Replacement garage motor battery (Centurion SDO4)

[Adeptus Mechanicus]

Sticking this one thread under this section as it's Load Shedding related.

Anyone know if the Centurion SDO4 batteries are user replaceable? It seems opening and closing mine too often during power outages has killed the batteries.

The manual gives you every detail under the sun on how to configure the opener, details on the batteries (2x 3.4ah 24v) but zero info on whether they are user replaceable. Where they are stored on the unit does not look particularly accessable either (squeezed between the ceiling and motor housing).

 

[Supervan II]

Sticking this one thread under this section as it's Load Shedding related.

Anyone know if the Centurion SDO4 batteries are user replaceable? It seems opening and closing mine too often during power outages has killed the batteries.

The manual gives you every detail under the sun on how to configure the opener, details on the batteries (2x 3.4ah 24v) but zero info on whether they are user replaceable. Where they are stored on the unit does not look particularly accessable either (squeezed between the ceiling and motor housing).

2 x 12v 3.4ah batteries are contained in the black box.

 

[Adeptus Mechanicus]

2 x 12v 3.4ah batteries are contained in the black box.

I get where they are, but what I don't know is whether they are user replaceable, i.e. not some odd form factor/hardwired with a proprietary wiring harness.

I'd like to establish that before I go through the effort of trying to get to them considering how inaccessible the black box is.

 

[Gordon_R]

Very similar issue discussed in this thread:

24v 3.5ah Battery vs 2x12v 7ah battery

Hi My 24v 3.5ah Garage Motor battery needs to be replaced. It seems to be around the R550 mark. I have 12v7ah batteries which are in good condition. Can I connect in series, and use it to replace my garage door motor battery? Will there be any complications or is there anything why this...

mybroadband.co.za

 

[yebocan]

I get where they are, but what I don't know is whether they are user replaceable, i.e. not some odd form factor/hardwired with a proprietary wiring harness.

I'd like to establish that before I go through the effort of trying to get to them considering how inaccessible the black box is.

disconnect the leads, take the battery + casing to your local battery outlet...they will swop out like for like, +-600 bucks per battery and they keep the old battery. Had to recently break into our garage, as both door batteries had been killed by all the loadshedding....and some bright spark used a plug that is know to trip for no reason...and as luck would have it, the garage doors are on that circuit breaker. As my neighbour put it, I suck at breaking and entering...make way too much noise....a few ma se p035 may have left my lips, as I was hanging from the garage roof beams....

 

[rrh]

Sticking this one thread under this section as it's Load Shedding related.

Anyone know if the Centurion SDO4 batteries are user replaceable? It seems opening and closing mine too often during power outages has killed the batteries.

The manual gives you every detail under the sun on how to configure the opener, details on the batteries (2x 3.4ah 24v) but zero info on whether they are user replaceable. Where they are stored on the unit does not look particularly accessable either (squeezed between the ceiling and motor housing).

If I remember correctly the techie that replaced the batteries in my unit only required a screwdriver - certainly nothing special - and ten minutes.

 

[Geoff.D]

disconnect the leads, take the battery + casing to your local battery outlet...they will swop out like for like, +-600 bucks per battery and they keep the old battery. Had to recently break into our garage, as both door batteries had been killed by all the loadshedding....and some bright spark used a plug that is know to trip for no reason...and as luck would have it, the garage doors are on that circuit breaker. As my neighbour put it, I suck at breaking and entering...make way too much noise....a few ma se p035 may have left my lips, as I was hanging from the garage roof beams....

I had that very discussion with my daughter when she lived in a complex with garages not part of her building with a single entry. And then automated garage doors. A truly stupid design! We ended up disabling the motorised door completely while she lived there.

 

[yebocan]

I had that very discussion with my daughter when she lived in a complex with garages not part of her building with a single entry. And then automated garage doors. A truly stupid design! We ended up disabling the motorised door completely while she lived there.

I was livid to say the least, but was the only viable option in the moment...break through the roof...use the beams to get to the side of the garage, and dismount on the storage racks...-never ever doing that sort of DIY madnes again

 

[Dairyfarmer]

 

[Geoff.D]

Sticking this one thread under this section as it's Load Shedding related.

Anyone know if the Centurion SDO4 batteries are user replaceable? It seems opening and closing mine too often during power outages has killed the batteries.

The manual gives you every detail under the sun on how to configure the opener, details on the batteries (2x 3.4ah 24v) but zero info on whether they are user replaceable. Where they are stored on the unit does not look particularly accessable either (squeezed between the ceiling and motor housing).

