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This is a few questions for those that use a trickle charger. I am thinking of getting one and using it on my 93.
Do you disconnect the batt to trickle charge? Any badness that can happen if I don’t disconnect the batt?
Where do you connect the negative clip?
If my 93 has been sitting for 3-4 weeks how long will a trickle charge take to top up the batt?
Thanks in advance.
I purchased one that came with a quick connect adapter that hardwires to a battery. Liked it so much I got a quick connect for all my toys and machines. Now I never have dead battery's and they last a lot longer. Just move it around periodically cause I'm too cheap to purchase more chargers. I bought the same one for my dad and got the cigarette lighter adapter for his, now he never has a dead battery in his c5.
Last edited by midlifecrisis1979; 01-17-2018 at 06:02 PM.
been using a battery tender for 10 + yrs and has lengthened the battery life, it will charge then maintain at low voltage to get rid of sulfation and save the battery plates for longer life. I mount the tender to the posts with the ring connections and leave the pig tail on when not charging, never had a problem. last battery for the Vette lasted 7 yr 3 months.
And not only extending the battery life, but I have not replaced an alternator in years, either. It would seem there was a correlation between jump starting the car and eating alternators.
And not only extending the battery life, but I have not replaced an alternator in years, either. It would seem there was a correlation between jump starting the car and eating alternators. [/QUOTE
This is true...a mechanic friend of mine is always yelling at his technicians who jump start cars from total dead. I asked him why he cares and he told me that a totally dead battery can hurt the alternator. He tells them to charge them up before starting.
This is true...a mechanic friend of mine is always yelling at his technicians who jump start cars from total dead. I asked him why he cares and he told me that a totally dead battery can hurt the alternator. He tells them to charge them up before starting.
OK. But why does it hurt the alternator? A lot of old timers also say you cannot place the battery on a floor or it will discharge too. Again, never any science behind it.
OK. But why does it hurt the alternator? A lot of old timers also say you cannot place the battery on a floor or it will discharge too. Again, never any science behind it.
When you jump start a car with a dead battery you are only starting the car. It still has an insufficient charge on the battery. Now that your car is running your alternator is at max amperage to charge the battery back up. That’s not what alternators are designed to do.
OK. But why does it hurt the alternator? A lot of old timers also say you cannot place the battery on a floor or it will discharge too. Again, never any science behind it.
Originally Posted by rocco16
You're claiming an alternator rated at 130 amps is not designed to put out 130 amps?
Alternators are designed to keep the battery charged. Not charge it from dead. Doing so will over time ruin the alternator
OK. But why does it hurt the alternator? A lot of old timers also say you cannot place the battery on a floor or it will discharge too. Again, never any science behind it.
Well, when the old timers were younger, that was the case
Doesn't happen with modern batteries
I do connect to the negative post of the battery itself.
I don't disconnect the battery for the same reason.
That's never a problem..
Been using a CTEK hard wired (one grounded and the other on the 12v common post behind the battery) to the car for years so all I do is plug it in to the AC outlet in the garage.
If your storing the car, do it a favour and turn on the headlamps for a few hours once a month to exercise the battery.
Alternators are designed to keep the battery charged. Not charge it from dead. Doing so will over time ruin the alternator
So what changes in both scenarios? Is it the length of engagement, as in the dead battery takes longer to charge or is the output somehow different and the strain higher on the alternator? If it is the latter, sure. If it is the former, all the difference is could be that it is turned on for 1 hour vs 3 minutes here and 3 minutes there.
I agree that if you are always doing it, the alternator is being used more and the lifespan is shorter. So if you are running always on a dead battery, I agree. Say you left your lights on and the battery is dead and you jump it and drive for a while, is that an issue if you don't do it say more than once a year?
Well, when the old timers were younger, that was the case
Doesn't happen with modern batteries
Thing is, I have heard a few younger mechanics say that too. They don't seem to know why other than that was how it was when they were young so "Monkey see, monkey do, monkey never ask why.".
