Automatic "Trickle" Battery Chargers

[tsh3]

Re: Automatic \"Trickle\" Battery Chargers

I have a friend that used a trickle charger on a Porsche that he did not drive much.
Battery exploded and acid went everywhere.

 

[heehaw]

Re: Automatic \"Trickle\" Battery Chargers

i picked up a cheap timer from the hardware store, plug the trickle charger into the timer and let it charge for 10-15 min every day...been doing it for several years with not problems.
heehaw

 

[Jeff396]

Re: Automatic

I do the same trick with my radio control planes. After using them I hook their chargers up to a lamp timer and set it for the number of hours I think necessary to completely re charge them. Then the lamp timer will come on for 1 hour every day after that to keep them ready to go.

I have a Battery Tender for my Vette and Kubota and one made by Excide for my Bird. I have been using them for close to a year now without any problems. This thread has me concerned that maybe that isn't such a good idea. It sure is nice , though, to go out to the garage and know that the car will turn over after a long period of sitting idle./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Jeff

 

[hazmat]

Re: Automatic

I've been using one of these <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatus-store.com/browse/item.asp?IID=30385> Guest Battery Charger </A> on my boat. I used it at the slip for a year. Now the boat is on a trailer in the driveway. The charger is nice because it has fast & slow charge. I can plug it in for an hour or two & top off the battery before heading to the launch ramp. In fact, this reminds me, its been awhile since I plugged it in, probably time to top it off. No problems overheating the battery.

You do get what you pay for $8 at Harbor freight vs $100+ for a marine unit. I know, I know, the fact that it is "marine" adds 50% to the price, but you get the point.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Automatic

Saw a 1 amp Exide charger today at a Big Lots Store. It cost $5.99. Nearly bought it for storing the tractor and lawn mower over winter but I had some concerns. The timer idea sounds good. I think I will get both and try that.

 

[DUMBDOG]

Re: Automatic \"Trickle\" Battery Chargers

Check out the Harley-Davidson catalog. They had one that worked really well with a five year warranty. The big drawback was the price. goes with the name, i believe it was about $50.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Automatic

This is what you need:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.probike.co.uk/im050004.htm>http://www.probike.co.uk/im050004.htm</A>. This is probably what Harley is selling out of their catalog. I think the parent company is Motion Pro, but the chargers are called batterymate. I use their larger versions ($500) for my shop and they seem to make a good product. The little charger (Optimate 3) shuts itself off when it senses 12.6 volts and turns itself on again when the voltage drops. It also can sense sulfated batteries and somehow apply enough voltage to restore sulfated plates (they claim). I dont know what the little one costs, but I bet it is a good product. My mechanics have been abusing my big chargers for years, and they seem to take it without any fires. Knock on wood. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Re: Automatic

whoops. That link was to a U.K. website. Here is a better one.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.motionpro.com/>http://www.motionpro.com/</A> Also, it looks like the parent company is Tecmate not Motion Pro. You get the idea anyway. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[GlennT]

Re: Automatic

Hazmat--I agree about "getting what you pay for." I perhaps should have added that I remove the battery from the mower (which also gives me an opportunity to clean it off and check the posts) and it rests on several layers of cardboard near my workbench where I can check it periodically. So far, the battery has remained charged without indications of overcharging. For $8 I can afford to pitch the charger if it doesn't perform satisfactorilly. As indicated in another posting, a solar panel would work for a limited time, but I suspect it would overcharge if left unattended for an extended period. I have a single solar panel which maintains the 12 volt, deep-cycle battery on my Apollo gate opener. This panel connects directly to the posts of the battery and has performed nicely except for the time when I tried to operate both the gate and a small electric-fence unit off of the same battery. Even then, it took almost three months of continuous use to discharge the battery to the point where we noticed that the gate operation had slowed down significantly.

 

[desulfator]

Re: Automatic \"Trickle\" Battery Chargers

Most of the ills (failures) suffered by a lead acid batteries are the result of the plates sulfating. A desulfator will bring the battery back to like new condition.

Desulfators work by hitting the battery with high voltage, high frequency pulses. They will remove sulfate deposits that ordinary chargers can not remove.

Plans for homemade desulfators can be found at this link (parts kits are available as well as assembled and tested units).
http://shaka.com/~kalepa/desulf.htm

Here is an extract from an FAQ I've written at the following link
http://shaka.com/~kalepa/faq.htm

For the complete FAQ go to the link above


Q: What is battery sulfation and why does it cause battery failure ?

A: Each time a battery is discharged some of the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte is combined with the negative plate material and converted to lead sulfate crystals which form on the positive plates. These crystals interfere with the chemical reaction neccessary for proper battery operation. When the battery is recharged MOST (but not all) the sulfates are reconverted back into sulfuric acid. This is why a discharged battery will have a low Specific Gravity (SG) reading. Over time the sulfates which are not reconstituted as acid form stubborn patches of large crystal growths that will grow and eventually choke the life out of a lead acid battery. These crystal growths if not stopped will act like ice expanding the cases (bulges), breaking the plates and plate and cell interconnects and causing shorts.

Q: Why does a battery die when it sits ?

A: All lead acid batteries will self discharge forming sulfates in the process. The degree of self discharge will depend on temperature, plate chemistry, and how clean the battery is and how it is stored.

Q: Is there any truth to storing a battery on the ground being a bad idea ?

A: Yes, When stored on the ground the battery will assume the same temperature as the ground. When warmer moist air comes in contact with the battery case, moisture can condense out (like an iced drink in the summer) and increase the amount of self discharge across the top of the case (between the posts). To see this in action take a voltmeter and attach one lead to a post (of a dirty battery) and drag the other lead across the top. You will note an increasing voltage as the probe heads to the other post. To reduce this aspect of self discharge always store batteries on a shelf or on some form of insulation.

Q: How long does it take to desulfate a battery ?

A: That would depend on the degree of sulfation, how clean the tops of the battery is (another route of self-discharge paths), plate chemistry, temperature of the battery and size of the battery. Generally speaking gell cell batts will respond in a week, car starter batteries in a month or so, deep discharge depends on its condition.

Q: How does this pulser compare with commercial units ?

A: All reports received to date suggest this design works faster than what is commercially available.

Q: How much current does this circuit draw ?

A: Normally from 0.040 to 0.050 Amps

Q: Do I need to use a battery charger with this circuit ?

A: Not if the batteries are being charged on a daily basis such as in service in a photovoltaic system or car starter battery