Any Battery Experts Out There?

[Zachary K.]

I got into a pretty heavy discussion today over the replacement (original Delco style)batteries that are out there for sale to us today. What started this was the care for these batteries while the car is not in use or stored for some time (a few months), and how these batteries don't last very long. I stated that I have three of these batteries in my cars now and get pretty good life out of them by keeping a Battery Tender on them when ever the car is not in use. Another friend said he uses a trickle charger and dosen't get very good life out of his. As we spoke someone else joined in and stated that if you were to not use the battery for some time that he would hook up a light draw to the battery, just a single dash bulb and slowly discharge the battery. This he claimed would not have the acid acitvated and the plates would not deteriorate as if the acid was still activated and still had a charger on it. Then when he is ready to use it again he very slowly charges it back up. Seems to me that he has a pretty good theory here. Anyone ever hear of this or is doing this now with any luck?

[Duke W.]

Re: Any Battery Experts Out There?

A modern maintenance free battery had a room temperatue discharge rate of about one percent a day versus three percent a day for the OEM type batteries that required water servicing. A battery tender will recharge the battery when it detects that it has discharged slightly.

I think it's best to keep a battery at full charge, and I know the life of a battery can be severely shortened if a heavy load is repeatly put on it (like cranking) when it is partially discharged.

I dont' buy your buddies theory about placing a small continuous load on a battery. They will discharge on their own.

Rather than "trickle charging" which is hit and miss at best, I think a battery tender that detects small voltage drops and charges when necessary, but does not overcharge the battery is the way to get maximum battery life on a car that is not driven a lot.

Duke

[Michael Delehanty]

Re: Any Battery Experts Out There?

I've been playing the "battery charger game" for years with my "museum". The trickle chargers work OK but you better watch the water level. They will run low on water quicker. I use the "Battery Tender". My take:

You better check the water every month with a trickle charger. If you are going to check the water every month, why don't you just put the trickle charger or normal charger on it for a day or so. I personally don't like the wires hanging out of the car all the time and something else to catch fire or something else to trip over. So every month hook it up for a day. That's my take....

As for life, you'll get pretty good life out of them if you keep water in them and don't let them discharge very far. I find a month seems reasonable.

You can listen to everyone and drive yourself nuts with procedures and percentages. If you get 3-5 years, you call it a win and buy another.

Mike

[Zachary K.]

Re: Any Battery Experts Out There?

I've had good luck with the battery tender as I stated 2 of the 3 batteries are close to 3 years old now and no problems. As advertised the battery tenders work more as an alternator / voltage regulator combination sensing when the battery needs a charge. I've never cared for trickle chargers as they seem to slow cook a battery. My friend with the trickle charger is the one that was having the problems with these batteries if I didn't make myself clear. I was just wondering if anyone else had information of this other persons theory. It seemed to have some reason with the battery now in a discharged state that there wouldn't be any sulfating of the plates as there is when the battery is kept with a full cahrge.

[Jack H.]

Re: Any Battery Experts Out There?

Trick is as prior poster, Michael, suggested--KEEP water level in each cell topped off to prevent exposing the plates to air and oxidizing them! This can be tricky (viewing) in the position a lot of these batterys face installed in Corvette. To second Michael again, trickle chargers are non-intelligent and you're trying to 'match' the battery's internal discharge rate by hit/miss with a trickle charger. If you can get the recepie 'right' -- it'll work, mon....

The 'smart' chargers pump the battery up, let it fall and match their output current to maintain the battery by matching specific individual internal discharge rate.