Charging battery in place?

[ackerrj]

I am a relatively new owner of a 2320 ( this summer) with low hrs.

The tractor is garage kept, but we are in relatively low temp zone here in Colorado high plains, elev aprx. 5100 ft.

I have a new trickle and full charger from Sears... And use it to maintain battery at full charge in cold garage.

Any problem with charging in place on tractor, or is it best to disconnect one terminal?

Opinions or fact welcome!

Be well.

We are scheduled to be bellow zero next few days.

 

[crbr]

I am a relatively new owner of a 2320 ( this summer) with low hrs.

The tractor is garage kept, but we are in relatively low temp zone here in Colorado high plains, elev aprx. 5100 ft.

I have a new trickle and full charger from Sears... And use it to maintain battery at full charge in cold garage.

Any problem with charging in place on tractor, or is it best to disconnect one terminal?

Opinions or fact welcome!

Be well.

We are scheduled to be bellow zero next few days.

Charge in place is fine. However, the full charge and / or trickle can (chronically) ruin the battery if left on it continuously, even the trickle (unless it has a microchip processor for monitoring).

Consider this ==> Battery Tender Plus 12 Volt 1.25 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

Also buy the 25' extension cord for it. ==> http://www.batterymart.com/p-12-volt-25-foot-extension-cable.html

I use these year-round, regardless of the temperature.

.

 

[crazyal]

Unless you are having issues starting in the cold weather I wouldn't bother. Cold weather is a way of life around here. As long as you don't drain your battery too much and leave it like that they will give years of service with no maintenance. However if it feels weak then can do damage to your starter. Think of it like a glass, when full it can't hold more water. You would be better off buying a block heater.

 

[Craig Clayton]

I do not use a trickle charger on my Kubota, I only plug in the block/rad hose heater 1 hour before I need to use it. Somtimes it does not start up for 3 weeks when I am doing other jobs. In 17 years I am only on my 3rd battery and 2 of them were recon/ recharge from volvo's.
Craig Clayton

 

[SPYDERLK]

Charge in place is fine. However, the full charge and / or trickle can (chronically) ruin the battery if left on it continuously, even the trickle (unless it has a microchip processor for monitoring).

Consider this ==> Battery Tender Plus 12 Volt 1.25 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

Also buy the 25' extension cord for it. ==> http://www.batterymart.com/p-12-volt-25-foot-extension-cable.html

I use these year-round, regardless of the temperature.

.

:thumbsup: OP, listen to crbr. Continuous - even at a trickle will harm the battery in a few weeks and ruin it over a few months. Easy to lose track and youre screwed. Smart charger as mentioned, or a daylight activated timer that you can set for 1hr trickle per day.
larry

 

[MikeInEburg]

Unless you are having issues starting in the cold weather I wouldn't bother. Cold weather is a way of life around here. .

1+ on this reply. Don't fix a trouble that you don't have. I'd do block heater first. Spring is only seven weeks away.
Mike

 

[whistlepig]

I keep my tractor in an unheated garage. Although it doesn't snow here as much as it probably does where you live I run the tractor at least once every two weeks pushing snow. This seems enough to keep the battery up. I have tried hooking the battery charger up but in a few minutes I get a "Full Charge" light. My battery is three years old. The charger I have has a microprocessor built in and isn't supposed to hurt the battery if left unattended. Even at that I won't leave it hooked after I get a "Full Charge" light. Save A Battery - All-In-One "Standard"

 

[brandoro]

I also think a block heater is a much better device than a battery charger. The block heater should screw into a tapped hole on the left hand side of the engine block, very easy install.
A 1 amp trickly charger will eventually boil a battery the size that your tractor has, not good for the battery. The only time I have used a charger on any of my tractors is when the battery in my first tractor was failing and I was trying to get a few more starts out of it. 13 years and only changed the battery once.

 

[BobRip]

Don't use a trickle charger. Use a float charger that charges only when needed. I keep one on both generators, my trailer, and my tractor. Batteries will last a long time (5+ years) using these. I have one that is over 10 years old. It was in my daughters truck for two years, but it was the wrong battery for that engine. I have had it on float charge for at least 8 years.

