moinau
Je me Souviens
Thanks, this was my point trying to answer "markdi":thmbsp:
car battery, alternator, charger question
- Thread starter mzeitlin3348
- Start date
Thanks, this was my point trying to answer "markdi":thmbsp:
merrylander
AK Member
At one time I was keeping batteries for as long as possible, 10 plus years until my friend explained the make up of a battery and the function of an alternator. A battery that can not keep its charge any longer will strain the alternator also, a battery that is older than 6 to 7 years will also strain the alternator. A battery only cost $35.00 to about $75.00 in most cases. So why bother buying a charger and all kinds of gimmick that sometime cost more then a battery and on top of it strain the alternator. For my part, every five years the battery goes costing me a grand total of $65.00 or so and the assurance that I wont be caught short at the Mall or early one cold morning.
I do have a charger but that is for floating the tractor battery over the winter. The cars simply refused to start one morning so we replaced the battery.
The thing that kills batteries is calcium or sulfate (depending on battery design) in the bottom building up until it starts touching the plates and shorting them out internally.
The worst thing a battery can see is a dead condition with water on all plates. It'll "corrode" the plates and they will not take a charge. Gel cells have somewhat better charge retention capabilities. All need a float charge to keep them at full acid strength to keep the plates clean.
The next worse thing is heat. Lot's of Fords come with blankets around the battery now to help control engine room temps fed into the battery. But the best bet is to move it to a cool spot like the trunk. Lot's of expensive cars and even old VW's had the battery located away from engine heat. Those batteries tend to last the longest, but only if charged regularly (driven every few days, or charged with pulse charger).
The worst thing a battery can see is a dead condition with water on all plates. It'll "corrode" the plates and they will not take a charge. Gel cells have somewhat better charge retention capabilities. All need a float charge to keep them at full acid strength to keep the plates clean.
The next worse thing is heat. Lot's of Fords come with blankets around the battery now to help control engine room temps fed into the battery. But the best bet is to move it to a cool spot like the trunk. Lot's of expensive cars and even old VW's had the battery located away from engine heat. Those batteries tend to last the longest, but only if charged regularly (driven every few days, or charged with pulse charger).