Gel Battery Question

[JW IN VA]

My 12V Parmak Solar charger stopped recharging after an extended ground out. I tried recharging over the winter but didn't last.
With a volt meter, I found one battery has 6.6V and the other 2.4. The unit uses two of their six volt batteries wired together. Can I buy one 6 volt and join it to the good one?
I know with dual battery trucks its best to replace both.

 

[moses388]

Replacing just the one battery would probably get you by. You are correct it would be good policy to replace both... next year the one not replaced may be dead.

What model is your Parmak solar charger? Just curious because our Parmak energizers use a single battery.

 

[JW IN VA]

Mag12 SP. The battery looks like two of their 6 volt batteries taped together and joined at one post in series.

 

[wbvs58]

Buy a 12 volt battery to replace the pair of 6 volt if it will fit.

Ken

 

[Rmc]

You may not need to replace the batteries it might just be the result of big brothers regulations.
Due to regulations battery chargers will not turn on the voltage to charge a battery if the voltage is to low. Some chargers will not charge gel batteries.
So the work around is take a charged standard acid filled battery connect it to the discharged battery's by jumper cables ect. Connect the battery charger to the charged acid fill battery.
Turn on battery charger to the lowest amp setting.
And now the battery charger will now read the amperage of the acid filled battery and then can begin to actively charge the batteries.

 

[callmefence]

You may not need to replace the batteries it might just be the result of big brothers regulations.
Due to regulations battery chargers will not turn on the voltage to charge a battery if the voltage is to low. Some chargers will not charge gel batteries.
So the work around is take a charged standard acid filled battery connect it to the discharged battery's by jumper cables ect. Connect the battery charger to the charged acid fill battery.
Turn on battery charger to the lowest amp setting.
And now the battery charger will now read the amperage of the acid filled battery and then can begin to actively charge the batteries.

That's all correct and good info. Lots of those expensive cordless tool batteries can be fixed by giving it a little boost from a another battery then on the charger. However it's not going to be the case with a parmak solar panel.

 

[Rmc]

It definitely can help a battery that was used with a solar charger
I have seen it work many times
A 6 volt battery is a 6 volt battery. Hook two of them up in the correct way you have 12 volts
A 2amp 12 volt charger can't differentiate between a battery in a electric fence.,a tractor a 1970 ford truck ,a 2022 Porsche a boat ,a rv or a atv ,utv or any of the other hundreds to 1000s of items that use 12 volts batteries. The process is the same regardless.
Even manufacturers of gel batteries admit that many batteries that are replaced are capable of being charged up and used as a high number of them are only discharged to a low voltage and are not actually "bad "

 

[moses388]

Mag 12 SP specs call for a 12-volt power source. If you have a 6-volt charger, try charging the old battery. Or like Ken said, replace both batteries with a single 12-volt battery.