Specific Gravity - are my batteries charged or not?

Meters can lie to you, for various reasons. Idiot lights are even worse. Hydometers generally do not. Trust it.

Were any of the adjacent cells more than 0.05 apart?
Also, what temp did the hydrometer give you when you took the readings?

If your system is still 2x80 watt panels, they are not going to charge that battery in 2 days.  You are probably getting no more than 2 hours of full sun equivelence at this time of year. That means you can only charge about 5-6% a day.  It will take over a week to bring the battery up from 50% to full.

I would suggest you get a charger on them. Get the batteries up to full charge and then monitor them.

Thanks Thomas and Ken,
I'm a visual learner so that graph helped explain where the batteries are at in terms of the charging process and Ken's comments concur with that (ie, still a long way to go for full charge).
To answer the questions..
*** I have the Solarboost Charge Controller set at a higher average, of 15.2v (vs default 14.2) given the winter season and the shorter hours, to make the most of any bright sunshine.
***I have just got an IOTA 55 amp charger wired and will get that rigged up tomorrow. That will be interesting to see how long it charges.
***The cells have similar sp. gr, one battery all are exactly the same. One battery one is significantly lower and always has been by 0.4 this time. This is where the cables go on to the positive terminal. I should equalize after I charge?? (will be charging from gas generator)
***The ambient temperature is 5C and the hydrometer said to subtract 0.004 from each reading. I understand the colder temps affect battery performance and I am working on a solution to that.
***Electrolyte level is correct.
It is dusk now and I am seeing that when I walked in it was 14.05v and now that sun is gone the reading has droppped to 12.95v. I'll check all specific gravities again tonight.
I will also phone solar boost tomorrow as I am also concerned that the charge is "trickling" in based on the fact that the unit thinks the batteries are close to 100% charged which is NOT the case.
Hmmm
Thanks for your help guys, any other comments welcome.

Good morning Ken
A solar boost 2000E
Sally

*** I have the Solarboost Charge Controller set at a higher average, of 15.2v (vs default 14.2) given the winter season and the shorter hours, to make the most of any bright sunshine.

Where you use the word "average" does that mean the same as high limit? 15.2 is an equalizing voltage on a 12 volt nominal system. Are you having to replace lost water very often? Or alternately, are the batteries reaching 15.2 on a regular basis?

***The cells have similar sp. gr, one battery all are exactly the same. One battery one is significantly lower and always has been by 0.4 this time. This is where the cables go on to the positive terminal. I should equalize after I charge?? (will be charging from gas generator)

Technically, equalizing is done when cells show very different values, but to answer your question I would run the ICE genset at night and let it take over the loads as well, just to get more from the fuel burned. Assuming there are VAC loads that it can power directly.

This is curious. I started out using a hydrometer while still in the learning process. Now I just rely on a Bogart TriMetric. I just know from years of compiling data from it, first in a log book and then mentally, that my batteries are being treated and working properly. Not very scientific I know but it works for me. Once a month I run an equalizing charge on them anyway. The Trace C-60 has an automated function for this, all I have to do is initiate it, and it resets when done.
 Just a note, when my bank of S-530's arrived I checked the voltage with a multimeter and they were all at 6.3+ and, just out of curiosty, I cleaned the dust off of my hydrometer and checked the sp. gr. on two of them, it showed them as being low. I had always doubted its accuracy anyway. Thats why I quit using it. I wouldn't be surprised at all if I went down and checked mine with a hydrometer and it showed conflicting data as compared to the TriMetric. I think as time goes by and you get more comfortable with maintaining your own system, you will learn your systems characteristics and you'll settle into a routine that your confident in. Of course knowledge is power. One of things, in a manner of speaking, that "settled my mind" about dealing with batteries is when I happen to read in an old high school chemistry text book that "batteries do not store electricity, they convert electricity into a chemical energy and store that until such time as they or called upon to deliver electricity again." It worked for me anyway.   

A few more more question. (I don't mean to be nosey Miss Sally, just trying to learn for myself what is going on with your system)
When you sized the battery bank, did you size it for what your needs are or for the size PV array that is recharging it and, what percentage of depth of discharge per cycle, did you plan on?   

 hi folks,

 sally, i agree with the advice to get those batteries back up to full charge and take it from there. i would try to get those set points back to the default settings and watch how things run. did you see the technical bulletin issued for that controller? i believe it deals with the issues you are experiencing. looks like all adjustments should be made with the bank right at the top of its charge for the readings to be accurate.

http://store.altenergystore.com/Charge-Controllers/Solar-Charge-Controllers/MPPT-Solar-Charge-Controllers/Blue-Sky-Solar-Charge-Controllers-MPPT/Solar-Boost-2000E-25A-12V-Charge-Controller/p239/pdfs/blue_sky/100209CSolarBoostchargevoltagesettool.pdf

 this tech update was issued back in 01 and revised in 03,  one would think that the issue has been resolved by now..but who knows?

 hang in there, you will be up and running in no time..you just have look at these things as learning opportunities!

best regards, dave

good thread, here is the link to that tool i think.

http://store.altenergystore.com/Blue-Sky-Energy/m18/Charge-Controllers/Temperature-Sensors/Blue-Sky-Charge-Voltage-Calibration-Tool/p4068/

cheers,

james
altE staff

Hello everyone,
I'm back on the map here after a business trip to Vancouver. Wow what a "rabbit hole" this has turned out to be!!
Am a little overwhelmed with all this set-pint stuff, but will take some time to read and digest it.
I have been successful in running the IOTA 55AIQ4 charger and charging the batteries from the gen. Altho it is still a bit of a mystery as to when they are 100% (no equalize option on this baby either).
Thomas, what is a Bogart Trimetric? and yes..I totally understand about having some people to talk to about this. I am the only one in my community with solar.

Now, about the voltage setpoint on the solar boost. I thought the solar boost simply controlled current into the batteries based on what it reads the voltage as...simplistic I know. I must get a volt meter next to match what SB2000E tells me vs actual voltage. When I recently disconnected the system, got the batteries fully charged artificially (return to vendor). When the fully charged batteries got rehooked to solarboost, would it have reset itself correctly?
The solar boost manual sure seems simplistic now that I am reading these other articles!
Ironically, I feel that the sun is recharging my batteries, that my charger is re-charging them, and that my household system runs well (altho I am not using it at full capacity yet). It's a lovely 0 degrees C outside, and I am on my laptop and hooked up to the internet!
Yes, I agree, the concept of solar is so darned attractive but there are too many glitches for the average household that may not have some one passionate and with the time for monitoring and compete understanding of system.
That's enough of the rant! off to buy voltmeter tomorrow

Sally

also found some other tidbits re: hydrometer
The Real Goods Solar Source book has what looks like my graduated hydrometer with the clause "Use Tip: The color-coded red, yellow, and green zones on the hydrometer are calibrated for automotive starting batteries: ignore them. Just look for differences between cells." Altho, my source told me mine was for deep cycle batteries, and I can't really tell from the picture any difference, other than mine is red, green and white.
Looked at Bogart items, so I know what they are now :)Way cool anddefinitely for the christmas list.
and also found interesting battery info at
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm The first of the Mini Factoids (near end) was also interesting about 10-30 cycles before full charge. Mine are still pretty "new" in that regard.