Best battery deals in Canada? Solar chargers drain the battery in the dark?

The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the battery
comes from.

I tried to charge the battery up yesterday (out of the vehicle) and my
battery charger reports that there is a shorted cell in the battery. All
cells are full of fluid.

Any idea if this battery can be saved?

If not, I'll be looking to purchase a new battery for the van. I'm looking
at a deep cycle battery and will be adding a dashboard solar charger to keep
the battery from going flat.

Two questions...

I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain on
the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
make sure this doesn't happen?

Also, I'm curious as to where the best battery deals can be had here in
Calgary, AB, Cananda. Can anyone suggest where they've had the best luck
with batteries, prices and warranties?

Thanks!

In article <m2Mdk.91905$gc5.23257@pd7urf2no>, Calab > wrote:
>The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
>only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
>except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
>have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the battery
>comes from.

Easy enough to figure out with a meter by pulling the radio fuse.

>I tried to charge the battery up yesterday (out of the vehicle) and my
>battery charger reports that there is a shorted cell in the battery. All
>cells are full of fluid.

What's the gravity in each cell? That will tell you if there really is
a shorted cell or not.

>Any idea if this battery can be saved?

Not if it has a shorted cell, no.

>If not, I'll be looking to purchase a new battery for the van. I'm looking
>at a deep cycle battery and will be adding a dashboard solar charger to keep
>the battery from going flat.

Have you considered a real battery tender?

>I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain on
>the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
>make sure this doesn't happen?

No, it has a diode to prevent that.

>Also, I'm curious as to where the best battery deals can be had here in
>Calgary, AB, Cananda. Can anyone suggest where they've had the best luck
>with batteries, prices and warranties?

I would look in the yellow pages for wholesale battery distributors.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
| In article <m2Mdk.91905$gc5.23257@pd7urf2no>, Calab > wrote:
| >The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
| >only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
| >except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
| >have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the
battery
| >comes from.
|
| Easy enough to figure out with a meter by pulling the radio fuse.

Yup... Plan on doing that shortly.

| >I tried to charge the battery up yesterday (out of the vehicle) and my
| >battery charger reports that there is a shorted cell in the battery. All
| >cells are full of fluid.
|
| What's the gravity in each cell? That will tell you if there really is
| a shorted cell or not.

No idea... I don't have a tester for that.

| >Any idea if this battery can be saved?
|
| Not if it has a shorted cell, no.

That's what I figured.

| >If not, I'll be looking to purchase a new battery for the van. I'm
looking
| >at a deep cycle battery and will be adding a dashboard solar charger to
keep
| >the battery from going flat.
|
| Have you considered a real battery tender?

Does it need to be plugged in? I've no outlets where the van is usually
parked.

| >I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain
on
| >the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
| >make sure this doesn't happen?
|
| No, it has a diode to prevent that.

That's what I figured.

| >Also, I'm curious as to where the best battery deals can be had here in
| >Calgary, AB, Cananda. Can anyone suggest where they've had the best luck
| >with batteries, prices and warranties?
|
| I would look in the yellow pages for wholesale battery distributors.

Thanks for the info!

"Calab" > wrote in message
news:m2Mdk.91905$gc5.23257@pd7urf2no...
|
| The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
| only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
| except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
| have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the battery
| comes from.

So, my battery definately has a shorted cell. Time for a new battery.

I know that my van uses a size 75 battery, but I'm having no luck finding a
deep cycle battery that would fit in it's place.

Are deep cycle batteries sized differently? Any ideas what I'd be looking
for to replace the current battery with a deep cycle one? The battery is a
size 75, with between 525 and 720 CCA's.

I've made a few phonecalls to battery dealers and they all sound confused
when I say I want a deep cycle battery.

Calab wrote:
> The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
> only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
> except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
> have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the battery
> comes from.
>
> I tried to charge the battery up yesterday (out of the vehicle) and my
> battery charger reports that there is a shorted cell in the battery. All
> cells are full of fluid.
>
> Any idea if this battery can be saved?
>
> If not, I'll be looking to purchase a new battery for the van. I'm looking
> at a deep cycle battery and will be adding a dashboard solar charger to keep
> the battery from going flat.
>
> Two questions...
>
> I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain on
> the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
> make sure this doesn't happen?
>
> Also, I'm curious as to where the best battery deals can be had here in
> Calgary, AB, Cananda. Can anyone suggest where they've had the best luck
> with batteries, prices and warranties?
>
> Thanks!
>
>
The solar charger won't work backward in the dark, no worries there...

