Battery
The battery being tested is a Nautilus Marine/RV battery.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Make | Motomaster Nautilus |
| Model | 010-2799-4 |
| Capacity | 80Ah |
| Group | 27 |
Discharge Test
A discharge test was performed using the SkyRC Max B6 charger. In order to get the test to run to completion, we had to disable the Capacity Cut off and the Safety Timer (See appendix).
The discharge test revealed that the battery had a capacity of 6579 mAh (6.6Ah) as opposed to the expected 80Ah. We are only getting 8% of the rated capacity!
| Test | Capacity (mAh) | % of Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Test | 6579 mAh | 8% |
Next Steps
We will check the water levels in this battery and if they are low, we will top up with distilled water.
Ok, so the water levels were very low. Added distilled water about 1/4" above the plates. It's hard to visually see the water level. Perhaps we could use a stick or something next time to check the level.
While Testing:
@12.65V = 2498 mAh
Calculating based on 12.65 being about 90% capacity, then we would expect about 25Ah. Not quite the 80Ah it is supposed to have... wait and see.
Voltage/Capacity when performing discharge test on Oct 27th:
| Voltage | Capacity | Capacity based on Voltage | Multiplier | Estimated Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.65 | 2500 | 90% (10% used) | x10 | 25 Ah |
| 12.59 | 4200 | |||
| 12.50 | 8300 | 80% (20% used) | x5 | 41.5 Ah |
Voltage/Capacity when performing discharge test on Nov 1st:
| Voltage | Capacity | Capacity based on Voltage | Multiplier | Estimated Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.24 | 17,964 | 60% (40% used) | x2.5 | 72 Ah |
| 8.69 | 22,226 | 0% | - | 22 Ah |
Test Results after addition of distilled water:
| Test | Final Voltage | Capacity (mAh) | % of Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 27, 2019 | 10.16 | 13,392 | 17% |
| Nov 1, 2019 | 8.69 | 22,226 | 28% |
Appendix
Disabling Safety Timer and Capacity Cut Off on IMAX B6
In order to get the test to run to completion, we had to disable the Capacity Cut off and the Safety Timer.
Reference
| Reference | URL |
|---|---|
| IMAX B6 Manual | http://www.ittgroup.ee/files/IMAX_B6_manual.pdf |
| How to Check Car Battery Water Levels | https://www.wikihow.com/Check-Car-Battery-Water-Levels |