I think it might be wise at this point to explain what the enemies of the battery pack are. First and foremost the number one enemy of a battery is a human being! That is because of the lack of understanding of the how and why of battery maintenance. The second biggest enemy a battery has is heat! Heat can be caused by over charging, over discharging, incorrect batteries for the application and the ambient surroundings. Old worn out batteries will cause heat due to mossing, sulfation, or shorted cells due to the positive plate shedding process.
• Mossing is a by-product of incorrect forming of lead-calcium, leadselenium or lead-antimony (etc.). Along with batteries setting unused you can actually see a formation of moss in the cells.
• Stratification is from the batteries setting for long periods and due to the fact that acid is heavier than water the acid will settle to the bottom of the battery. This allows quick evaporation of the water and heavy concentrations of acid at the bottom of the battery cell.
• Sulfation is caused from under charging and batteries setting in an uncharged state. Note: The cells of a sulfated battery will give low specific gravity and open circuit voltage readings. On charge, the voltage readings will be unusually high.
Alternators are designed to keep the battery charged. Not charge it from dead. Doing so will over time ruin the alternator
So, then, why do we have alternators in our vehicles that will put out 100amps or 130amps??
The alternator doesn't know if its output is being used to charge a very low battery or is being used to power two banks of driving lights, four aftermarket audio amplifiers, or a winch under load....
Using the alternator over time will wear it out, no doubt. So will using the brakes wear them out over time.
So, then, why do we have alternators in our vehicles that will put out 100amps or 130amps??
The alternator doesn't know if its output is being used to charge a very low battery or is being used to power two banks of driving lights, four aftermarket audio amplifiers, or a winch under load....
Using the alternator over time will wear it out, no doubt. So will using the brakes wear them out over time.
So, then, why do we have alternators in our vehicles that will put out 100amps or 130amps??
The alternator doesn't know if its output is being used to charge a very low battery or is being used to power two banks of driving lights, four aftermarket audio amplifiers, or a winch under load....
Using the alternator over time will wear it out, no doubt. So will using the brakes wear them out over time.
I would think that we have larger alternators because you have a larger draw because you put some monster stereo system or a huge amount of lights, etc, etc. Those drain power and you have to replace it. If more goes out of the battery than goes in, you will soon be having a depleted battery.
True but if you are stupid enough to leave your lights on every night and jump and drive in the morning, it will wear out fast. Once in a very long while of charging probably won't hurt it much.
The tried and true"Deltran" battery tender is still the benchmark, whether you use the Junior or not. They cost just under $40 and last a long time. I popped for the newer NOCO digital maintainer. Cost was pretty steep but its got lots of flashing lights on it. I like flashing lights, just so they aren't on my dashboard or in the rear view.
The alternator thing is all about duty cycle too. Yea it can put out 130 amps sure. But have it do that for any period of time and it'll get pretty freaking hot pretty quick. A stock alternator is designed to maintain normal loads on the car. A pair of 55 watt headlights use maybe 10 amps. ECM, fuel pump, blower on high maybe amount to 45 amps. You would be hard pressed to hit 75% max output rating on a stock system. That's just how it is.
Anyway I keep the battery tender mounted on the wall and when I know the car will sit a while I just plug it into the cigarette lighter. After I rebuilt the alternator it doesn't go dead sitting for more than a week now.
It's wired onto the cars' battery 24/7. Can't really say if the Pulse technology works.
The battery is over 4 years old now and as yet has not shown any sign of problems.
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Last edited by JrRifleCoach; 01-25-2018 at 05:48 PM.
The alternator thing is all about duty cycle too. Yea it can put out 130 amps sure. But have it do that for any period of time and it'll get pretty freaking hot pretty quick.
Fair enough. But to make 130 it would have to spis at 6000 rpm. Driving normally would be at less than 4000
01-17-2018, 06:01 PM
