Re: (ET) battery drainage question

["Hazen, Dwight L" <hazen indiana edu>]

More Sermons. :-)

  Any Battery that has fluid leaking from the case for any reason should 
be inspected immediately to protect the tractor and what ever is under the 
tractor. Battery cases should be free from dirt and liquids. Do not over 
fill or over charge. Older lead acid batteries are more prone to fluid 
loss under charge probably due to less amp hour capacity, they charge up 
faster and will boil out quicker.

Remove, clean, paint, replace as needed.

 Sorry this is the price of ownership.

  Dwight

http://wb9tlh.smugmug.com/gallery/863089_DMbQ2#38901898_rkg8w



-----Original Message-----
From: elec-trak-bounces cosmos phy tufts edu [mailto:elec-trak-bounces 
cosmos phy tufts edu] On Behalf Of David Roden
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 11:50 AM
To: elec-trak cosmos phy tufts edu
Subject: Re: (ET) battery drainage question

Uh-oh, here comes the sermon. ;-)

I've said before on this list that I think battery maintainers do more harm
than good, and this is an example.  A regulated, temperature-compensated
float charger is better for this purpose than the Landis controller, IMO,
but it will still cause some water loss and grid corrosion.

If you're not checking a flooded battery regularly, you shouldn't leave it
connected to a charger.  And if you're checking regularly, it there's no
need to leave it connected, because you can charge it when it really needs
it.

That's less frequently than you think, certainly not daily or weekly.
Unlike an automobile, nothing on an ET draws current when the main switch 
is
off.  Self discharge is not that huge, perhaps 5-10% per month for flooded
golf car batteries.  I've used some that had much less than that; it 
depends
on how much antimony they use in the grids.

How much harm will that cause?  Well, let me ask you, how long do you
suppose that battery sat on the shelf at the manufacturer, warehouse, and
dealer before you bought it? Yes, it's best to use a battery regularly, and
charge it fully, but leaving it idle is not as bad as some people believe.

Keep your batteries clean, cool, and dry, and they can sit for a month or
two without serious loss of charge.  Check them with a hydrometer monthly.
When (if) it says they're at 75-80% SOC or so, just turn on the charger for
a few hours.


David Roden - Akron, Ohio, USA

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