As I said its a little high off load but I don't agree with you conclusions.

Also your findings are slightly flawed. Modern panels adjust their charging voltage depending on current charge cycle. Ie a castle euro meridian will charge at 14.5 volts after restoral of power. Then drop to 13.2 - 13.7 depending on various factors.

IF devices were going to be affected by fluctuations like that we would all be having major issues.

To recap 14.4v is slightly high and will affect battery life. But from experience of fitting and looking after these panels (pre en jobs) battery still last 5 years.

But from experience of fitting and looking after these panels (pre en jobs) battery still last 5 years.

of course they do.

whack in 17v if fitted in garage, still no probs, last 5yrs (to 8hrs + 30 mins)

(colder, resistance drops for all parts of cct, incl batteries internal etc)

As I said its a little high off load but I don't agree with you conclusions.

Also your findings are slightly flawed. Modern panels adjust their charging voltage depending on current charge cycle. Ie a castle euro meridian will charge at 14.5 volts after restoral of power. Then drop to 13.2 - 13.7 depending on various factors.

IF devices were going to be affected by fluctuations like that we would all be having major issues.

To recap 14.4v is slightly high and will affect battery life. But from experience of fitting and looking after these panels (pre en jobs) battery still last 5 years.

As originally stated with battery connected voltage was 11v plus my meter only measures to nearest volt.

Thanks to all who have offered advice & opinions

Excellent site & members.

Only to the nearest volt!

What you using - a neon screwdriver lol!

Reasonable meter from maplins £30 well worth the outlay.

Arfur

As I said its a little high off load but I don't agree with you conclusions.

Also your findings are slightly flawed. Modern panels adjust their charging voltage depending on current charge cycle. Ie a castle euro meridian will charge at 14.5 volts after restoral of power. Then drop to 13.2 - 13.7 depending on various factors.

IF devices were going to be affected by fluctuations like that we would all be having major issues.

To recap 14.4v is slightly high and will affect battery life. But from experience of fitting and looking after these panels (pre en jobs) battery still last 5 years.

i don't use those panels, but obviously if what you say is correct then they have a more sophisticated psu'.

i'm not hunting you down James, but this is like comparing fuel consumption between a smart car and a SAAB.

this i an ADE Gen4 which i think is bog standard 'traditional' psu. i.e. it pumps out the same voltage.

we can agree to disagree on the affects on battery life, many factors affect it including production spead of tollerance's, you simply can't get away from the figures 13.65 +/-1% as published by the people who actually design and make them, what is the point of calibrated meters if you takeyour view?.

why bother read the liturature in the 1st place? lets simply stuff out 15 - 16 volts off load, as did the Shield Protection RA12 panels, later Honeywell Shield, Later just Honeywell and Later swallowed by ADT .

i've also known batteries to last a long time on those old systems, but that is more by luck than anything else and usually when panel was in an exposed well vented location, trusting to luck is not a 'tool' in my arsanal i tend to relly on.

Arfur

Only to the nearest volt!

What you using - a neon screwdriver lol!

Reasonable meter from maplins £30 well worth the outlay.

Arfur

No it's a Fluke T-600, it's ideal for my everyday job as it does voltage, resistance and a clamp-type ammeter.

TBH if I was doing alarms day-in day-out I would buy a more suitable one

Of course no old panels were in airing cupboards, with higer charging rates and batteries lasted. Even though they are a tad high.

We must all be wrong, imagined these facts.

We only make a living doing this all the time.

No it's a Fluke T-600, it's ideal for my everyday job as it does voltage, resistance and a clamp-type ammeter.

TBH if I was doing alarms day-in day-out I would buy a more suitable one

I cut my teeth with a moving coil swing meedle meters, you had to zero the movement then take your readings.

Tbh a simple cheap £10 DVM will give you more of a advantage with 12 volt issues, with 'our' stuff the devil is often hidden in the details.

Arfur.

Op glad your sorted.

Tbh a simple cheap £10 DVM will give you more of a advantage with 12 volt issues,

£10?

fiver these days

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=37279

but why not go mad

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=410158

been gettin the students to invest in em, carp tools tbo, but ok if just messin (& they just mess lol)