Solar not charging starting batteries. - Page 2

Scalf77 · 11-01-2012, 10:20 AM

Two things that I would recommend with the Surepower 1315;

Add a switch to the Ground wire that goes to the SurePower. This allows you to easily disable the separator for debugging purposes, or when you just want to make sure that you are taking care of your house battery. As you saw a shorted cell in a battery will pretty much consume the power available from your solar panel.

Disable completely or add a switch to the start assist option if your Surpower is wired for it. If you have this enabled all the time are masking a starting battery going bad.

saline · 11-27-2012, 12:59 PM

Apparently this story isn't over. The van sat for about 4 days with nothing on inside and not plugged in.
It wouldn't start at all. The house battery showed 13.5v. and starting 11.2v Even with the struggling slow cranking for and extended period it would not start. I had thought that the house separator would kick in start it. Nada..zip

Both starting batteries were recently load tested, one was replaced since it was slightly under the other under at full load. They didn't want to replace it because they said it was so close in voltage.
Today one of the starting batteries (the new one) is cooking and smells like sulfur.

So my guess is I have a power draw on the starting side from an unknown source? And why now a problem after 4 years of trouble free?

What now?

Scalf77 · 11-28-2012, 07:05 AM

My first suspicion is that you still have something wrong with the starting batteries and/or charging system. 4 sitting should not kill the battery. You may have a separator issue, but I would think that it was just masking the real problem that you have. I am surprised that they just changed one battery, it is usually better to do in pairs. I thought I read somewhere about a connection point for the dual battery set up, that could cause issues. I will see if I can remember where I read it I have a Gasser so I didn't think about it much. (probably was a John K post).

So I would tackle the issue separately (no pun intended) pull the ground on the separator to make sure it is not causing any issues. Then tackle the starting battery issue, the fact that you are boiling a battery is not a good, and usually points to a bad battery.

I have a spare Separator that I can send you for testing purposes, PM me. But as I said, if bad it might just be masking a problem.

Greg

**daveb** · 11-28-2012, 09:54 AM

Let me guess...did Ford do this testing?

saline · 11-28-2012, 07:46 PM

It was Batteries Plus that tested them. They tested them overnight as well.

Thanks for the input again fellas. I will try and do some more troubleshooting tomorrow.

**daveb** · 11-28-2012, 09:47 PM

You know things happen, and sometimes one thing leads to another. A bad "new battery" can be a reality. Also did they test your alternator? Boiling a battery generally indicated a messed up alternator, or a bad "new" battery but I'd have a electrical vehicle shop do a real load test.

Why did they only replace one battery? It almost sounds like they never tested the 2nd battery which would be a huge mistake.

Do you think the battery positions were swapped when they reinstalled them?

The reason I asked if Ford did it is because how difficult it is to pull both batteries and test each on its own. Rarely do they do this and instead just hook up a tester to the system where the good battery masks the problem. Been there and done that

A boiling battery is the key phrase.

Good luck.

saline · 11-28-2012, 11:30 PM

The new battery is the one that is boiling. I actually pulled both batteries myself, marked them and took them down to Batteries Plus the first time. Looks like i'll be doing it again.

REF · 11-29-2012, 07:33 AM

I had similar issues, had replaced batteries and all, seemed like there was a draw somewhere on the system, starting batts were always dead after 2 days. Now with solar and a replaced house batt that was toast, no more issues. You say your house batt seems fine, seems your starters are the problem. I would throw it out there that you may want to consider swapping out your starters to AGM or optima. With all the batteries in the van being connected, and if your solar charger has a different set of hook ups like mine (Morningstar) for either charging AGM or wet cell, your solar charger may be frying your wet starters if its hooked up for AGM. Just a thought, good luck

**daveb** · 11-29-2012, 01:47 PM

REF, I did the same for the same reason but only as a long term solution. Saline's problem wouldn't be caused by the solar. My bet is that the new battery is a bad one...we all get faulty new stuff once and a while.
Josh you might pull the bad battery only, charge up the one you think is good and try to start the vehicle with the separator open and ground pulled. It should try to crank over.

With the engine running after the battery are back in place but the lugs are exposed, test voltage on each battery at the lugs.