Backhoe Battery Charging

[wrecd]

hey fellas

i have a question i'm hoping one of you guys can help me with. i have a tractor and the two batteries went dead over the winter. i want to charge them up but i'm wondering if i should charge them linked in parallel like they are in the tractor, or if i should charge them individually?

my battery charger is a DieHard 71227
my batteries are two generic 775 12v 700cca


thanks for any advice.

 

[crazyal]

I would charge them separately. It's possible that one of them (or both) is damaged. I would also trickle charge them for a week, I've had good luck restoring batteries this way.

 

[WVUNUT1985]

Parallel Connected with a 12 Volt

Batteries of the same type only can be charged at the same time in parallel (+ to +, - to -).

When you connect the batteries in parallel, you are keeping the total voltage the same. For example, if you connect two 12 volt batteries in parallel, the voltage of the combination is 12 volts.



http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=209778&stc=1&d=1303676083

 

[Transit]

Being that your charger has smarts, I would let it do its thing charging the batteries separately, than the charger will evaluate each battery. Later you may connect them in parallel to top them off or float charge them.

 

[Grayson Klassen]

I have two 12 volt batteries as well only mine are in series. The guy I bought my tractor off said the batteries needed replacing but being stubborn frugal or what ever I decided to see if I could recondition them.

I charged them seperately one at a time. my charger has a charge indicator and when it got 100% I would switch to the other battery, when it was done I would go back to the first and it would have dropped to say 75% and I would charge it again and I kept at it (several days until the batteries stayed at 100% when the other was done.

I have had no issues with batteries at all since.

Try it:thumbsup:

 

[638]

Are you sure your batteries are connected in series? I don't know of any JD's with a 24 volt system. Of course I've not been around that many JD tractors.

 

[bigbull338]

i would charge them seperately.the odds are after charging youll have to buy 2 new batteries.

 

[wrecd]

thanks for all the input guys. i really appreciate the help.

happy Easter to you and yours !




aaron

 

[Nightrain1]

This is what you need to bring back batteries or really extend the life.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Auto%20Repair-_-Battery%20Chargers%20+%20Jump%20Starters-_-167981&ci_sku=167981&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

 

[whistlepig]

I bought one of these in the "1702 Series" a couple of years ago. Hard to beat for simplicity of use. Save A Battery - All-In-One "1702 Series"

 

[Raspy]

Parallel Connected with a 12 Volt

Batteries of the same type only can be charged at the same time in parallel (+ to +, - to -).

When you connect the batteries in parallel, you are keeping the total voltage the same. For example, if you connect two 12 volt batteries in parallel, the voltage of the combination is 12 volts.



http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=209778&stc=1&d=1303676083

This method shown for charging two batteries in parallel does not charge them evenly. They can be connected together as shown, but the charger should have the + lead connected to one battery and the - lead connected to the other battery. This equalizes the loss through the cables and terminals and charges them the same. I can easily measure the difference if I do it as shown and the batteries really need to get to full charge to avoid an early death through sulfation.

Since the batteries went completely dead, you would be better off trying to equalize them with a smart charger that runs them up to about 15 or 16 volts. These chargers are getting very cheap and Walmart has them.

If you are concerned that one might have a dead cell, you can disconnect them from each other and monitor the voltage for a while. But it's probably just that there was a small drain that ran them down. Maybe a bad diode in the charging system or something. I'd look at the tractor to make sure it has no draw with the key off, and if you suspect one, add a battery disconnect switch.

 

[Grayson Klassen]

Are you sure your batteries are connected in series? I don't know of any JD's with a 24 volt system. Of course I've not been around that many JD tractors.

1968 JD 4020 24V Starter and generator everything else is split to 12 volt

 

[ducks13]

In my opinion in you situation you charge the batteries separately. If the batteries are in fact the same then it won't matter but if one of them is sulfated and one is not charging them separately will work better.