Batteries

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Gas leaking from battery + spark from connecting charger/jumper and Jeff will have a new hairdoo
GG

Aw...I never worry about getting a new haircut from exploding batteries...;)
Anyway, I have a correction to make: a while back I stated that those one amp trickle chargers could be left on charge indefinitely because you can't overcharge a battery with them -- NOT! Well, I left a couple on my batteries for three months over the winter and guess what: the water/acid levels were mighty low by the time I got around to servicing them. :whoops: I filled up the water levels and hopefully the batteries may be OK, but I won't know for sure until I'm up at Churn Creek on a frosty morning, trying to crank over that diesel. :rolleyes: Gary make sure you bring your jumper cables!
~Bill
 
See Bill, you need to go shopping at Canadian Tire..this charger was on sale, and it says it can be left on a vehicle that sits for extended periods of time. It turns itself off and on as needed to maintain enough juice to start it.

Canadian Tire
 
:frown:Well these here 1 amp trickle chargers ARE from Cambodian Tire alright, but this model does not shut off. A third one I have here, from that outfit, does have a little red light on it and I think that little light indicates no charge if the battery is up to snuff. By that I mean that if the red light goes out, then charging stops. Bring your jumpers in case I can't crank at Churn! :hhmm:
P.S. Millson ordered me to stop shopping at Crappy Tire! :frown:
 
Millson is a smart guy
 
yes, Millson is a guy
 
yes, stop shopping at crappy tire!
 
Xantrex Charger 2

I have a Xantex Charger 2 - its a 'smart' 12 volt charger . It charges at 2.0 amps charging current at 14.4 volts, which is the bulk charge voltage, which continues until the float charge kicks in when the battery is fully charged, then the float charge drops to 13.0 volts, which can hold the battery in a full state of charge almost indefinitely. I charge each battery separately. (Most instruction suggest to remove the battery from the vehicle to reduce the risk of explosion of the off-gases, but I never do).

The instruction say to connect 'positive' first then negative to the engine block away from fuel equipment - then to plug the charger into 115 AC. When fully charged, the red charging light turns off and the green Power on light comes on. I charge all my batteries this way.

You can get them at battery specialty stores for about $30, others brands are available. Can be mounted under the hood. I think for two expensive batteries - its the only way to go.
 
I'm assuming I missed the battery sale at Costco? As good as this fancy new charger is, the Globelite battery in the 40 is dead once again, had enough juice after sitting for 2 days without a charge on it to go "rr rrr".

I'll have to dig thru my mountain of reciepts to see when I bought it, can't be more than 2 years ago....I think.
 
I'm assuming I missed the battery sale at Costco? As good as this fancy new charger is, the Globelite battery in the 40 is dead once again, had enough juice after sitting for 2 days without a charge on it to go "rr rrr".

I'll have to dig thru my mountain of reciepts to see when I bought it, can't be more than 2 years ago....I think.

2 year old batteries, and they are dead already? Jeff, are you sure you don't have some kind of heavy draw on them when it is sitting? I can have my old Globelites I got from Norm (got to be like 7 years old now) sitting for over 6 months (winters are long here) in old rusty and then it starts up like it's my daily driver in the spring.
 
Could be something like a shorting wire.Had that problem,found it to be an arking headlight connection.
 
Got an amp meter Jeff? A quick check at the battery terminal with everything off will tell you if you have a short.

Oh somewhere, i think it has a dead battery too;p

Then there's that whole issue of actually knowing how to use it properly.
 
If your ammeter is dead another way is to disconnect one terminal off the battery and put your test light in line with the circuit (i.e. clamp end on cable terminal, probe end on battery post). If it lights up with the ignition off you have a power draw/drain. If the light is very bright the draw is big, careful you don't burn out the test light bulb.

A bad voltage regulator diodes/rectifier will create a big power drain when nothing else seems to be taking power. Enough it would drain a battery in a couple days.
 

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