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battery maintenance qs for sages
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Author:  paladin [ Sat Sep 08, 2001 2:44 pm ]
Post subject:  battery maintenance qs for sages

hello again sages- need some info from those with special knowledge of batteries. most of the 60s 70s a and f bodies i have had use the 12 voltseries 24 storage battery. from time to time i store used batteries from cars that come and go.i notice that a battery which was used but in excellent condition and accepting of a charge when i took it out of acar will be dead and will not accept a charge from a plug in(110 volt) battery charger, if the battery sat on a shelf in my garage for more than 6 mos. what i figure is happening is that the build up of dielectric materials on the plates which all batteries in regular use aquire is either solidifying to where it cannot be reduced by regular use and charging or the material is falling to the bottom of the case and in effect killing a cell or two by shorting the plates.is my analysis correct? is there any way to avoid this? i dont think leaving astored battery on a trickle charger for months is a safe thing to do.i would appreciate some sage advice and an explanation on this. i have had to turn in many batteries which were good when i took them out of the car and shelf stored them, because they wouldnt accept a trickle or fast charge when returned to service. best regards.
<A HREF="mailto:callpaladin@aol.com">callpaladin@aol.com</A>

callpaladin@aol.com

Author:  DusterIdiot [ Sat Sep 08, 2001 3:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: battery maintenance qs for sages

I used to have this problem a lot after Demo derby Season. Usually I'd have 4 1000 Amp Batteries lying around for a year then find them dead. I even tryed storing them on boards for a while.

i was told by a local shop to store them in approved battery boxes, check the fluid every so often, and even leave them plugged into a "float charger for the year".
Float chargers charge less than trickle chargers, but only activate if the battery shows less than normal charge then deactivates when the charging is done. They usually cost around $10-15.

I was also told that leaving the battery on a cold surface caused the acid/water mix to "stratify" and thus causing less chance to charge or make voltage. Along the same lines the battery when put on any surface will slowly discharge to ground from any moisture in the air and any dust on the battery cases...
(sometimes you'll see a thin film of acid/electrolytic salt going from the terminals dripping down the side of the battery...that'll also drain an idle battery pretty fast..)

-D.Idiot


res0aus2@verizon.net

Author:  Doc [ Mon Sep 10, 2001 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: battery maintenance qs for sages

Quote:
: hello again sages- need some info from those
: with special knowledge of batteries. most of
: the 60s 70s a and f bodies i have had use
: the 12 voltseries 24 storage battery. from
: time to time i store used batteries from
: cars that come and go.i notice that a
: battery which was used but in excellent
: condition and accepting of a charge when i
: took it out of acar will be dead and will
: not accept a charge from a plug in(110 volt)
: battery charger, if the battery sat on a
: shelf in my garage for more than 6 mos. what
: i figure is happening is that the build up
: of dielectric materials on the plates which
: all batteries in regular use aquire is
: either solidifying to where it cannot be
: reduced by regular use and charging or the
: material is falling to the bottom of the
: case and in effect killing a cell or two by
: shorting the plates.is my analysis correct?
: is there any way to avoid this? i dont think
: leaving astored battery on a trickle charger
: for months is a safe thing to do.i would
: appreciate some sage advice and an
: explanation on this. i have had to turn in
: many batteries which were good when i took
: them out of the car and shelf stored them,
: because they wouldnt accept a trickle or
: fast charge when returned to service. best
: regards.


The best way to store a battery "long-term" is to empty it, (drain the electrolite) then flush it with distilled water. When you want to put the unit back into service, refill with new electorlite and recharge.

As for a ready to use "back-up" battery, try to run it, or at least put it on a charger every week or two. I only keep a battery in the cars I use daily and have one "floater" battery which I use to start the "other cars" as needed.
DD

Author:  Chuck Rivers [ Tue Sep 11, 2001 10:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: battery maintenance qs for sages

Quote:
: hello again sages- need some info from those
: with special knowledge of batteries. most of
: the 60s 70s a and f bodies i have had use
: the 12 voltseries 24 storage battery. from
: time to time i store used batteries from
: cars that come and go.i notice that a
: battery which was used but in excellent
: condition and accepting of a charge when i
: took it out of acar will be dead and will
: not accept a charge from a plug in(110 volt)
: battery charger, if the battery sat on a
: shelf in my garage for more than 6 mos. what
: i figure is happening is that the build up
: of dielectric materials on the plates which
: all batteries in regular use aquire is
: either solidifying to where it cannot be
: reduced by regular use and charging or the
: material is falling to the bottom of the
: case and in effect killing a cell or two by
: shorting the plates.is my analysis correct?
: is there any way to avoid this? i dont think
: leaving astored battery on a trickle charger
: for months is a safe thing to do.i would
: appreciate some sage advice and an
: explanation on this. i have had to turn in
: many batteries which were good when i took
: them out of the car and shelf stored them,
: because they wouldnt accept a trickle or
: fast charge when returned to service. best
: regards.
: <A HREF="mailto:callpaladin@aol.com">callpaladin@aol.com</A>


Lead acid batteries are self-discharging, so if you do nothing, they will destroy themselves. As mentioned in another response, short of emptying the electrolyte, you have to use a special charger to keep them "topped off" during periods of unuse. I usually swap them into another car after a few weeks and just "rotate" them.

Chuck


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