Actual battery maintainers (float-mode)? Battery Tender brand?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheIglu
Maybe I'll have to reconsider...
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Actual battery maintainers (float-mode)? Battery Tender brand?Quote:
Originally Posted by TheIglu
Maybe I'll have to reconsider...
That's why I advise caution, there are too many different kinds of chargers with too many different levels of quality. While in theory the practice should be ok, any number of things can happen to one battery or the charger itself and then the whole thing becomes a series of heavy paperweights.Quote:
Originally Posted by scottfromboston
I see what you did there...Quote:
Originally Posted by tsorfas
I've had both fail, thus my advice. Most people knowledgable with batteries would tell you to not even leave a Battery Tender on like that. Just a night or two once a month...Quote:
Originally Posted by scottfromboston
I've used the maintainers & Tenders with success, just leaving 'em on. But I've also had each of those fail miserably. Never will I leave a charger of any sort on for more than a coupla days...
pretty sound adviceQuote:
Originally Posted by Stoneman
I just made the mistake of going to the Battery Tender website and looking at the FAQ and some product information. My head is now spinning.
Sounds like a not bad idea to only connect a couple of days a month, or at least check daily.Quote:
"MONITORING SEALED & NON-SEALED BATTERIES: When leaving a
battery charger connected to either a sealed (AGM or GEL) or non-sealed
(flooded battery) for extended periods of time (weeks, months, etc.),
periodically check the battery to see if it is unusually warm. This is an
indication that the battery may have a weak cell and that it could go into a
thermal runaway condition. If the battery releases an excessive amount of gas
or if the battery gets hotter than 130°F (55°C) during charging, disconnect the
charger and allow the battery to cool. Overheating may result in plate
distortion, internal shorting, drying out or other damage. For flooded batteries,
also check individual cell fluid levels against manufacturer's recommendations
for safe operation"
Sounds like the battery knowledge guy right here.Quote:
Originally Posted by NobodySpecific
What causes a cell to go bad? How long does it take?
My battery knowledge is actually pretty limited. I know I had a cell go bad just from the bike sitting unused for a year (long story), but there are plenty of other factors that can cause it to go bad, including but not limited to the things mentioned in that quote. Too much charge, too little charge, a really solid hit can cause it, excessive vibration can likely cause it, old age, etc. How long depends on how bad the conditions are. Not sure how long it would take for an overheated battery to develop a bad cell, but I'd venture to guess you would get some fairly varied results in a lab experiment, which could be connected to things such as: battery size, battery capacity, battery type, age of battery, how the battery was treated during its life, the electrolyte level (if applicable), how many times the battery has been deep cycled, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by scottfromboston
Another option to add into the mix - Connect all the batteries you need to charge to the charger. Plug the charger into a switched outlet (put a light in the outlet too as a reminder it's on), or use a vacation timer to run the charger for a few hours a day.
Who's Charger was it.......or Brand....????Quote:
Originally Posted by TheIglu
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pigman
I've had a Battery Tender brand over-charge a battery. I know, right? The horrors of hearing something bad about Battery Tender! :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Stoneman
Again, I'm not a smart man. And my knowledge of this sorta thing is fairly limited. But leaving a charger hooked up to a battery/batteries AND plugged to an outlet but leaving that outlet 'off' just doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I don't know why and I have nothing to back that up, just doesn't sound wise is all...Quote:
Originally Posted by SSearchVT
Current from the charger/float isn't the issue. Current between batteries is. .. Unless you wire some sort of fuse or diode setup like you mentioned.Quote:
Originally Posted by xrocket21
More I think of this, more surprised I am RVs and the like don't have some sort of inter-battery protection like this. Seems like it should be worth the expense.
I believe they do...Quote:
Originally Posted by nhbubba
Well, there you go.
I've been reading way too much on the Battery tender website (insanely thorough and detailed FAQ).
According to them:
- They say that a battery is ok to "set and forget!" but that you should check on it ~weekly (see if it's hot). Overcharging and damage happens when you lose cells.
- Hooking them up in parallel is not an issue; you run into problems when one battery loses a cell; thus the periodic checking.
It's enough for me, though I'll probably leave the FZ1 on it's own unit (I have two) as it's the oldest battery (original 2002) of the three.
But I like to live dangerously. :)
Battery Tender brand. The waterproof guy.Quote:
Originally Posted by scottfromboston
Thanks, that's enough for me to keep more of an eye on things. I walk by my "charging station" often, I'll get in the habit of touching the battery and charger daily and probably voltage checking weekly.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheIglu
BT recommends weekly...
http://batterytender.com/includes/la...ources/faq.pdf
Did we beat your question to death OP? :)
Just put in a full day of work (about 15h) and come back to this :-)
Nice! I think lots of good ideas, some sound more risky then others but all good advise and comments. I really like Scottys method and SSearch VT idea (they are easy- I like easy), but Stoneman seems to speak from long term experience; I think I will live on the danger side but check frequently and think SSearchs idea about the light is brilliant- even I will remember that way. THANKS A LOT!
Agreed, One bad or shorted cell and 2000+ cold cranking amps available to feed it is a really really bad idea...Quote:
Originally Posted by nhbubba
My boat has two batteries and one charger. The charger has two completely isolated charging circuits so the batteries are never in parallel unless I use the "both" mode on the battery selector switch, which is for emergency use only. Maybe RVs are the same??? Alternatively, maybe RVs use big 6 volt batteries in series, like golf cart????
no.
the only time you want to wire batteries in parallel or parallel series is when there new and going to be left that way for there use.
that $200 charger is retarded.
just buy as many $20 2a fully auto chargers as you need.
Quote:
Originally Posted by drinkingmymilk
iv'e been using the cheap automatic 2a ones for along time and never had one fail.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stoneman
being lazy and having way too many things with batteries i just plug them in.
If i had problems like you did, i'd put them all on a timer for a couple hrs a day or charge them by the week.
If you take the battery out of the vehicle it doesn't hurt to put them on a pad - rigid foam insulation works great.
That's terrific. I have a Shumacher one with the 2a option you can have. Leave it hooked up for a week then tell me how your battery is...Quote:
Originally Posted by sandman
Finding it too cumbersome to simply step into my garage for a handful of days each month for a few minutes would be far beyond lazy...Quote:
Originally Posted by sandman
the moral of the story is that you NEVER want to leave any battery unattended on a charger