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Flow rate problem

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77
Location
Wiltshire
So my wfp system is brand new havnt used it until today , it's a split relay charger but my pump controls only turn on when my ignition is turned  not the engine but just radio and lights , is this because my wfp battery is dead I cleaned a house but the flow rate was on full and it wasn't coming out very good. Was pulsing rather than a constant flow rate 

 
If you've got a split charge relay, even if you don't do many miles the batteries shouldn't be dead for at least a week from new. Think I'd be ringing the supplier or an auto electrician.
Do you H have to have anything switched on while driving about like the flow switch as I do drive my van alot to be fair so you may have a point .

If you've got a split charge relay, even if you don't do many miles the batteries shouldn't be dead for at least a week from new. Think I'd be ringing the supplier or an auto electrician.
It can go 12 hrs a day with no driving though then like a 30 min drive so will try and charge it as I'm currently still using my car for my current job . 

 
Do you H have to have anything switched on while driving about like the flow switch as I do drive my van alot to be fair so you may have a point .
If it's all wired up correctly then no, the batteries should be charging when you're driving. My van can sit best part of a week sometimes and barely do 10 miles yet haven't had a problem with them yet. They're only 6 months old though.

 
Ahh I see do you have to turn the ignition to use your system ? 
No, on the old van when the 8 year old batteries were knackered I had to run the engine towards the end of long days. The split relay should give your batteries sufficient charge, if my assumptions that you're currently not working on the windows for lots of hours is correct, for your requirements. If you're doing say 100 miles a week in the van and working 20 hours on the glass, I'm not certain, but would think if everything is working correctly you shouldn't need to bench charge the battery.

 
How much charge gets put back into a battery via a split relay will vary vehicle to vehicle. As a general rule of thumb a split relay will put back about 4 - 6 amps for each hour the engine is running. A pump running with a controller will use 3 - 5 amps for each hour. so for example if the pumps runs for 5 hours 15 to 25 amps are used. If the engine runs for 2 hours a day 8 to 12 amps get put back. Even with a split relay a bench charge once or week or so will maintain the battery cells in good condition.

This is good link which explains it

https://www.progressivedyn.com/service/battery-basics/

 
How much charge gets put back into a battery via a split relay will vary vehicle to vehicle. As a general rule of thumb a split relay will put back about 4 - 6 amps for each hour the engine is running. A pump running with a controller will use 3 - 5 amps for each hour. so for example if the pumps runs for 5 hours 15 to 25 amps are used. If the engine runs for 2 hours a day 8 to 12 amps get put back. Even with a split relay a bench charge once or week or so will maintain the battery cells in good condition.

This is good link which explains it

https://www.progressivedyn.com/service/battery-basics/
That surprises me, the first van we had the batteries in for  7 + years, probably a year to long, and they were never bench charged. Now I appreciate I do more miles than most but I have a few weeks where the pumps are running twice as long as the engine and they don't run flat. 

 
How much charge gets put back into a battery via a split relay will vary vehicle to vehicle. As a general rule of thumb a split relay will put back about 4 - 6 amps for each hour the engine is running. A pump running with a controller will use 3 - 5 amps for each hour. so for example if the pumps runs for 5 hours 15 to 25 amps are used. If the engine runs for 2 hours a day 8 to 12 amps get put back. Even with a split relay a bench charge once or week or so will maintain the battery cells in good condition.

This is good link which explains it

https://www.progressivedyn.com/service/battery-basics/
Checked the charge it was on 50% so maybe that was the problem this was the issue 


20191124_122438.mp4


 
Checked the charge it was on 50% so maybe that was the problem this was the issue. At 50% capacity the battery will be getting close to 10V. The amp charge in the battery will also be low. Battery manufacturers like Progressive Dyn and other would state that a lead acid battery should not be drained below 11V or around 45% of the capacity. Below this point the lead cells become encased in Sulphur crystals that harden. This limits the battery cell ability to hold a charge. Bench charging helps to return some of the sulphur to its liquid state and keep the cells clean and in good condition. As your battery is relatively new it may be recoverable but it will need a bench charge of 12 - 24 hours



 
That surprises me, the first van we had the batteries in for  7 + years, probably a year to long, and they were never bench charged. Now I appreciate I do more miles than most but I have a few weeks where the pumps are running twice as long as the engine and they don't run flat. 
The are a number of variables that impact on battery split relay charging. Time the engine is running, Alternator size, What other equipment is running EG lights and cab heater. Cabling are a few. For some that are running the engine enough to put back most of the amp capacity used a split Relay will be enough. Most vehicles over the last few years use alternator management systems and these AMS will prioritise charging by focussing on the vehicle battery after start up and vehicle systems, this can mean the amount of current going to the secondary battery is reduced. To keep the battery in good condition a periodic regular Bench charge will help extend the life of a battery.

 
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