So yes the batteries are user-replaceable. The precise details require you to find out how to open the battery enclosure. These are a better design than their competitor's systems on the market, that is for sure.

Now, you need to sort out the power IF you want peace of mind for the future. BUT in the end, a mechanical failure could still be a headache.
You might be able to jury rig a way to release the drive from outside.

 

[Supervan II]

I get where they are, but what I don't know is whether they are user replaceable, i.e. not some odd form factor/hardwired with a proprietary wiring harness.

I'd like to establish that before I go through the effort of trying to get to them considering how inaccessible the black box is.

Readily available at any good battery supplier.

A phillips screw-driver to remove the 2 screws holding the housing cover,
Unplug the terminals (ensuring you mark the positive terminals if they aren't already)
Remove batteries.

NOTE: There should be a way to access/remove the batteries if mounted close to the ceiling. If in doubt, call a specialist and be prepared to pay too much for such a simple job!

 

[Adeptus Mechanicus]

Well I got up on a ladder for a closer look and discovered that the battery housing cannot be opened by even the shortest of screwdrivers as the housing essentially touches the ceiling. The 2 screws to remove the top half of the housing cover must be accessed from the top.

A truly daft design when the motor/electronics housing cover can quite easily be removed by unscrewing a single screw from the bottom.

I'll have to track down my universal joint socket and take another swing at it.

 

[rrh]

If I am not mistaken - and I might well be - one can fit higher capacity batteries and still remain within the specs for the charger. It's worth giving Centurion support a call for further advice.

 

[Geoff.D]

Well I got up on a ladder for a closer look and discovered that the battery housing cannot be opened by even the shortest of screwdrivers as the housing essentially touches the ceiling. The 2 screws to remove the top half of the housing cover must be accessed from the top.

A truly daft design when the motor/electronics housing cover can quite easily be removed by unscrewing a single screw from the bottom.

I'll have to track down my universal joint socket and take another swing at it.

No, the installation is the problem, not the design. The installer did not bother to check before he installed t re how close to the ceiling he can go and either choose a different one or make a plan.

 

[Geoff.D]

If I am not mistaken - and I might well be - one can fit higher capacity batteries and still remain within the specs for the charger. It's worth giving Centurion support a call for further advice.

Will just take longer to charge the battery to maximum.

 

[rrh]

Will just take longer to charge the battery to maximum.

Yup.

OTOH, will still operate the unit in those cases (say level 4) where the interval between "sheds" is inadequate to recharge the standard battery.

Nemtek also offer similar high capacity batteries for their electric fence energizers.

 

[Adeptus Mechanicus]

If I am not mistaken - and I might well be - one can fit higher capacity batteries and still remain within the specs for the charger. It's worth giving Centurion support a call for further advice.

Yep, the thread @Gordon_R linked got me thinking I should probably just upgrade the total capacity now as well.

The only complication is that it's a 24v DC system so the solution will not be as simple as chucking in 2x 9ah 12v alarm batteries wired in parallel for a total of 18ah. I'll have to give it a think and see what I can make work.

 

[Geoff.D]

Yep, the thread @Gordon_R linked got me thinking I should probably just upgrade the total capacity now as we.

The only complication is that it's a 24v DC system so the solution will not be as simple as chucking in 2x 9ah 12v alarm batteries wired in parallel for a total of 18ah. I'll have to give it a think and see what I can make work.

9Ah compared to the existing 3.4 Ah is a substantial increase, much more than would be required surely? Why so hung up on 18Ah?

24VDC, 100W motor, 9Ah, say 90% efficiency and 50% DoD?
Plenty of run time.

 

[thehuman]

Yep, the thread @Gordon_R linked got me thinking I should probably just upgrade the total capacity now as we.

The only complication is that it's a 24v DC system so the solution will not be as simple as chucking in 2x 9ah 12v alarm batteries wired in parallel for a total of 18ah. I'll have to give it a think and see what I can make work.

To get 24v , need to series 2 x 12v batteries

 

[furpile]

Yep, the thread @Gordon_R linked got me thinking I should probably just upgrade the total capacity now as we.

The only complication is that it's a 24v DC system so the solution will not be as simple as chucking in 2x 9ah 12v alarm batteries wired in parallel for a total of 18ah. I'll have to give it a think and see what I can make work.

The wiring is already set up so that the 2 batteries are in series. If you replace with larger batteries you will need to lengthen the wiring to fit the batteries outside of the housing. I am going to do this when my batteries pack up again, because they are pathetically small. Replacing with 2x normal 7Ah batteries should be fine.