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Help to Maintain a raely used Automobile Battery?

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  • Help to Maintain a raely used Automobile Battery?

    Hi all,
    I just bought a new 124R-G Eveready battery to replace a 6.5 years old Tropical battery in my 20 years old Toyota Tacoma which only drove 40 thousand miles so far. This pickup is rarely drive. I want to know since this battery is a FLA starting and light battery. how long should I put it to charge at around 2 amps for every week to maintain it SOC? How quick this battery self discharge unused?

    Thank you in advance.

  • #2
    VW uses windshield solar panels to plug into the car to keep the batteries topped off during shipping. Look for some on ebay.

    Or any 2-7w dashboard PV panel maintainer would work.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount (2) | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister

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    • #3
      Agree with Mike. Just get the battery fully charged up then a 5 to 10 watt panel is all that is required to keep it charged up. If in long term storage disconnect the vehicle electrical system.

      FLA batteris on average self discharge around 10%/month.
      MSEE, PE

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      • #4
        Thank you guys. the only problem is the pickup is parked in an enclosed garage, no solar exposure, I plan to use the 120volt to 13.8 volt 3 amps DC power supply to charge it on a timer. I just need to know how long should I program it to charge every week or every other day. It should charge 1 to 2 amps when the battery is full.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
          Thank you guys. the only problem is the pickup is parked in an enclosed garage, no solar exposure, I plan to use the 120volt to 13.8 volt 3 amps DC power supply to charge it on a timer. I just need to know how long should I program it to charge every week or every other day. It should charge 1 to 2 amps when the battery is full.
          If it is a float charger never turn it off. Otherwise once every two weeks.
          MSEE, PE

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          • #6
            It is not float charger, charge 1 hour every week a around 1 to 2 amps? Thanks.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
              It is not float charger, charge 1 hour every week a around 1 to 2 amps? Thanks.
              The other problem with solar chargers, is they aren't big enough to keep up with
              any small load, like a clock. I tried pulling the clock fuse on my 81, but the charger
              turned out to be plugged into the same fuse.

              I see float chargers on Horrible Fright for $5, have been using them for a decade
              with good results. Just don't let them get unplugged, or they will run down the
              battery. Bruce Roe

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              • #8
                Originally posted by paulcheung View Post
                Thank you guys. the only problem is the pickup is parked in an enclosed garage, no solar exposure, I plan to use the 120volt to 13.8 volt 3 amps DC power supply to charge it on a timer. I just need to know how long should I program it to charge every week or every other day. It should charge 1 to 2 amps when the battery is full.
                Just know that most power supplies are not intended to be battery chargers. Some may outright fail immediately, or soon enough since they are not designed to operate into a battery - which presents a very low impedance load. In essence, it may look like a near-short. If it has protective circuitry, it may just trip. Or, if it is a poor design, trips and blows the protective circuits, and you are now putting a much higher unregulated voltage into it - again if it doesn't just fail outright.

                My suggestion is to pick up a Tecmate-Optimate 5 or 6 model charger, and be done with it, knowing that the job will be done right 24/7.

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