jonbeedle
|
| posted on 21/11/05 at 07:01 PM |
|
|
Optimate
I want to keep my battery's charge topped up over winter. I was looking at the Optimate 3 but they're only suitable for up to 25ah. Mine
is 38ah.
What have you guys used?
Cheers
Jon
"Everyone is entitled to an opinion however stupid!"
|
|
|
|
|
jonbeedle
|
| posted on 21/11/05 at 07:05 PM |
|
|
Just seen on the Optimate website that the Optimate 3 will maintain a battery of up to 65ah and charge a battery of up to 28ah, which would be ok as I
have a normal charger already. I still would like your comments please.
Cheers
Jon
"Everyone is entitled to an opinion however stupid!"
|
|
|
stevebubs
|
| posted on 21/11/05 at 07:07 PM |
|
|
an accumate should do the job
|
|
|
andyd
|
| posted on 21/11/05 at 07:20 PM |
|
|
I've used an Optimate for that last 7 years for my CBR600 and it's only ever been a problem when I forgot to plug the battery in! 
I've done that twice now meaning I'm on my third battery but other than human error the Optimate has never failed to keep the battery in
top condition throughout the winter. Also I've not used my bike since last November (the tax disc is sitting here in front of me as it never
made it onto the bike) but the battery still turns the bike over easily. Best £30-40 I've ever spent on bike related stuff.
Never tried it on car batts but I'm sure it'd be fine keeping one topped up.
Andy
|
|
|
RazMan
|
| posted on 21/11/05 at 08:53 PM |
|
|
The Optimate should be ideal for the job, in fact it will probably keep even larger batteries trickle charged indefinitely. As you probably know, lead
acid batteries die very quickly if left in a discharged state. I found this out to my cost while waiting for various cars to be sold in the past.
Their batteries were fine until they were left unused for a few weeks waiting for the buyers to pick them up - then both died on me! Sods law came
into play too - each of the batteries were over £100 
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
|
|
|
02GF74
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 04:12 PM |
|
|
by weird coincidence this came up on another forum.
someone wrote that lead acid batteries do not like being trickle charged. also they do not self discharge so a cheaper solution is to just disconnect
the battery leads if you car/bike is not used for long periods.
|
|
|
David Jenkins
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 04:14 PM |
|
|
I believe that they do self-discharge, hence the need for a smart charger.
I'll see if I can find the reference...
DJ
|
|
|
RazMan
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 04:20 PM |
|
|
Mine certainly did! The only current drain would have been the alarm / immobilisor and dash clock. They both went flat over a period of a couple of
months but maybe they were just knackered to start with.
[Edited on 22-11-05 by RazMan]
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
|
|
|
jonbeedle
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 06:06 PM |
|
|
I think I'm going to go for an Accumate. Seems to do all that I need. Anyone else using one?
Cheers
Jon
"Everyone is entitled to an opinion however stupid!"
|
|
|
wilkingj
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 07:26 PM |
|
|
All batteries discharge. There will be Losses and discharging, albeit very small.... But it does happen. Its a question of how much and how long...
usually not much and a long time 
As for Float charging Lead acid batteries. BT has been doing that for 100 years. Even as an apprentice (36 years ago) I had to fill up the cells in
the Exchange in the town when I did my stint with the power team. Imagine topping up 48 (2 batteries of 50Volts each) cells. Each Cell was 1.2 x 1.2
x 0.8 Metres in size. The filler was a 1" firehose reel on the wall!.
Each cell was open top, and a Wooden Box Lined with Lead.
Each Plate was suspended in the Acid, and separated by vertical glass rods.
Each Plate in the cell could be unbolted and changed individually if damaged / worn out.
These batteries were expected to last for 15 to 20 years.
H&SE wouldnt allow open top batteries and Sulphuric Acid sloshing about these days... You just didnt prat about in the battery room or Smoke!
They were charged by a large 3 phase motor running a Dynamo (NOT alternator) and the standing current was in the region of 2000 amps average.!! (at
50 Volts DC)
I used to have a photo, of a chap topping up a single cell in Liverpool Manual Exchange in about 1920. The bloke was up a ladder, with a 3" Fire
hose !! The cell was 5 Metres HIGH thats 15 feet!
Sorry for rambling on!!.
As for floating smaller batteries, it can be done, BUT you need good controls or you can "boil" the battery and buckle the plates.
The key is in the control dependant upon any load being drawn. In the case of a car battery, its negligble current.
hence a good charger with decent current control is not usually cheap.
Your average £10 battery charger is nothign more than a transfomer (240V > 12V) and a rectifier bridge to change it to DC. and usually has NO
current control at all.
If you want to trickle / float charge, get a charger that has the proper electronics in it or you might as well just buy a new battery each
season!
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
|
|
|
RazMan
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 09:11 PM |
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by wilkingj
Even as an apprentice (36 years ago) I had to fill up the cells in the Exchange in the town when I did my stint with the power team.
Greetings from a fellow Technician IIA Apprentice [Holborn Exchange maintenance 1971-74]
sorry ..... couldn't resist!
Cheers,
Raz
When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box
|
|
|
caber
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 09:34 PM |
|
|
I have a Halfrauds boost / trickle charger for the deep cycle battery in my carawagon it cost about £29 a year or so ago. Failing to keep charged
killed off my previous deep cycle battery just at the end of its guarantee
caber
|
|
|
jonbeedle
|
| posted on 22/11/05 at 09:59 PM |
|
|
Back to the plot...is anyone else using an Accumate?
"Everyone is entitled to an opinion however stupid!"
|
|
|
