After more than 2 years of flawless service, the inevitable has happened and the 6 year old truck batteries at the site have finally given up the ghost. These batteries were removed from their original service due to them not being able to start the vehicle they were in. Then they were moved to the repeater site to power it. The cabinet fell over in the wind causing acid to leak out. As they are technically sealed, more could not be added. That was over 18 months ago. I am surprised they lasted this long.

You can not knock a Bond battery. Get them from Arkon Auto Electrical.

Unfortunately, when the batteries have died, they had taken the solar regulator with them.

On Monday 24th Feb 2020, after work, I made the drive up to the site with a new (re-purposed - left over from a job about 10 years ago) regulator and some tools. At this point I did not know that the regulator had died, it was just a hunch.

I got up to the site, Opened the cabinet, chased the spiders out, checked the batteries, and 0.5V. bugger. The low voltage cutout was not working as it was controlled by the telemetry unit, and it was removed 18 months ago due to being beat up by lightning. A new and improved version is still being worked on, on my bench.

In typical Auto electrician fashion, We jump started the repeater (literally). With this. the repeater fired up straight away, yet no charge from the solar controller, even though it could see the battery voltage there now. I started my vehicle, and found the batteries sucking nearly 60A, meaning one of them is more or less a dead short.

Regardless I changed the regulator as, A, it had to be done, and B, this regulator has some brains, if it isnt working, it shuts down. Who cares if it isnt straight. It lined up to existing holes.

Now this little jaycar regulator, was in the service body of my work truck for 9 years then on the repeater site here. it has done a wonderful job for what it was: