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Resting Voltage for Odyssey PC630

damiens

Registered User
Hi all,

I suspect my battery is getting a little sluggish.

What is a reasonable resting voltage to expect when I turn up of a morning? Mild temperatures.

it is currently about 12.2v and then about 14-ish when charging.

Battery is Odyssey PC680.


Thanks
Damien
 
Fully charged is 12.8v. How the battery holds that charge diminishes with age. Mine’s 10 years old and is beginning to fade.
 
I fully charge them and then put a load tester on them to check condition. They can show good voltage until they are loaded.
 
I dunno how old your battery is, but if it's more than about 5 years old,
a new one at around $130 is cheap insurance against problems.

Keep the old one around-- I find that having an old (but good) battery in the hangar is handy for testing lights, etc.
 
Like Mr Pierce said, the voltage with a load is more important than the voltage with no load. Make sure the battery is fully charged and connect a voltmeter directly to the positive and negative posts. Note the voltage. Now crank the engine (without starting) for about fifteen seconds and note the voltage. Ideally, the voltage should stay at around 9 volts or better. If not, the internal resistance of the battery has risen to the point that it severely limits the voltage output. This can be due to damage (think overheat from charging) or from simple aging.

REMEMBER: Before testing, the battery needs to be fully charged. Electrolyte levels need to be correct (if applicable). And, if installed, the circuitry should be checked for any unknown draw on the battery.

Web
 
I dunno how old your battery is, but if it's more than about 5 years old,
a new one at around $130 is cheap insurance against problems.

Keep the old one around-- I find that having an old (but good) battery in the hangar is handy for testing lights, etc.

Ditto......I change mine every 4-5 years. Old ones go in lawn mower, Kubota, testing, etc.
Never a battery issue with the 680 in 20 some years.
 
I use the 680 and the 545 for engine start, small Continentals. Very happy, but I have those neat voltmeters you can buy on Amazon set up to check voltage. They are necessary for the EarthX we use for the com radio.

The 680 is getting old - it will show 13.2 right after charge, but drop quickly to 12.8. Once it hits 12.4 it is time to charge it, and at this point (maybe seven years old) it is only good for 15 starts.

The 545, when new, gives us 75 starts between charges. We had one fail inside the warranty, and Battery Mart sent a new one rather quickly.

The EarthX are working out well. The instant they drop below 12.8, they get an "Optimate" charge.
 
I've run the 680 to seven years old, and replaced. Was still working fine then, but....

I think, as others have said here, if you're asking more than about 5 years out of ANY lead acid battery, you're apt to have problems. A new battery at 5 years is pretty cheap insurance.

Unless you like hand propping, of course.

MTV
 
This got me to checking: My PC680 (the certified version SBSJ16) is 11 years old. No problems starting, but my engine starts easy. I have heard they're good for 10 years.

I guess time to get a new one.
 
A lead-acid cell is 2 volts, and 2.1volts when fully charged (at normal temperature).12V battery has 6 cells so 6 x 2.1 = 12.6V steady state.

Generally speaking 12.2V would indicate 33.3% charged i.e. 2/6 x100.However as the cells sulphate over time odd things occur.

Usually one of the 6 cells fails to achieve a full charge at normal charging voltage.Sometimes this can be fixed by putting the battery on a constant current charge, and it's a good idea to subject the battery to constant current once per year or so.

Constant current charging allows all cells to reach full charge, basically by over charging the other cells a little. Monitoring the battery during this process is important. Constant current is just what it says.. a small current is maintained through the battery irrespective of the voltage so you'll be charging above the normal 14.2 - 14.4V range.

With older generation batteries, electrolyte could be monitored and topped up during the cc charge. With sealed batteries we're forced to trust the recycling system, but the temperature should be monitored.

If the battery is older and never had constant current aka equalization charging, its days are probably numbered.

All this assumes there's nothing drawing the battery down overnight!
S
 
EarthX recommended the “Optimate” Charger. No idea whether it is best - my motorcycle battery charger does the job much quicker. Let me look for the Voltmeter - I have it on a switch, so I can check either battery or leave it off.

Go here for a similar, but better quality Voltmeter.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099PTPBD...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

So, What chargers give a constant current/equalization charge?
 
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Optimate chargers run a diagnostic cycle before bulk charging begins. I tried my Optimate on my Odyssey battery and it never initiated the charge cycle. It works great on the two healthy EarthX batteries but goes into fault about a minute in with the one battery I have that flashes a trouble code.

I believe my charger is the TM291 5 amp model.
 