In my opinion, Canadian Tire had the best deal on the batteries. They
have a good warranty that is easily cashed in on anywhere in the country.

They also carry the deep cycle spiral cell batteries with no loose
liquid in them to leak out or go bad.

Canadian Tire also sells the hydrometer battery tester for your cells,
but the charger's report means the battery is toast.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

"Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
...
| In article <m2Mdk.91905$gc5.23257@pd7urf2no>, Calab > wrote:
| >The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
| >only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
| >except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
| >have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the
battery
| >comes from.

| >I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain
on
| >the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
| >make sure this doesn't happen?
|
| No, it has a diode to prevent that.

Almost forgot... Can a solar charger be left connected while using the
vehicle?

On Jul 11, 11:40*am, "Calab" > wrote:
> The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
> only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
> except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
> have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the battery
> comes from.
>
> I tried to charge the battery up yesterday (out of the vehicle) and my
> battery charger reports that there is a shorted cell in the battery. All
> cells are full of fluid.
>
> Any idea if this battery can be saved?
>
> If not, I'll be looking to purchase a new battery for the van. I'm looking
> at a deep cycle battery and will be adding a dashboard solar charger to keep
> the battery from going flat.
>
> Two questions...
>
> I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain on
> the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
> make sure this doesn't happen?
>
> Also, I'm curious as to where the best battery deals can be had here in
> Calgary, AB, Cananda. Can anyone suggest where they've had the best luck
> with batteries, prices and warranties?
>
> Thanks!

Modern solar cells are diodes, and as long as the diode is in good
shape the leakage should be minimal. Some solar chargers have an
additional diode just to make sure, though that diode requires another
cell to overcome its own volage drop.

There will ALWAYS be a slight reverse current, but it should be well
below what the car draws when shut off. In addition to the battery
self-discharge current, there are a lot of things- clocks, etc. that
draw battery power even when ignition switch is off. You just need to
ensure that reverse current through solar charger is significantly
less than those parasitic drains.

Calab wrote:
> "Scott Dorsey" > wrote in message
> ...
> | In article <m2Mdk.91905$gc5.23257@pd7urf2no>, Calab > wrote:
> | >The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
> | >only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
> | >except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
> | >have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the
> battery
> | >comes from.
>
> | >I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain
> on
> | >the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
> | >make sure this doesn't happen?
> |
> | No, it has a diode to prevent that.
>
> Almost forgot... Can a solar charger be left connected while using the
> vehicle?
>
>

You would have to see if the charger was protected for that or not.
Standard battery chargers will fry when you hit the starter, the solar
one would depend on who and how it was made.

In other words, read the manual....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

| In other words, read the manual....

Awww... That's no fun!

: )

Thanks... Going to be out today looking them over.

On Jul 11, 12:40*pm, "Calab" > wrote:
> The battery in my van is having issues. The van is actually put into use
> only about a dozen times a year. It's a 1986 Chevy G10 van. No options
> except an overdrive transmission - not even a cigarette lighter. It does
> have an aftermarked radio, which is where I think any drain on the battery
> comes from.
>
> I tried to charge the battery up yesterday (out of the vehicle) and my
> battery charger reports that there is a shorted cell in the battery. All
> cells are full of fluid.
>
> Any idea if this battery can be saved?
>
> If not, I'll be looking to purchase a new battery for the van. I'm looking
> at a deep cycle battery and will be adding a dashboard solar charger to keep
> the battery from going flat.
>
> Two questions...
>
> I've been told that a solar battery charger will actually cause a drain on
> the battery when it's in the dark. Is this true? Can anything be done to
> make sure this doesn't happen?
>
> Also, I'm curious as to where the best battery deals can be had here in
> Calgary, AB, Cananda. Can anyone suggest where they've had the best luck
> with batteries, prices and warranties?
>
> Thanks!

my experience with a smallish dashboard solar charger (12 or 18 inches
long?) is that it worked in the summer, but in the winter couldn't
provide enough juice to keep the battery from dying over a few weeks.
This was somewhat south of calgary, so I'd imagine your situation
would be even more so.

haven't repeated the experiment with a bigger solar charger.