Q&A: How to check your battery charge level and troubleshoot issues?

Checking the charge level of your deep cycle battery is fairly easy. Our expert shows how you can measure the voltage using a multimeter, volt meter, or watt meter. He'll also explain how to find your battery's charge level and how this information will help you to troubleshoot problems.

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[terasinfo]

After 6 years, finally i found this video. Thankyou sir, it's very useful information for me

[brainbuilding]

Beautiful video. Short, clear, to the point, and great bass on the music. Thank you.

[kjamison]

Thank you for the handy table as a guide to charge levels.

[ZsOtherBrother]

Nice video, short and to the point!
A small correction, when checking voltage with a multimeter (00:35) you should set the scale to the *next value above* 12V, which on all of my old multimeters is "200". Usually, setting the scale to 12V will display any voltage higher than 12V as "out of range" using a distinct symbol like "-", or "1", (an actual reading of 1V is displayed as "1.00").
( _If your multimeter is different, then please accept my apologies_ :)

Of course, most multimeters sold today will select the scale automatically, but I'm guessing 7 years ago when this video was made this was not yet the standard, and for most people there's no reason to replace a perfectly good tool, (that will probably outlast any new one:), so I though I'd say something.

[PeterPaoliello]

Great video guys. To clarify, when being careful to not discharge the battery beyond 11.5v, is it best to take the reading when it is in use and under load, or to shutoff the power draw, wait couple mins for it to stabilize and then read the voltage as the "true" reading. My concern with the first method is it will dip passed the safe level of 11.5v, to recover when the draw is disconnected. Thanks very much.

[stevec]

Great video. Clear and simple USEFUL guidelines. Thanks much.

[stephen]

No device to check in nursing care home 🏡 thanks Google you're people are very very nice you're video s are also nice for helping for many things

[AlexanderYusuf-qdrt]

Hi, I wonder if you could help,
I have a 150amp 12v gel batteries, that was in new packaging and not used for 5 years, while I was building my house, and they are 8 of them, when connected to the 8x350watt solar panels with hybrid invertor 5000,

invertor saying low battery level, when measured one battery it had 4 volts only,
I now disconnected and charging each battery with 10amp electric car very slow

my worry after 14 hours charge I got 3 amp on the clock, and loosing this batteries due to long time no use makes me worry, what do you recommend, I from my side want to charge each one until it is full, then connect to the invertor,
My gel battery gray colour 150amp, 8 years 3000 cycle, 5 years not used kept in store!!.
thanks in advance Alex

[TheYellowshuttle]

Excellent information 👌.
How long should a good battery be able to hold its charge at say 100% (or whatever %)? Say 24 hrs later reading 90% is good?

Similarly, what would be a bad battery in terms of holding time & % charge held by that time?

[gdj]

Is it a good 12 v battery ?

1 / Can you charge it if no its scrap or a core !

2/ When charged drop a 2 amp load across it note the voltage drop .
Workout its internal resistance ( the voltage drop / the current in amps )
if you get more than 0.6 ohms its probably scrap or a core !

3/ Top off the charge then disconnect everything .
Leaving it sitting for a week then read the voltage if you get below 12 v is
not good &
below 11.5 v its scrap or a core .


5/ Drop a 2 amp load across it note the voltage drop .
Workout its internal resistance ( the voltage drop / the current in amps )
if you get more than 0.6 ohms its probably scrap or a core !

If you get this far & have a storage type battery it should be usable .

If it's a car or boat battery at 0.6 ohms its probably scrap or a core .
Your looking for 0.02 ohms or better for starting engines .
0.02 ohms is in the range of 90 – 110 CCA ( 2v drop ) .

[strikemaster]

I fully charged my 2 Carmec batteries in my caravan to 13.3v over 24 hours and made sure nothing was being used, with both car and solar and power disconnected. Within 7 days it progressively dropped to 12.5. Is this normal or is there some leakage?

[yordanmitev]

I have 2 solar panel by 30w. and charge controller. How many volt have to show me in multimeter for car battery 56A boss silver charging 14.4 less or more. And how many volt settings to cut the voltage 13 or 13.6 of the car battery. With this 2 panel charge 2Ah to 3Ah or just to use 1 of them will be charge with 1Ah to 1.5Ah

[The.JZA.]

My AGM battery is reading 11.5v and after a 30 minute drive at 100km/h it will read 12-12.5v but will then drop quickly back down to 11.5v over about 15mins while doing diagnostic scans. The interior fan and stereo are off. I have borrowed a mates AGM charger (unfortunately it's only 0.8amps so it'll take forever). Am I likely to be able to recover the battery or should I just buy a new one? The car is 7-8 years old and I think the battery is original because it has all the Audi stickers on it.

[matthiasgodebo]

Thank you for this video. My question is how can we measure the battery level of a generator from its start up to the starter stops? In addition, how could that battery information will be sent to someone( like technician) by any means that he should decide weather the battery needs change?

[coeniejvr]

The main question regarding battery is how to check the size of the battery. How do we know the battery is 100ah without running any loads.

[habibullahsamander]

I have an AGM battery that can not be charged more than 12.6V. Is there something wrong with the battery?

[utopiavalonis]

my AGM battery was showing 13.9 volts with the solar charge controller in sunny conditions with a 50W panel. That is overcharged, I guess...I suppose I have to set a limit of 13 volts on the solar charge controller?

[adamdhible]

If a battery is not getting to 13V, how do you know if it still charging or a duff battery that will never fully charge to 13V? How long do you have to charge it before you determine it is duff?

[Bergwacht]

Below 13v = REPLACE???
How is that supposed to work if the voltage drops again and again to 12.8 after loading, which is normal?

[zaintlouis]

What is the safe level of voltage to charge a battery? How much voltage does a car alternator charge?