actually 6 x 2.2 volt batteries connected in series. This gives a nominal voltage after charging of 13.2v and once the battery has settled after an hour a fully charged battery will read 12.7v - 12.9v, Gel batteries will read slightly higher.
Basic school boy science.


When we say a battery is 50% charged at 12.2v the voltage gives us an estimate of the capacity of the battery, i.e. 100 amp hour battery when it has 50 amp hours left in it it's off load voltage will be 12.2 volts. If the battery is in good condition this is a fairly accurate way of measuring the state of charge.

 

[CWH]

Basic school boy science.

Well that's fine for boys.
Some of us are girls and didn't get taught that sort of (useful) stuff. I failed at cookery, sewing etc - never had the chance to fail at electronics, engineering or mechanics.

 

[The Dudess]

Wonder if there'd be any interest this year - presenter(s) and attendees?

I would definitely be interested ...................... as an attendee.

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