Are my XS Power D3400 batteries done for?

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

I googled it and apparently it used to be true with older rubber-case batteries, but the new plastic-case batteries are unaffected by the concrete floors.

Either way, I moved the old front battery from my truck off my garage floor to the top of a 5 gallon bucket

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

Interesting. I am going to put mine on some 2x4's.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Mine dropped to 4v while I was on a long deployment. Cycled for a few days and they came up like new.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Yeah, my D3100 was a tank.

A year old, it still load tested better than a local shop's "rebadged" brand new group 31 AGM

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

WHy is it bad to let them sit on a concrete floor? I've heard this before, but don't know why that is

Only on wet cell batts. Not agm

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Only on wet cell batts. Not agm

What's the reasoning behind it?

I did move my spare wet cell to higher ground today because of this thread

 

[mylows10 5,000+ posts]

What's the reasoning behind it?
I did move my spare wet cell to higher ground today because of this thread

The cold concrete draws the voltage down. Like when it's cold outside

 

[Papermaker85 5,000+ posts]

I've tried tellin peeps for years. Batteries put an exsessive load on the alternator.

If its not holding a float charge its done..

Once you cycle a battery domd many times and your having to recharge it on almost a daily basis they won't last.. They must be pretty good batteries cuz they lasted a few years..

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

Mine dropped to 4v while I was on a long deployment. Cycled for a few days and they came up like new.

Can you tell me how you cycled your batteries exactly? I've never done it before and I want to make sure I'm doing it right.

What did you use to create a power draw? What voltage did you let them drop to before you started charging again? And what kind of charger were you using to charge them back up?

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Batteries these days can sit on concrete. It doesn't hurt them at all.

What was your alternator charging voltage? Looks like you swelled one from high voltage.

I would put them on a good charger that has the "recondition" mode.

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

My alternator was all fucked up. It was an Iraggi model that got all weird on me and started dropping in charging voltage. Originally it charged in the 14v range, but then dropped to below 12v and was charging in the 10v range. Never keeping my batteries full. Eventually it just stopped charging all together which then cause my batteries to die. Not sure if it was ever over-charging, but I'm sure it's a possibility.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Can you tell me how you cycled your batteries exactly? I've never done it before and I want to make sure I'm doing it right.
What did you use to create a power draw? What voltage did you let them drop to before you started charging again? And what kind of charger were you using to charge them back up?

Just a basic AGM charger.

2amp charge until it said it was done. Took them off for a few hours. Put them back on and repeat until it's full when you hook it back up.

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

Oh ok, I though you had to connect something to the battery to create a power draw on discharge. I've cycled once so far, and after a day of charging they are back up to 12.6 and 12.9. I'll post up with results after i do this a few more times and take the batteries in for testing at the local auto shop.

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

I got the batteries tested at Pep Boys and they both failed. I had cycled each of them once and they were each above 12.6 when they put them on the tester.

Anybody know what the numbers on the slips mean exactly?

Battery 1

Battery 2

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

you need to cycle them more than once or twice imo