Industrial Toys
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2008
- Messages
- 16,742
- Location
- Ontario Canada
- Tractor
- Kubota R510 Wheel Loader + Cab and backhoe, JD 6200 Open Station, Cushman 6150, 4x4, ten foot 56 hp Kubota diesel hydraulic wing mower, Steiner 430 Diesel Max, Kawasaki Diesel Mule, JD 4x2 Electric Gator
I learned an interesting thing about load testing batteries recently. I delivered a couple on new 12 volt deep discharge batteries for a floor scrubber recently. I had charged them, prior to delivery with a very sophisicated commercial charger. For the heck of it, we load tested the old batteries that were not holding their charge and then for the fun of it the new batteries. The old ones tested slightly better than the new ones! I was worried, thinking I had bought two batteries I would be stuck with.
Anyway, the new batteries worked fine, running the scrubber for days. But it taught me a lesson about load testers. The load test does not insure any reserve capacity or battery health for that matter. It turns out, the bad batteries had been deprived of water.
This makes sense when I think about it, because you can load test a new $40.00 lawn and garden battery and it will show good, but not be able to start any good sized loads.
As far as the generator. Trying things almost seems futile as anything I try seems to correct the problem. I am going to run conduit from my transfer switch to the generator, and connect the internal battery charger/timer which I have never used. Just a Schumacher maintainer/charger when I think about it. This should keep the battery nicely charged, not boiled, shaken, never stirred! Then I will see what happens.
Anyway, the new batteries worked fine, running the scrubber for days. But it taught me a lesson about load testers. The load test does not insure any reserve capacity or battery health for that matter. It turns out, the bad batteries had been deprived of water.
This makes sense when I think about it, because you can load test a new $40.00 lawn and garden battery and it will show good, but not be able to start any good sized loads.
As far as the generator. Trying things almost seems futile as anything I try seems to correct the problem. I am going to run conduit from my transfer switch to the generator, and connect the internal battery charger/timer which I have never used. Just a Schumacher maintainer/charger when I think about it. This should keep the battery nicely charged, not boiled, shaken, never stirred! Then I will see what happens.
