webuild4u
Member
Anyone keep a 24 volt battery maintainer on their unit? I just purchased one for $50.00. Nothing special but why not maintain the battery? Short money to extend the battery life, especially in the cold months. Your thoughts?
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24 volt battery Maintainer
- Thread starter webuild4u
- Start date
mitch504
Senior Member
I use 2 12-volt solar battery maintainers on my 24v Cat trackhoe, one on each battery.
My philosophy is that if a battery dies over the winter, then it didn't want to live anyway. Look up the self discharge vs temperature and you'll see that a battery that's charged up will easily survive the winter. Charge it up again before trying to start and once in between if you feel like it.
That assumes you disconnect a cable, have a disconnect switch, or no clocks/radios/computers draining power and an alternator that doesn't leak.
That assumes you disconnect a cable, have a disconnect switch, or no clocks/radios/computers draining power and an alternator that doesn't leak.
webuild4u
Member
Delmer
We are electrical contractors so we understand batteries. The theory is to extend the life.
We are electrical contractors so we understand batteries. The theory is to extend the life.
webuild4u
Member
Mitch I am assuming you have the two separated. I thought of doing that because of cost but then thought of disconnect & re-connect 2 batt's if I want to use the machine. I may do something more permanent in the future with two solar panels mounted inside so there safe.
used 2 12 volt ones also and it may or may not have worked. To me it seemed to work ok, especial if its only 50 bucks why not try and see for your self. Also use one on my pickup, when its plugged in for the block heater I have the trickle charger for batteries on the same connector. When I did it I had 6 year old batteries and were dying all the time. that year in the in the winter I installed it and got another 2 years out of them.
oceanobob
Senior Member
Keeping a smart charger running on the battery 100% of the time when it is not in use seems like the best idea I can come up with by observing life of 24v scissor lift batteries. In my experience, a smart charger provides a charge, then when full provides a small trickle, and allows no sulphation. Will do an equalization charge as well. Contrivance is fully automatic, all you do is keep it powered up.
The other scheme is a pulse which tries to prevent sulphation when there is no need for charging or, if you dont mind a little bleed down, then a self powered de-sulphanator.
Pulling the battery and bringing it into the shop for trickle charge continuously and/or pulse de-sulphation is another idea "when you cant plug in the machine".
I once subscribed to the 'if it cant sit there for a while and be ready when I want it, then I need to replace the battery anyway' and it seemed I was always buying batteries. Date them, keep em trickle charged and or desulphated, then around 4 or 5 years think about swapping for new. 7 years can work, but I figure the battery voltage when cranking is likely pretty low. Point being: Cranking an engine with a low battery and the machine somehow starts with the thinking 'my lucky day' is not in keeping with long battery life goals.
The other scheme is a pulse which tries to prevent sulphation when there is no need for charging or, if you dont mind a little bleed down, then a self powered de-sulphanator.
Pulling the battery and bringing it into the shop for trickle charge continuously and/or pulse de-sulphation is another idea "when you cant plug in the machine".
I once subscribed to the 'if it cant sit there for a while and be ready when I want it, then I need to replace the battery anyway' and it seemed I was always buying batteries. Date them, keep em trickle charged and or desulphated, then around 4 or 5 years think about swapping for new. 7 years can work, but I figure the battery voltage when cranking is likely pretty low. Point being: Cranking an engine with a low battery and the machine somehow starts with the thinking 'my lucky day' is not in keeping with long battery life goals.