Battery Longevity

[fried1765]

I have found with expensive or cheap batteries to keep a trickle charger on them especially if there is down time between uses BUT do not leave it on all the time. Place the trickle charger on a timer so that it is only on for 30 min. or so once or twice a day. Life on batteries in equipment that is dormant for weeks or months at a time has doubled in some cases. Since retirement even the car and trucks do not see regular use so they also have trickle chargers to compensate for the vampire draw of the security and computer systems that are on all of them now days.

""BUT do not leave it on all the time"

Kinda tough to do while away from the batteries for 6 months at a time.
All the time hookup works just fine when using quality built trickle chargers.
I have used 6 month continued hookups for many years, with many batteries.
EXCELLENT battery life results!

 

[TerryR]

The little battery on my standby generator, which was started rarely, was failing every two or three years. I put a "battery maintainer" on it that's on 25/7/365 and it's lasted for many years.

 

[radios1]

the average life of a lead acid battery is 3 to 5 years..

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I bought my Kioti RX7320PC in 2015 and have 216 hours on it. It's been stored in my barn and in the winters I often have a trickle charger on it. Occasionally, regardless of the season, the battery isn't strong enough to start the tractor, like yesterday. I just have to put my 30A - 60A charger on for several minutes and "she" starts right up.

Could the battery be old enough to replace?

Could something in the electrical system be draining the battery charge?

Every two years. Batteries crimp a strap on to bind the plates together. Vibration as well as hot and cold cycles loosen the bond. At rest the battery may register as a 12.6v but as soon as a load is put on it, *POOF* the battery is a 10.4 volt as one of the cell drops off. Once in a while a battery seems to hold in there forever for years.

 

[WranglerX]

Good place in increase knowledge of batteries....

Car and Deep Cycle Battery Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 2

Dale

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have never for the life of me understood why vehicle/equipment electrical lsystems with 35 amp and up alternators don't boil batteries. Put a five amp charger on a battery and it will be boiling eventually. You can't tell me that charging systems are that sophisticated, especially older ones.

You would think that if you drained your battery and got it started with a 100 amp plus alternator, it would destroy the battery, but it doesn't.

 

[bigtiller]

The little battery on my standby generator, which was started rarely, was failing every two or three years. I put a "battery maintainer" on it that's on 25/7/365 and it's lasted for many years.

That's my experience also, I have 5 maintainers running now.

One of the worst things we can do to led-acid batteries is to not use them.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

I have never for the life of me understood why vehicle/equipment electrical lsystems with 35 amp and up alternators don't boil batteries. Put a five amp charger on a battery and it will be boiling eventually. You can't tell me that charging systems are that sophisticated, especially older ones.

You would think that if you drained your battery and got it started with a 100 amp plus alternator, it would destroy the battery, but it doesn't.

The field strength is variable. In other words, the voltage to the field windings is ramped up and down to accommodate the load. Forcing a heavy load on a discharged battery can be done, but it isn't good for the life of the battery.

A discharged battery takes the load it can accept, not necessarily the load it is fed.

 

[Industrial Toys]

But doesn't a high capacity alternator really stick it to a dead battery? I mean the way it's connected, the alternator doesn't know the load is a dead battery and not a bunch of other stuff,

 

[MinnesotaEric]

But doesn't a high capacity alternator really stick it to a dead battery? I mean the way it's connected, the alternator doesn't know the load is a dead battery and not a bunch of other stuff,

As I was taught in trade school, the battery is the storage and doesn't necessarily experience all the loads firsthand because of the body ground. The alternator is supplying the load and the load is getting used by what ever is running the current before it gets to the battery.

Over at Quora, James K. Klang, writes:

I am a battery scientist with over 40 years experience.


Most of the answers given refer to the traditional automobile where once started the alternator provides most electrical power for vehicle operation. The battery is only required to deliver sustained power for various vehicle loads when the engine is not running,

There are, however, vehicles that make more demands on batteries in order to improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollution. When these vehicles come to a stop light during normal operation, the engine shuts off, thus saving fuel that is wasted in idling. All the electrical loads in the vehicle are then supplied from the battery rather than the alternator that produces nothing while the engine is off. This can normally occur for different lengths of time depending on traffic conditions, but when the driver removes his foot from the brake or touches the accelerator, the engine restarts almost instantly and the alternator recharges the battery.

Obviously, both the battery and starter must be tailored to this scenario. The battery is normally larger and has features to improve its resistance to cycling and charge acceptance. The starter system must be designed for many more starts and do so quickly so as not be very noticeable by the driver. To keep the battery in condition that will prevent its failure to restart during a stop event, a battery monitoring system (BMS) is added to constantly measure the battery痴 performance and keep it in a satisfactory operating condition. The vehicle will not shut off the engine if the BMS or vehicle computer does not approve because of a weak/discharged battery or if some other safety or comfort system would be compromised. Most manufacturers are implementing a version of this system on their new vehicles because of pressure to comply with fuel and emission standards. It only takes a short time to get used to this system (it has been on hybrid vehicles for a long time). Many people are uncomfortable with this change, because it is different. But it is the future and will soon be the standard.

It used to be that batteries were heavily drained by forgetting to turn some electrical load off, like lights. Now most cars have run down features that turn off any load after a period of time.

Source: Is it true that car batteries are only used when starting the car and then it's the car alternator that provides the electricity? - Quora