badwithcomputer
Jeeper
You have DC2's? You just made a new best friend.
Posts: 2,863
|
Post by badwithcomputer on May 8, 2015 12:10:02 GMT -4
Now that's what you call technical.
|
|
Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
|
Post by Creepy on May 8, 2015 14:29:18 GMT -4
Thx for dropping by Brian! Hope all is well.
|
|
|
Post by jeepfever on May 12, 2015 6:10:35 GMT -4
Thanks for that detailed explanation bawgboy. I have a degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from NSIT and I was impressed.
|
|
BawgBoy
Jeeper
"If it can't be fixed with a hammer...you have an electrical problem"
Posts: 441
|
Post by BawgBoy on May 12, 2015 7:21:10 GMT -4
I haven't been active with the club in a few years, kid, work and life got in the way. Hoping to get some tires for the JKU in time to make the jam this year with my son. Figured since I lurk here so much I should try to contribute more
|
|
Enos
Hardcore
Founding Member
Posts: 8,513
|
Post by Enos on May 28, 2015 11:30:21 GMT -4
Well, this thread made me think about my "failed" Optima. Since I currently don't have a battery for the Jeep, I pulled my old red top out of the back of the Commando where it has been sitting for a couple of years. I had deemed it bad after it got drained a couple of times and I couldn't get it to charge (not knowing about AGM chargers) with my old battery charger.
I figured I'd toss it in the ZJ and give her a boost, see how it goes. Checked the battery first and its showing 10v, so on a whim I try the key, cranks over slowly and fires up without a boost. Let her run for a while and shut down, fired right back up and the voltage is increasing in the battery.
It needs a good run to see if it charges fully, but that will have to wait until I replace the only brake line I didn't do last year.
|
|
Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
|
Post by Creepy on May 28, 2015 16:29:33 GMT -4
charge it on the charger, not by driving the rig!!!! Mentioned a few times in the post already. Hopefully will come back if it was at 10V.
|
|
|
Post by C Monster on May 28, 2015 17:12:13 GMT -4
charge it on the charger, not by driving the rig!!!! Mentioned a few times in the post already. Hopefully will come back if it was at 10V. Why not?? That's how I all ways charge my ones. Thats how the battery shop told me how . on fishing boat we have 8 of them. it's the best way to charge them, if you do not have the charger that's build for them
|
|
|
Post by donsjeep on May 28, 2015 17:18:46 GMT -4
I recently bought a new battery ( not an optima) and it needed to be charged first. I asked couldn't we put it in and boost it and let the alternator charge it. Was told ideally no that it should be charged fully on a charger prior to use
Sent from my SGH-I747M using proboards
|
|
|
Post by C Monster on May 28, 2015 17:29:43 GMT -4
I recently bought a new battery ( not an optima) and it needed to be charged first. I asked couldn't we put it in and boost it and let the alternator charge it. Was told ideally no that it should be charged fully on a charger prior to use Sent from my SGH-I747M using proboards They did not charge it for you?? It's was new , they half to charge it full to test it And so warranty will cover it. I'm taking about battery that are down not a 100% at O v's like a new battery wood be at
|
|
Enos
Hardcore
Founding Member
Posts: 8,513
|
Post by Enos on May 28, 2015 20:05:56 GMT -4
charge it on the charger, not by driving the rig!!!! Mentioned a few times in the post already. Hopefully will come back if it was at 10V. My old charger won't charge it, not an AGM charger. I'll buy a new non AGM battery if needed instead of a new charger for an old battery. Sent from my GT-N5110 using proboards
|
|
|
Post by jeepfever on May 28, 2015 22:26:51 GMT -4
If an AGM battery is at 12 volts or better can't you use any charger to "top it up"? I do understand that if your AGM battery is low, like 10 volts, you need a charger capable of AGM charging.
I think we can all agree that should you kill your battery by leaving the lights on that a boost will get you home but if you have the time use a battery charger to properly charge it.
|
|
Enos
Hardcore
Founding Member
Posts: 8,513
|
Post by Enos on May 29, 2015 8:10:57 GMT -4
After the brakes are fixed, the old girl just needs to start a couple of times to get me down to Bear River, where we can determine if its going to be fixed or scrapped, just thought I would share my latest Optima experience. Back to regular batteries for me in the future unless I get a winch again.
|
|
Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
|
Post by Creepy on May 29, 2015 13:57:48 GMT -4
frig guys, you aren't reading the first page and then asking the same questions like rookies. lol Yes, the Optima can be charged without a special charger. Yes, it is best practice to fully charge on a charger and not rely on the alternator.
