Battery Float Charger
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Fort Collins co
Battery Float Charger
Cold as a .........here in Colorado.
I just got a float charger from Harbor Freight and after having it on the 94 for a day I decided to read the directions. No big deal except they recommend unplugging the battery, which I didn't. Did I harm anything?
Saturday night it got to -24 with the wind chill. I thought the battery would like some nice charging.
thanks
I just got a float charger from Harbor Freight and after having it on the 94 for a day I decided to read the directions. No big deal except they recommend unplugging the battery, which I didn't. Did I harm anything?
Saturday night it got to -24 with the wind chill. I thought the battery would like some nice charging.
thanks
Pro
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 564
Likes: 2
From: Lexington Ohio
Here's what I found. 
The Battery Float Charger is used for the maintenance of 12 volt batteries that are stored or used periodically in such items as boats, vehicles, ATVs, tractors, snowmobiles, etc., or in cold weather. It prevents self discharge of the battery, while maintaining and extending the life of any 12 volt battery. The floating circuit maintains a full charge without overcharging. (Other types of chargers provide a strong, rapid charge, and tend to boil out liquids and decay electrodes.) Automatic safety shut-off. Simple to use: just hook it up, plug it in, and forget about it!
The Battery Float Charger is used for the maintenance of 12 volt batteries that are stored or used periodically in such items as boats, vehicles, ATVs, tractors, snowmobiles, etc., or in cold weather. It prevents self discharge of the battery, while maintaining and extending the life of any 12 volt battery. The floating circuit maintains a full charge without overcharging. (Other types of chargers provide a strong, rapid charge, and tend to boil out liquids and decay electrodes.) Automatic safety shut-off. Simple to use: just hook it up, plug it in, and forget about it!
Works great. Leave your battery hooked up.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
You did everything right. It isn't necessary to disconnect the battery unless you have obnoxious leakage current and I doubt you do. Lead acid batteries self discharge up to 1% each day even disconnected and as they discharge they collect lead sulphate on the plates. Lead sulphate is a good insulator and fully sulphated batteries are door stops. Car batteries are not designed for deep discharge and every deep discharge and recharge cycle causes them to lose some amphour capacity and after a number of these cycles you have the equivalent of a motorcycle battery. Car batteries don't like sitting doing nothing! Keep it charged up!
