On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 1:47:28 PM UTC-7, Tim Wescott wrote:> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote: > > > I drive my pick-em-up truck every few months. > > > > So the battery is dead when I go to use it... like today :-( > > > > I'm looking for recommendations for the _best_ (*) float charger I can > > buy to just plug the truck into when it's parked. > > > > (*) Cost no object. > > > > ...Jim Thompson > > Pick a day of the month, and on that day start it up and idle it for five > or ten minutes. > > Problem solved. >What if i can get to the vehicle for weeks or months?
OT: Lead Acid Float Charger
Started by ●March 30, 2016
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 1:27:27 PM UTC-7, Jim Thompson wrote:> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:23:13 -0400, Martin Riddle > > >On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson > > > >The Battery tenders are popular. Not expensive either. > ><http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123>...> > Now all I need is some kind of magnetic power plug that gracefully > disconnects when I drive off >:-} > > ...Jim Thompson > --... The Battery Tender comes with an alternate connector (you can see it in the linked advert) that you hard wire to the battery and leave the connector hanging outside the car (near the headlamp for example) to connect to the transformer. I've never tried it but it would probably self-disconnect if you drove away. I did have a failure on mine after a couple of years but it was easy to fix - the smoothing electrolytic had gone low in value, I just replaced it and it worked again. The design isn't bad - it uses a small AVR microprocessor to measure the voltage and control a PNP pass transistor from the bridge rectifier. No current limit but I presume it uses the transformer impedance to do that. It seems to have a reasonable control algorithm - it will initially charge the battery to about 14.4v terminal voltage then float it at ~13.8v. I don't know if it is temperature compensated but it is protected against battery reversal, short circuit etc and the LED indicates the operation state. kevin
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 15:47:23 -0500, Tim Wescott <tim@seemywebsite.com> wrote:>On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote: > >> I drive my pick-em-up truck every few months. >> >> So the battery is dead when I go to use it... like today :-( >> >> I'm looking for recommendations for the _best_ (*) float charger I can >> buy to just plug the truck into when it's parked. >> >> (*) Cost no object. >> >> ...Jim Thompson > >Pick a day of the month, and on that day start it up and idle it for five >or ten minutes. > >Problem solved.I know, I know, I should drive it to the grocery once a week. One other thing I learned... 15 year-old original equipment tires are _not_ a good thing... they "shed" :-( ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson | mens | | Analog Innovations | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | San Tan Valley, AZ 85142 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | The touchstone of liberalism is intolerance
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On 3/30/2016 4:31 PM, edward.ming.lee@gmail.com wrote:> On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 1:23:21 PM UTC-7, Martin Riddle wrote: >> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson >> <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: >> >>> I drive my pick-em-up truck every few months. >>> >>> So the battery is dead when I go to use it... like today :-( >>> >>> I'm looking for recommendations for the _best_ (*) float charger I can >>> buy to just plug the truck into when it's parked. >>> >>> (*) Cost no object. >>> >>> ...Jim Thompson >> >> The Battery tenders are popular. Not expensive either. >> <http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123> >> >> Lowes has a 1.5 amp Shumacher >> <http://www.lowes.com/pd_595175-41462-XM1-5_1z0x524__?productId=50256403&pl=1&Ntt=charger> >> >> >> They both have good reviews. >> >> Smart chargers are another story. >> >> Cheers > > In my case, no power (no AC charger) and in shaded area (no solar).There's always hand crank generators, lol. -- Rick
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On 3/30/2016 5:07 PM, edward.ming.lee@gmail.com wrote:> On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 1:47:28 PM UTC-7, Tim Wescott wrote: >> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote: >> >>> I drive my pick-em-up truck every few months. >>> >>> So the battery is dead when I go to use it... like today :-( >>> >>> I'm looking for recommendations for the _best_ (*) float charger I can >>> buy to just plug the truck into when it's parked. >>> >>> (*) Cost no object. >>> >>> ...Jim Thompson >> >> Pick a day of the month, and on that day start it up and idle it for five >> or ten minutes. >> >> Problem solved. >> > > What if i can get to the vehicle for weeks or months?Take the battery out and bring it back with you to keep on a charge. The guys who use a trolling motor are always dragging batteries around. -- Rick
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On 3/30/2016 4:27 PM, Jim Thompson wrote:> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:23:13 -0400, Martin Riddle > <martin_rid@verizon.net> wrote: > >> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson >> <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: >> >>> I drive my pick-em-up truck every few months. >>> >>> So the battery is dead when I go to use it... like today :-( >>> >>> I'm looking for recommendations for the _best_ (*) float charger I can >>> buy to just plug the truck into when it's parked. >>> >>> (*) Cost no object. >>> >>> ...Jim Thompson >> >> The Battery tenders are popular. Not expensive either. >> <http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123> >> >> Lowes has a 1.5 amp Shumacher >> <http://www.lowes.com/pd_595175-41462-XM1-5_1z0x524__?productId=50256403&pl=1&Ntt=charger> >> >> >> They both have good reviews. >> >> Smart chargers are another story. >> >> Cheers > > Now all I need is some kind of magnetic power plug that gracefully > disconnects when I drive off >:-}The military uses connectors that release when the cable is snagged so they won't be hung up by their gear. -- Rick
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 2:35:37 PM UTC-7, rickman wrote:> On 3/30/2016 4:31 PM, edward.ming.lee@gmail.com wrote: > > On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 1:23:21 PM UTC-7, Martin Riddle wrote: > >> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson > >> <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: > >> > >>> I drive my pick-em-up truck every few months. > >>> > >>> So the battery is dead when I go to use it... like today :-( > >>> > >>> I'm looking for recommendations for the _best_ (*) float charger I can > >>> buy to just plug the truck into when it's parked. > >>> > >>> (*) Cost no object. > >>> > >>> ...Jim Thompson > >> > >> The Battery tenders are popular. Not expensive either. > >> <http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123> > >> > >> Lowes has a 1.5 amp Shumacher > >> <http://www.lowes.com/pd_595175-41462-XM1-5_1z0x524__?productId=50256403&pl=1&Ntt=charger> > >> > >> > >> They both have good reviews. > >> > >> Smart chargers are another story. > >> > >> Cheers > > > > In my case, no power (no AC charger) and in shaded area (no solar). > > There's always hand crank generators, lol.I'd rather pay for gas, and a micro-controller to start the vehicle for me.
