Battery care

[expeatfarmer 591]

When you have a number of machines with batteries that are not used very often, how do people look after them ?

[Stormin 4,458]

I put mine on charge now and then. I have thought of getting one of those solar panels that are used by caravaners, and putting it on the workshop roof. Where you are high on the fell side a small 12v wind turbine might be an idea.

[slf-uk 914]

I often forget to keep the batteries charged and end up with more dead batteries than I would like.

 

Someone I know has had good results with intelligent chargers but good ones are not cheap. I did wonder if you can get one that services a number of batteries and then it would just be a case of installing a low voltage power circuit.

 

Iain

[Chris 642]

I disconnect them when not in use as will drain down over time if you have a small short in your wiring system

[Triumph66 1,256]

I do the same Chris on my Bolens and when I had more than one Classic car.

[Wristpin 400]

13 hours ago, expeatfarmer said:

When you have a number of machines with batteries that are not used very often, how do people look after them ?

Line 'em up on a well ventilated shelf, and hook each to a "maintenance" charger once a month. keeping them charged protects against sulphation and frost.

I have my stand-by generator permanently hooked to a C-tek charger .

[expeatfarmer 591]

A multi battery smart charger would be a good thing I wonder if they exist ? I thought about running a couple of 12volt bare wires along the garage wall that I could just hook up each machine to.

[Rocboni 257]

1 hour ago, expeatfarmer said:

A multi battery smart charger would be a good thing I wonder if they exist ? I thought about running a couple of 12volt bare wires along the garage wall that I could just hook up each machine to.

They do exist, I have seen one which had lots of sets of croc clips, I think it trickle charged them to keep them topped up, can't remember the name of it now, think it was specifically for garage situations.

[Rocboni 257]

5 minutes ago, Rocboni said:

They do exist, I have seen one which had lots of sets of croc clips, I think it trickle charged them to keep them topped up, can't remember the name of it now, think it was specifically for garage situations.

 

Found a 4 battery one https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-G4-Battery-Charger-Maintainer/dp/B0068EV26I not cheap though. It's not the one I was thinking of, I'm sure it had 10 sets.

[Wristpin 400]

8 hours ago, Rocboni said:

 

Found a 4 battery one https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-G4-Battery-Charger-Maintainer/dp/B0068EV26I not cheap though. It's not the one I was thinking of, I'm sure it had 10 sets.

The thought of a ten set one takes me back to the late '40s when "wireless" sets had rechargeable accumulators which would be taken to the local garage or bike shop for recharging at an old penny or two a time. There would be a row of them all hooked together gently bubbling away.

For those of tender years, an accumulator was a rechargeable wet battery , usually glass with a carrying handle. My knowledge of  "Portable" as opposed to mains Wireless sets of the era is a bit sketchy but they would have been valve sets (no transistors) and often had an accumulator to run one section (grid bias??) and a dry battery to  run the less demanding section.

[expeatfarmer 591]

That looks like a useful piece of kit but as you say not cheap. Clever that it can manage 6Volt and 12 at the same time. Bit late for Father Christmas. The other thought I had was same as Stormin, a small wind turbine charger.

[Rocboni 257]

You would be cheaper buying 4 of the standard ones! Probably more flexible too.

 

or a few of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-V-Volt-Intelligent-Smart-Electronic-Battery-Charger-Car-Van-Motorbike-MP7402-/311752491484

 

I knew someone wirth a kubota that got used occasionally at a stables, he had a 12v solar panel on the roof of the container which he kept rigged up to keep it charges, if you do this you must use a controller regulator as at night the panel can drain the battery.

Edited December 19, 2016 by Rocboni

[DougC 63]

I am a cheapskate and just start all mine and let them run for about 15 min. once every other week..... 

Keeps the carb and fuel pump gassed as well.