 

[zoltanthegypsy]

Charge in place is fine. However, the full charge and / or trickle can (chronically) ruin the battery if left on it continuously, even the trickle (unless it has a microchip processor for monitoring).

Consider this ==> Battery Tender Plus 12 Volt 1.25 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

Also buy the 25' extension cord for it. ==> 25 Foot Extension Cable: BatteryMart.com

I use these year-round, regardless of the temperature.

.

What crbr said, but I like this little Deltran unit.

Battery Tender 12 Volt 800 mA Waterproof Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

It can stand being out in the weather. My machines are parked under an open shed roof, and occasionally wind can blow rain in. It can also deal with AGM and sealed batteries, so very useful for the boat and for small sealed batteries. I've got 6 or 7 of these, and so far, so good.

Deltran is really clever about including both ring and clamp style terminations with an intermediate plug and cap. I permanently mount the ring type to my batteries and just unplug the intermediate plug when I want to run a machine. Very handy.

Whichever floats ( :laughing: ) your boat, but do use a smart charger.

Z.

 

[ackerrj]

Thanks to all who responded to my question.

Be well and stay warm.

Spring indeed is not too far away...

 

[mytbucket]

Here is a slick way for ANY vehicle to have a charger hooked up. Go to you local snow plow parts store & get the plow motor leads that go to your battery, ususally get the ones for MEYER or a salt spreader hook up.They are cheaper than you Western or Boss leads. Hook the truck mount side to your tractors battery & feed it out to the out side of the tractors frame ( I am speaking from experience of a BX2350 which has the battery under the steering wheel & alittle difficult to get to ) . Then when ever you need a charge or JUMP you can pull the covers off of the PLUG & charge without fear of grounding out , Works great for any vehicle as well.

 

[CT Jay]

If it's not a good idea to leave a battery on a charger past the point where it's fully charged (either trickle or auto-sensor) then how come our alternators don't slowly kill our batteries when we're running our tractors (or cars, for that matter) all day.

Is there circuitry in the alternator that senses a full battery and stops feeding to it?

I don't know a thing about chargers and what's inside them, but I have a walk-behind self-propelled golf cart that uses a deep-discharge 12V battery and comes with a special charger that the manufacturer says to use not only to re-charge the battery after playing 18 holes, but that it's perfectly OK to keep the battery on the charger all winter long, not disconnecting it, nor using the battery at all....for months straight.

Maybe it's a unique kind of charger.......and maybe it's got something to do with the design for a deep discharge battery.......but I've done this now for maybe 15 years, and I'm only on my 3rd battery now.

Like I say, I have no clue about any of this.

 

[BobRip]

If it's not a good idea to leave a battery on a charger past the point where it's fully charged (either trickle or auto-sensor) then how come our alternators don't slowly kill our batteries when we're running our tractors (or cars, for that matter) all day.

Is there circuitry in the alternator that senses a full battery and stops feeding to it?

I don't know a thing about chargers and what's inside them, but I have a walk-behind self-propelled golf cart that uses a deep-discharge 12V battery and comes with a special charger that the manufacturer says to use not only to re-charge the battery after playing 18 holes, but that it's perfectly OK to keep the battery on the charger all winter long, not disconnecting it, nor using the battery at all....for months straight.

Maybe it's a unique kind of charger.......and maybe it's got something to do with the design for a deep discharge battery.......but I've done this now for maybe 15 years, and I'm only on my 3rd battery now.

Like I say, I have no clue about any of this.

I have chargers that I leave on all of the time. One has been on the same battery for about 10 years and the generator still starts fine. I hope I am not ruining that battery. I have grown to love it over the past decade.

The old trickle chargers would dry out the battery and ruin it. The always sent some charge to the battery. The float "smart" chargers do a good job of protecting the battery. On the other hand letting a battery fully discharge may ruin it immediately, and will certainly reduce its life.

Alternators do regulate their charge. They never put out full current to the battery and taper down when the battery is fully charged.