CMonster - you bring boats into the mix....with different operating parameters and access problems. Do boats run their engines the whole time they are fishing? Or do they 'go to the store' for 10 minutes and shut off? Can you even get at them easy to charge them if they are low voltage? Have to be dockside with an extension cord? I can see why it would be recommended by fishing boat tech guys to just run 'er for the day. Not the same as with a car that will be stopping and starting all day, perhaps consuming the charge it got from a drive in one start cycle.....never getting fully charged, just charged enough.
There isn't really an apparent technical reason why its best to charge an automotive battery with a charger rather than the alternator, but there are a few things to consider. - time to charge while driving - how far you gonna drive and how much fuel you gonna burn to charge your battery? Hours of non-stop driving and gas money....vs plugging into a wall overnight. - you cannot estimate alternator charge time because the output varies with RPM. 120V charger can be timed. - alternator 'wear' vs using the 'proper tool for the job'. Alternator is designed to keep batteries topped off, not run at wide open amp capacity for long periods of time. - driving around as per normal with lots of starting cycles will keep drawing the battery down, perhaps never reaching a fully charged state. With a charger, you are sure.
But those variables are highly dependant on conditions and operator skill. One guy who drives on the highway a lot or is trolling along in a boat for 14 hours is going to give different advice than a housewife making 20 stops with children in the car, in a rainstorm with the headlights and heater and movies playing, charging a laptop, etc, etc.
The guy who thinks his batt is going to be fine after wheeling his rig one weekend a month and winching the shit out of all his buddies, then parking it for another couple of weeks, is probalby going to run into a weak battery and an alternator replacement sooner rather than later. Best practice is to throw that weekender rig's discharged battery on the charger after a heavy winch/wheeling session, or if its your daily driver and you make a lot of short drives and start cycles.
|
|
Enos
Hardcore
Founding Member
Posts: 8,513
|
Post by Enos on May 29, 2015 14:43:33 GMT -4
It may not need a special charger, just my old charger (and I mean old!) won't charge the Optima, works fine on other batteries. Feel free to delete out anything after my comments to avoid further confusion (I'd do it myself, but that would be a conflict of interest ).
|
|
|
Post by C Monster on May 29, 2015 16:39:51 GMT -4
frig guys, you aren't reading the first page and then asking the same questions like rookies. lol Yes, the Optima can be charged without a special charger. Yes, it is best practice to fully charge on a charger and not rely on the alternator. CMonster - you bring boats into the mix....with different operating parameters and access problems. Do boats run their engines the whole time they are fishing? Or do they 'go to the store' for 10 minutes and shut off? Can you even get at them easy to charge them if they are low voltage? Have to be dockside with an extension cord? I can see why it would be recommended by fishing boat tech guys to just run 'er for the day. Not the same as with a car that will be stopping and starting all day, perhaps consuming the charge it got from a drive in one start cycle.....never getting fully charged, just charged enough. There isn't really an apparent technical reason why its best to charge an automotive battery with a charger rather than the alternator, but there are a few things to consider. - time to charge while driving - how far you gonna drive and how much fuel you gonna burn to charge your battery? Hours of non-stop driving and gas money....vs plugging into a wall overnight. - you cannot estimate alternator charge time because the output varies with RPM. 120V charger can be timed. - alternator 'wear' vs using the 'proper tool for the job'. Alternator is designed to keep batteries topped off, not run at wide open amp capacity for long periods of time. - driving around as per normal with lots of starting cycles will keep drawing the battery down, perhaps never reaching a fully charged state. With a charger, you are sure. But those variables are highly dependant on conditions and operator skill. One guy who drives on the highway a lot or is trolling along in a boat for 14 hours is going to give different advice than a housewife making 20 stops with children in the car, in a rainstorm with the headlights and heater and movies playing, charging a laptop, etc, etc. The guy who thinks his batt is going to be fine after wheeling his rig one weekend a month and winching the shit out of all his buddies, then parking it for another couple of weeks, is probalby going to run into a weak battery and an alternator replacement sooner rather than later. Best practice is to throw that weekender rig's discharged battery on the charger after a heavy winch/wheeling session, or if its your daily driver and you make a lot of short drives and start cycles. I c your point on some and not on some but hey the boards have bin very slow and now we talking LOL. so it's all good
|
|