Mick's Panther A

[michael hilton]

The move....10am start...1030am complete.

[michael hilton]

Hello boys I bet you thought I had thrown a 'six.....nope!.... busy with the Panther and trailer hook up. We are hoping to visit a couple of 'shows' later this year....all being well. I am fitting a 'winch' on the trailer....just in case....Mick

[Phil Woollard]

That's a very nice set up there Mick, you enjoy those shows this summer and show that beautiful Panther off!
Your tracks need bedding in but only running her can do that so be prepared for some link removal when your out and about, kind regards phil.

[michael hilton]

Mornin Phil, thanks for your reply...I have considered the 'slack track' issue. I thought I should remove a link however, I will run the old girl for awhile, before making adjustments. The track tensioners are as far back as they will go. The tracks do look slack although the Panther drives well enough....regards Mick.

[michael hilton]

Lovely sunny Sunday morning, having completed two loads of 'washing', and hung it out to dry I rolled the Panther out of the garage and into the sunshine, I just like to look at her...There will be a cover and straps or tie downs over the Panther and the ramps will also be secured, ready to roll....Mick

[Phil Woollard]

All ready to invade Poland!

[Robert E Morey]

Panther looks great Mick. I like outside shots too. The trailer is looking great too! You are set to travel! You almost have room on the end for one more model - maybe a small one!
Bob

[michael hilton]

Evening all, time to move the old girl into the garage. I have the Panther booked in a local show, June 22/23. The Welshpool Festival of Transport. Various venues around the town are allocating space for all types of vehicles. Not sure the Panther will go down well In a church hall, nevertheless we are sited in the Methodist Church Hall, Welshpool. Should give a few old ladies the vapours....
Now, two weeks ago, because I disconnected the tank batteries over the winter, I recharged both 12volt batteries in the Panther, individually to a full charge. This morning I started to move said Panther, when suddenly the green light on the 'start unit' started flashing red, only for the electrics to shut down, the Panther half way across the Axminster
With much puffing and blowing I managed to push/drag the tank into the garage. Fortunately, I have a fail safe winch fitted to the trailer. All is well. Both batteries read 11.8 volts....how has that happened in a week?....answers on a postcard please....Mick

[Phil Woollard]

Hi Mick, where you bin? I do love your rig!
Sounds like a connection issue for it to fail like that, maybe check those crimp connectors. If you can get hold of a battery load tester that would prove the batteries! .............Phil.

[Adrian Harris]

Had you left it connected for those two weeks ?

Do you have an isolating switch between the batteries and the tank ?

If not, the electronics take a small amount of current even when switched off, so this can drain the batteries over time.

How old are the batteries, and what was their charge like after the winter ?

Adrian.

[michael hilton]

Good morning Phil, and hello Adrian, I just knew you would come to my rescue. I said to my wife, Adrian will know the answer. I do not have a isolating switch. I simply disconnect the wire between the two batteries over the winter. I tested the batteries before recharging, I cannot recall the exact voltage ( over winter ), it was around 8volts. I recharged both batteries separately to 12volts, and ran the sounds, tracks, etc,. The Panther is up on a m/cycle jack. Afterwards I did however leave the batteries connected, about two weeks. The meter reading when the tank ground to a halt was 11.8volts. So, the answer is in the small discharge while the tank is standing.
We are back in the garage on the workbench ( cupboard ) To what level should I be charging each battery beyond 12volts, before disconnecting the charger.
On a more personal issue Phil, time and a hard life are taking it's toll … I do follow the Forum each day, all the best, Mick

[Adrian Harris]

A fully charged AGM battery should be around 12.8 volts, depending on the manufacturer.

Your battery charger says it's automatic, so it should continue to charge until the battery is full.

However, looking at the specs, it is only rated for batteries from 2Ah to 10Ah, and I'm guessing you have 22Ah or thereabouts ?

It's also only rated for 600mA output, which is pretty low. That shouldn't be a problem, as low current and slow charging is better for batteries than the higher currents used for faster charging, but it does mean it will take a very long time to charge them fully. I use a pair of Ctek 5A chargers, which have a special charging cycle for AGM batteries. Even with them, it can take several hours to recharge after heavy usage.

The other thing is that the batteries may be on the way out, in which case they may appear to charge to the correct voltage, but actually contain little capacity, or they may never reach the fully charged state, which is why most battery chargers have timers in them to stop the charging cycle if it goes on too long.

Adrian.

[Mark Heaps]

Lead acid battery theory as taught to me in 1985 when I was being trained to fix the tanks.

1. The batterys are constructed of 1.5 Volt cells. 6 volt battery has 4 cells, 12 volt batteries have eight.

2. Each cell has nominal voltage of 1.5 volts, fully charged the voltage is 1.6 volts. Therefore a fully charged 12V battery is at 12.8V

3. Maximum charging voltage of 1.8 volts per cell. For the 16 cells on a 24 volt system that would be 28.8 volts. Generators on the tanks and other armoured vehicles used by the british army gave a 28.5 volt output.

4. Discharged voltage was 1.2 volts per cell. If it went below that, ie 9.6 volts for a 12 volt battery then you were looking at a knackered battery that had lost a cell.

[michael hilton]

Good morning, I need advice rather urgently. I am preparing the Panther for a show in one weeks time. Now, I have recently charged both Lead Acid batteries to 12.8volts. I charge each battery separately, and then disconnect them.
This morning, as I was loading the tank onto my trailer.....the tank stopped. The green/red light on the stop/start unit, is flashing red. I have checked all my connections. I have checked the batteries. One is reading 12.4 volts, the other is reading 11.2volts. Am I correct in placing the blame on the low battery....or should the tank run with those voltage readings.
I would appreciate advice, as I thought the batteries were fine.....Mick

[Derek Attree]

Hi Mick
I am sorry to say I think the batteries are shot in an earlier post you say

"I cannot recall the exact voltage ( over winter ), it was around 8volts. "

This to me would mean they are done for I know you are getting 12.8 volts in them when charging
but this alone is not an indication of the state of the batteries its more to do with how they respond to having a load on them.
If they are dropping so quickly I think they are in trouble.

Maybe Adrian has a better feel for this and I stand to be corrected but I had this with my Stug years ago and had to buy new batteries.

regards

Derek