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advisability to turn off battery periodically

Timeking
Explorer
Explorer
Had a cell die, and then the WFCO burned it to a crisp. Had to replace battery and the acid-laden case.

It seems there is little advantage (?) in keeping the battery charging ALL the time when connected to shore power. A fully charged battery measures 12.9 volts, yet the WFCO in 'absorption mode' is hitting the battery with 13.6 volts, as it was designed to do. Doesn't seem healthy to be continually running current through the battery, month after month after month, which I suspect can only increase gassing, and loss of water ... and bad cell and kablooey.

What might I be missing here?

When I turn the battery OFF, it does not get charging current.
36 REPLIES 36

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
WFCO's cost to OEM is 45% that if you try and buy a new one.
The company hasn't a clue how to heatsink FETs and rectifiers. Who else would use a plain block of quarter inch thick aluminum as a heat sink? Or place inferior low temperature capacitors adjacent to intense heat radiating ceramic resistors? Another laugh is the placement of a "cooling" fan all the way across the device where zero air reaches the family jewels?
This is the YUGO of converters. Or Renault Dauphine. I won't even get into the control circuitry. It is too nauseating.

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Gjac,

The positive plate degrades even when NOT being charged.

You are correct that over charging is an issue.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Gjac
Explorer III
Explorer III
pianotuna wrote:
Gjac,

The positive plate sheds. There is pretty much nada you can do about it. Cold helps slow the process down, and heat speeds it up.
Yes of course, that was my question, plates don't shed when not hooked up to a charger. When hooked up to a charger how much is being shed? I have not seen a discussion on here about that. Will .001 shed at 13.6 v in 24 hrs or .005 ? I imagine higher voltages like 14 v shed more. That is why I have concluded that a battery will last longer if left of the charger and only charged when the battery reaches 80% SOC or so.

Timeking
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks to all. Will replace.

GDS-3950BH
Explorer
Explorer
WFCO is low grade Chinese junk like everything else used by the RV industry. They love them because they're cheap. They are known to go into bulk charge mode and stay there while batteries boil away. They are also known to sometimes never go into bulk charge mode even if the battery is dead, or not ever go into float. The luck of the draw. You get what you don't pay for.

The best move without spending an arm and a leg is to pull the 12VDC guts out and replace with either a boondocker or other brand plug and play replacement. Bestconverter.com is a good source of info and products.

2112
Explorer II
Explorer II
I had the same issue with my WFCO. I never saw float or bulk, just a constant 13.6V. It would sit plugged in for weeks with nothing but the fridge on AC and the CO detector powered and still wouldn't drop to 13.2V.

I built a low side switch using an AVR controller and a 90A MOSFET to connect the battery for 1 hour every 5 days. The MOSFET reverse diode allows the battery to be used if the converter loses power. It has a button to charge for 4 hours and reset the 5 day timer if needed. I remove the switch while traveling.
2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost SuperCab Max Tow, 2084# Payload, 11,300# Tow,
Timbrens
2013 KZ Durango 2857

StirCrazy
Nomad III
Nomad III
Timeking wrote:
After 4 days, the WFCO was still hitting the BRAND NEW battery with 13.68 volts and there was evidence of gassing.


thats the key sentence. WFCO is junk, the first thing I do is replace it witha proper 3 or 4 stage charger. then check electralites 4 times a year and you'll never have a problem.

Steve
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
Just as a sample of perspective of the meaning of a high duration lead acid battery...
My 2 volts weigh 667 pounds each x2 plus steel container.
They have .300" thick positive plates
1.260 tropical blend adjusted electrolyte.
And there are 12 containers 2 batteries each.

wopachop
Explorer
Explorer
Timeking wrote:
OK, I'll guess I'll leave it 'on'
Why? People over estimate the self discharge rate of a healthy battery. Most campers dont really have a clue how batteries work. Not their fault, just aint their hobby. There is something to be said about the mentality of someone who buys an RV, then drives it to a pad and parks it like a house and considers it camping. These are the folks who tell you they leave their trailer hooked up 24/7 and "never had a problem".

A lot of times the people who never had a problem are not informed enough to recognize the start of a problem. To them a battery works, or its dead and need to be replaced.

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Gjac,

The positive plate sheds. There is pretty much nada you can do about it. Cold helps slow the process down, and heat speeds it up.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Gjac
Explorer III
Explorer III
One thing that is not talked about is when you keep the batteries plugin 27/7 like many on here do, there is a chemical action taking place and some amount of plate shedding takes place. I don't know how to quantify it but I don't leave mine plugged in. From Oct to April they are disconnected and stay in the MH all winter. Batteries self discharge about 20%(much slower in cold weather). In the summer if the MH is not being used it stays disconnected until batteries reach 80% SOC. A timer is is a good idea if you are not there to check your batteries. Does anyone have an idea of how much plate is lost at various voltages as a function of time?

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Timeking wrote:
OK, I'll guess I'll leave it 'on' and keep an eye on the water level, and as soon as things wind down here, will replace the WFCO if continued monitoring continues to show that the dang thing keeps trying to fry my battery. Got enough to worry about, what with tires, towing, ......


Plan to replace it. For now use a timer and charge 1 hour per day, if in storage.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Timeking
Explorer
Explorer
OK, I'll guess I'll leave it 'on' and keep an eye on the water level, and as soon as things wind down here, will replace the WFCO if continued monitoring continues to show that the dang thing keeps trying to fry my battery. Got enough to worry about, what with tires, towing, ......

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
wopachop,

Otherwise known as and "accumulator".
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.