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
"Jim Thompson" <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote in message news:08hofb1g9iq65t5riiktp9tmfcrr9uvinj@4ax.com...> > I know, I know, I should drive it to the grocery once a week. > > One other thing I learned... 15 year-old original equipment tires are > _not_ a good thing... they "shed" :-( >I have read that tires should be ran so often so they get hot and they will last longer as far as the dry rot types of problems. For about 10 years I had an old beater of a truck that I seldom drove. About every 2 weeks I would drive it to work which was about 15 miles each way. Seemed to solve a lot of problems.
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On 2016-03-30 13:27, Jim Thompson wrote:> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:23:13 -0400, Martin Riddle > <martin_rid@verizon.net> wrote: > >> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson >> <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon@On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: >> >>> I drive my pick-em-up truck every few months. >>>Did my taxes and my total mileage on the SUV was 1260 for all of 2015. Well over half of that for business. Plus over 4000mi split about 50/50 between mountain bike and road bike. Some of that also for biz and the IRS allows no standard mileage there. Hurumph!>>> So the battery is dead when I go to use it... like today :-( >>> >>> I'm looking for recommendations for the _best_ (*) float charger I can >>> buy to just plug the truck into when it's parked. >>> >>> (*) Cost no object. >>> >>> ...Jim Thompson >> >> The Battery tenders are popular. Not expensive either. >> <http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123> >>I'll second that. All my friends who are into show cars and restored oldtimers use those.>> Lowes has a 1.5 amp Shumacher >> <http://www.lowes.com/pd_595175-41462-XM1-5_1z0x524__?productId=50256403&pl=1&Ntt=charger> >> >> >> They both have good reviews. >> >> Smart chargers are another story. >> >> Cheers > > Now all I need is some kind of magnetic power plug that gracefully > disconnects when I drive off >:-} >Now, now, you are an old hand at the art of analog and can't design a contactless magnetic link? Just about every rechargeable electric toothbrush has that. The redneck way would probably be a phono jack and a rope :-) -- Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply by ●March 30, 20162016-03-30
On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 14:16:25 -0700 (PDT), kevin93 <kevin@whitedigs.com> wrote:>On Wednesday, March 30, 2016 at 1:27:27 PM UTC-7, Jim Thompson wrote: >> On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 16:23:13 -0400, Martin Riddle >> >> >On Wed, 30 Mar 2016 13:07:21 -0700, Jim Thompson >> > >> >The Battery tenders are popular. Not expensive either. >> ><http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123> >... >> >> Now all I need is some kind of magnetic power plug that gracefully >> disconnects when I drive off >:-} >> >> ...Jim Thompson >> -- >... >The Battery Tender comes with an alternate connector (you can see it in the linked advert) that you hard wire to the battery and leave the connector hanging outside the car (near the headlamp for example) to connect to the transformer. I've never tried it but it would probably self-disconnect if you drove away. > >I did have a failure on mine after a couple of years but it was easy to fix - the smoothing electrolytic had gone low in value, I just replaced it and it worked again. > >The design isn't bad - it uses a small AVR microprocessor to measure the voltage and control a PNP pass transistor from the bridge rectifier. No current limit but I presume it uses the transformer impedance to do that. > >It seems to have a reasonable control algorithm - it will initially charge the battery to about 14.4v terminal voltage then float it at ~13.8v. I don't know if it is temperature compensated but it is protected against battery reversal, short circuit etc and the LED indicates the operation state. > >kevinYep, It has the trailer style connector I mentioned included. I have a 2 pin connector here, it takes about 5 lb of force to pull apart. Cheers
