Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Heya

I recently bought a vagabond 1 from ebay but the battery was heavily sulfated/not working.

So i bought the exact same 12V 12ah SLA battery that was in it, and all working good, however I never got a charger with my Vagabond and need one, I have no idea what to use ?

I've got a 12V charger that says its for bikes, cars, leisure batteries etc but it just reads as the battery being full, but the invertors beep which it says online mens the battery is depleted.

So what is the best charger to buy in the UK ?

I would love to buy the vagabond mini but the mark up in the UK store is huge.

Has the new battery been left to sit for a long period of time, particularly after having been used? I ask, because you state you did not have a charger.

Also, how are you connecting the charger you do have to the battery?

The battery was toast, the terminals were corroded it was bloated so I just bought a brand new one of the exact same spec and size, however, I never received a charger with either the vagabond or the battery.


So my question is, what is the best charger to get ? I tried with an automotive type charger and the battery just says its full all the time, even though the inverters beep like it's not got a full charge.

So their must be a better charger out there like the one that came with the vagabond, what is it ? and where should I buy it ? In the uk

I understand the included battery was bad. My question is with regards to the new battery. Has it been let to sit without charging, even for a period of just a few days/weeks?

A standard automotive battery charger (12V) should work fine, as that is the type of battery used in the V150/V300. If the charger is indicating a full charge, but the unit beeps, there could be a few problems that are the cause.

1- the new battery does not have its full potential capacity. A bad battery can read 12V and appear fully charged to a charger, but it may not be able to deliver 12V for a long period of time. In other words the 12Ah battery can only hold....6Ah, for example.

2-There is an issue with the battery charger. Its output voltage could be low, or some other issue could be present.

3-There could be corrosion or other low-conductivity fault in the wiring harness. Inspect all connection points including the red/black connectors, the battery blade connectors, and the fuse box junctions.

Do you have the 12V accessory port/cigarette lighter adapter? This was included in the original purchase, though I understand you may not have it. If you do, you can do a series of tests. Let em know and I will detail them for you.

Ah, i didn't know what you were meaning the first time round, thought it was still the the original batttery we were talking about.

I bought the battery from a place called Maplin (like the UK version of radioshack although nowhere near as much choice)

I don't know what their policy with battery storage etc is in keeping it charged etc, but it was brand new, little plastic covers over the terminals etc is there to determine actual amp hours ?

The only thing i got wire wise was the loom, no cigarette charger etc and its in good condition.

My car battery charger charges at 6 amps, which I know is fine for non regular fast charging of heavy duty car batteries but wasn't sure on these little ones.

This is the charger i have http://www.ringautomotive.co.uk/uk/prod ... ger/RCB106

What is the spec of the original vagabond battery charger ?


Btw, i only connected a light up to the pack briefly and popped a couple of test flashes to make sure the inverters and battery were all good (then i heard the beep), I then took it all apart to charge incase the battery had been laying.

You wanting me to do a bit more extensive testing ? 50 pops or so to see if it still beeps every time ? the lights on the inverters are green.

The OEM charger is 2A. Using a 6A charger can cause damage over time, but charging a few times will not be catastrophic. You should find a charger that is 3A or less.

Also, you may want to have the battery checked under load. Many auto part stores (at least in the U.S.) can do this, as can battery specialty shops.

Lastly, do know, and do you mind sharing the serial number(s) of the inverter(s) in the system? You may email these if you prefer (put to the attention of David).

And please keep in mind, Thursday is a holiday here, and we will be closed Thursday through Sunday

Hey man, yeah its been pretty manic over here with the hoilday here, plus a helicopter crashed into a pub i was a couple if mins from, its been a crazy few days.

There is a couple of numbers on each

First one is V5702

and the serial i think is 051000555


and the second inverter is V5770 and 051000560

I've bought a 2 amp charger with floating charge to leave it on, plus a 2 pin quick connect to change the croc clips on it, and the little clips than come on the loom supplied so i can charge it in the vagabond bag.

I would still get the battery itself checked under load. Also, try tugging on the red/black connectors. If they move their crimp or solder may be bad.

There may also be an internal issue inside the inverters. If you email us, we can give you instructions on how to determine this.

Info@paulcbuff.com attn: david