Optimate chargers run a diagnostic cycle before bulk charging begins. I tried my Optimate on my Odyssey battery and it never initiated the charge cycle. It works great on the two healthy EarthX batteries but goes into fault about a minute in with the one battery I have that flashes a trouble code.

I believe my charger is the TM291 5 amp model.

I want that battery that flashes the trouble code. How do I get it?

Jerry
 
Wow! I am 12 years on an Odyssey 680 with zero problems. Looks like I better be thankful for my "borrowed time!" While we are on battery issues - have any of you experimental folks had experience with the new sealed super-light lithium batteries comparable to the Odyssey PC680? Is every Earth-X battery a lithium? I am hearing big scary stories (not too hard on about any subject these days) of fire risks with the lithiums. When I try to study this online, all I find is chatter about batteries doing bad stuff while in people's stuff on commercial airlines - nothing about performance in the battery box of a cub that isn't the biased advertisement sort of thing.
 
My PC925 is now 8 years old. I never charge it, the alternator does it's job and I park it. Has sat the past 5 Winter's from September 'till at least May and I just fire the bird up. I stopped bring a charger over to every airplane that has an Odyssey in it in the Spring just to see the fully charged green light come on as I walk away. Have had more than a few go beyond 12 years, in birds that customers have since sold and I haven't seen again. Most are probably still using the same battery. I also have them in all my old cars...
 

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Wow! I am 12 years on an Odyssey 680 with zero problems. Looks like I better be thankful for my "borrowed time!" While we are on battery issues - have any of you experimental folks had experience with the new sealed super-light lithium batteries comparable to the Odyssey PC680? Is every Earth-X battery a lithium? I am hearing big scary stories (not too hard on about any subject these days) of fire risks with the lithiums. When I try to study this online, all I find is chatter about batteries doing bad stuff while in people's stuff on commercial airlines - nothing about performance in the battery box of a cub that isn't the biased advertisement sort of thing.

There are different kinds of lithium batteries. The EarthX are NOT fire hazards. I only know of one 'fire' from one up here and I'll bet my last nickle it had connection issues as it smoked as soon as the master was turned on.
And if you order batteries from EarthX they come in the mail.

Web
 
Wow! I am 12 years on an Odyssey 680 with zero problems. Looks like I better be thankful for my "borrowed time!" While we are on battery issues - have any of you experimental folks had experience with the new sealed super-light lithium batteries comparable to the Odyssey PC680? Is every Earth-X battery a lithium? I am hearing big scary stories (not too hard on about any subject these days) of fire risks with the lithiums. When I try to study this online, all I find is chatter about batteries doing bad stuff while in people's stuff on commercial airlines - nothing about performance in the battery box of a cub that isn't the biased advertisement sort of thing.
Good article posted in post #128 here https://www.supercub.org/forum/showthread.php?51192-Earth-X-batteries-ok-or-not/page4
 
I want that battery that flashes the trouble code. How do I get it?

Jerry

After going through 3 Odyssey PC925s on the Polaris 6-wheeler at the cabin I put the troubled EarthX on and it’s doing a great job. For an occasional use wheeler with no parasitic load (not EFI) I couldn’t understand why the Odysseys crapped out but the EarthX is ready every time (so far). C’mon, spring!

One of my generators has a PC925. It’s dead, too. No parasitic load. Odysseys used to hold a charge for a couple of years. Not anymore, at least with newer 925s. A battery guy told me Odysseys aren’t the same as they used to be.
 
After going through 3 Odyssey PC925s on the Polaris 6-wheeler at the cabin I put the troubled EarthX on and it’s doing a great job. For an occasional use wheeler with no parasitic load (not EFI) I couldn’t understand why the Odysseys crapped out but the EarthX is ready every time (so far). C’mon, spring!

It was this sentence that I misunderstood.

It works great on the two healthy EarthX batteries but goes into fault about a minute in with the one battery I have that flashes a trouble code.

It sounded like you could not get your optimate to charge your faulty earthx so I assumed you need to let me have it:smile:

If you are saying that the faulty earthx will not take a charge from the optimate but charges fine under a vehicle (your 6 wheeler) charge system if find that interesting and plausible. Does your faulty earthx still flash you codes?

Jerry
 
Visions of the mad scientist dissecting EarthX batteries with all kinds of wires and test equipment. Inquiring minds want to know. ;)

It's a learning project with benefits.

You should see my wife's expression when I carry the ash bucket, fireplace gloves, and an Earthx back to the lab. She just politely asks "Should I worry?".

Jerry
 
According to Earth X if you have a continuous flashing code light the board in the battery is fried. You can try contacting them through the website customer support page and they are extremely good about getting back to you with an answer. I've also found Earth X's warranty support to be excellent.
 
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