"Doug" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:22:36 -0500, Doug >
> wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:11:38 -0700, "uncle_vito"
> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>"Doug" > wrote in message
...
>>>> On Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:12:45 -0600, Doug >
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On Wed, 6 Mar 2013 12:26:19 -0500, "Dad" > wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>"uncle_vito" > wrote in message
.. .
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Doug" > wrote in message
>>>>>>> ...
>>>>>>>>I want to store a car with battery connected for perhaps a month or
>>>>>>>> two during winter. What is a good trickle charger to keep hooked
>>>>>>>> up
>>>>>>>> on it to keep the battery from dying ? Will it matter if the
>>>>>>>> battery
>>>>>>>> is not at full charge when I put it on? Since I never had one,
>>>>>>>> do
>>>>>>>> they use alligator clips like a regular charger? Recommendations
>>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>>> a "good" one regardless of price? Thanks all.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have used the Battery Tender Plus for about 10 years. Two leds
>>>>>>> tell
>>>>>>> the state of charge.
>>>>>>> Has both alligator clamps and round terminal ends with a connector
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> charging cable. With the round terminal ends, you can wire your
>>>>>>> car
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> have a hidden connector that is easy to access when the car is
>>>>>>> parked
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>> the garage.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> http://batterytender.com/?gclid=CLHn...Fc9AMgod-EcAyw
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>Second that, even the Junior will do the job on a good battery. Works
>>>>>>even
>>>>>>after you run over it. ;-))
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks "Uncle Vito and Dad".... I didn't hesitate to take your
>>>>>advice and just ordered the Battery Tender Plus. Should have it by
>>>>>late Friday. Thanks again to both of you !!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> UPDATE:
>>>> Started to use it on Sunday and by Monday I could see the storage
>>>> light now on solidly. It appears to work great. I guess I should
>>>> hold back and give it more time but at this point, it appears to work
>>>> just as it's supposed to.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks again to both of you.
>>>
>>>One little detail that I noticed with my battery on the trickle charger
>>>and
>>>it could be a characteristic of all trickle chargers (Battery Tender
>>>Plus)
>>>. After being attached for about 3 years, showing full charge the
>>>entire
>>>time (green light), I found my battery did not start my car. Found the
>>>cells had gone dry. Took it back to the auto store where I bought it to
>>>get credit on a new one. I refilled the cells with distilled water so
>>>that
>>>it looked like I had taken good care of the battery (was a no
>>>maintenance
>>>battery, anyway). They tested the battery at full load and it tested
>>>good.
>>>Took it back home for another 3 years of use, also using the trickle
>>>charger. Finally car would not start, cells were dry, and filling with
>>>water would not recover the batter. New battery then after 6 years.
>>>
>>>Just periodically check the water level. After a long period of time,
>>>it
>>>can drop.
>>>
>>>Vito
>>>
>>
>>
>>Thanks for the tip. I probably should do this now because I haven't
>>checked it in a long time. Now I don't have any excuse to forget.
>>
>>Thanks again Vito....
>
>
> Just checked this vehicle and my other. Both needed some water in the
> battery. I thought it was a coincidence that both battery's end caps
> needed the most water.
Batteries are complex animals. Note the problem Boeing is having. Also
issues with batteries for electric cars. The instantaneous torque in
traction motors can be immense. However, a battery is like a small bomb
when you consider the energy stored. Very difficult to contol all the
reaction modes in a battery.