Re: (ET) batteries

["Steve & Sandy Naugler" <snaugler earthlink net>]

Jeff and others,
    A cold battery will have a lower maximum current delivery rate than a
warm one; chemical reactions do slow down as temps drop.  A trick you can
use is to charge your cold but otherwise fully charged batteries 
immediately
before use for 15-60 minutes, depending on temperature.  Maybe its not 
ideal
treatment for the batteries, but it will add energy to the batteries, some
of which be seen as heat.  You'll also know that your batteries are fully
charged.
    If you were just mowing in cold weather, cold batteries are probably
fine, but snow blowing takes much more power, hence needs a higher current.
Cold batteries may not deliver the required current.
    One good thing about unheated storage is that a lead acid battery's 
self
discharge rate is many times lower at temperatures below 40 deg F.  One bad
thing is that below some temperature in the 20s a discharged battery will
freeze and get destroyed.  Sounds like a double edged sword, lower self
discharge rate against potential for freezing.

Steve Naugler

----- Original Message -----
From: <JeffT softlanding com>
Cc: ET discussion list <elec-trak cosmos5 phy tufts edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 1999 4:08 PM
Subject: Re: (ET) batteries


>
> In regard to Pieter's comment below, one of initial uses of my E12 will 
> be
> snowblowing, and i don't have a heated garage to store the ET in. Does
that
> rule out the option below?
>
> I have mentioned  this before, but if you have a golf cart dealer in your
> area, go ask about used  battery sets. My E-12 will mow my 1/2 acre lawn
> several times while  pulling a sweeper behind on a charge. This on used
> batteries I got  (tested) from a golf cart dealer down the road. Cost?
> $60 a SET  (that's six batteries to you non-believers)!! I of course got
> another set  right away for my E-15. <grin> While it isn't as exciting as
> driving  half way to the moon on perferct new batteries, it's a lot
> cheaper, and I think  I got a good deal from my golf cart shop. They also
> took the old dead ones  to recycel for free, tested and charged the
> replacement battery  set.
>
>
>
>