Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
My '74 911 got a new Optima battery in Mar 99 shortly after I bought it. From day 1 I kept a Battery Tender like this one (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Battery-Tender-12V-Maintainer-Trickle-Charger-12-Volt-Junior-021-0123-/321746137390?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0hash=item4ae990712e) that I bought on ebay for around $40 delivered (the one above is $25). That battery lasted 13 years 7 i could have used it longer but I feared getting left somewhere if the battery died and kept me from getting home. Before this, I had never seen a 12V Batttery last more than 6 years so I was very impressed by the performance! BTW, the Battery Tender brand is very robust and well made. YMMV - LarryT 91 300D On 5/11/2015 11:59 PM, Craig via Mercedes wrote: Does anyone have experience with the battery maintainers which are supposed to keep a battery in good condition during prolonged storage? I was using a small one I got from my father's estate to keep the battery for the '94 E320 charged, but when Kaleb came to get the car, we found the battery was dead. I don't know if he ever resurrected it. I got a flyer from NAPA and they have a number of larger, more expensive chargers/maintainers, which, hopefully, might do a better job. But I want to investigate before I plunk down my cash. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
ATTABOY on the write-up/instructions/procedures, Grant. Wilton - Original Message - From: G Mann via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Cc: G Mann g2ma...@gmail.com Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 1:14 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers As owner of quite a number of vehicles [currently 17], I've become something of a skilled person in the art of keeping the seldom driven vehicle operational. 1. Invest in a battery disconnect switch. Harbor Freight sells one that costs about $7. Put it in the ground cable and when you park the vehicle, disconnect the ground, thus isolating the battery from any current draw the vehicle may have. Since you put it in the ground circuit, it makes location of the switch easier also, no hot lead to deal with. All required to fit the switch is usually a short ground strap with a lug on each end.. normal ground cable end is mounted on one lug of the switch, the new cable to the other, the loose end mounted at the newly vacated ground mount point. All connections to batteries need to be Clean, Bright, and Tight [good protocol]. 2. I use the small solar panels to provide 1.5 amp charging current to the now isolated battery. A good battery [presume you aren't storing a bad battery, right?] will self discharge at the rate of about .06 volts per month, starting with a good 12.40 volt fully charged battery. The small solar panel, mounted in a south facing window, will charge enough to make up that normal loss. Even on cloudy days, you will get solar energy. Not as much, but it will average out.. the panel you get should have overcharge circuitry built in.. it cost a bit more.. but still less than a new battery. Check and make sure you have proper fluid level in the battery to start with. 3. A good solar panel will come with quick disconnect pigtails that attach directly to the battery clamps. So, when you use the vehicle, you will unplug the solar panel, turn the ground disconnect switch to connect and execute the stored start checklist for the vehicle.. [ie. prime fuel, etc etc..] When you return from the weekend cruise, turn battery disconnect to off, plug in solar panel, put the car back up on stands.. etc etc.. I chose the solar panel units because the sun always shines [well almost always] even when the power grid may be down, plus.. I don't like leaving electrical devices unattended, and they fail in unexpected ways. Your personal mileage may vary. Grant... On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 1:50 AM, Rick Knoble via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: Craig asks: Does anyone have experience with the battery maintainers which are supposed to keep a battery in good condition during prolonged storage? The Battery Tender line of products is good. Not cheap though. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dapsfield-keywords=Battery+Tender Rick Sent from my BlackBerry Z10 ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
ATTABOY on being a foster Dad to 17 vehicles that might otherwise be sent to the crusher. On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 1:43 PM, WILTON via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: ATTABOY on the write-up/instructions/procedures, Grant. Wilton - Original Message - From: G Mann via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Cc: G Mann g2ma...@gmail.com Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2015 1:14 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers As owner of quite a number of vehicles [currently 17], I've become something of a skilled person in the art of keeping the seldom driven vehicle operational. 1. Invest in a battery disconnect switch. Harbor Freight sells one that costs about $7. Put it in the ground cable and when you park the vehicle, disconnect the ground, thus isolating the battery from any current draw the vehicle may have. Since you put it in the ground circuit, it makes location of the switch easier also, no hot lead to deal with. All required to fit the switch is usually a short ground strap with a lug on each end.. normal ground cable end is mounted on one lug of the switch, the new cable to the other, the loose end mounted at the newly vacated ground mount point. All connections to batteries need to be Clean, Bright, and Tight [good protocol]. 2. I use the small solar panels to provide 1.5 amp charging current to the now isolated battery. A good battery [presume you aren't storing a bad battery, right?] will self discharge at the rate of about .06 volts per month, starting with a good 12.40 volt fully charged battery. The small solar panel, mounted in a south facing window, will charge enough to make up that normal loss. Even on cloudy days, you will get solar energy. Not as much, but it will average out.. the panel you get should have overcharge circuitry built in.. it cost a bit more.. but still less than a new battery. Check and make sure you have proper fluid level in the battery to start with. 3. A good solar panel will come with quick disconnect pigtails that attach directly to the battery clamps. So, when you use the vehicle, you will unplug the solar panel, turn the ground disconnect switch to connect and execute the stored start checklist for the vehicle.. [ie. prime fuel, etc etc..] When you return from the weekend cruise, turn battery disconnect to off, plug in solar panel, put the car back up on stands.. etc etc.. I chose the solar panel units because the sun always shines [well almost always] even when the power grid may be down, plus.. I don't like leaving electrical devices unattended, and they fail in unexpected ways. Your personal mileage may vary. Grant... On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 1:50 AM, Rick Knoble via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: Craig asks: Does anyone have experience with the battery maintainers which are supposed to keep a battery in good condition during prolonged storage? The Battery Tender line of products is good. Not cheap though. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dapsfield-keywords=Battery+Tender Rick Sent from my BlackBerry Z10 ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
The Battery Minder line was recommended by Aviation Consumer magazine a couple of years ago to keep these expensive aircraft lead acid batteries in shape for those who don't fly often. I have the model 12112 that I use when I know the plane won't be flown for more than three weeks. there are bigger, newer models, but this one seems to do fine. This seems to be the current model: http://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDer-Model-1510-Maintenance-Desulfator/dp/B00Q3CM2QY/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8qid=1431465098sr=8-2-fkmr1 I also use the cheap HF float chargers on other batteries, like the lawn mower and the old extra MB Diesel battery that I kept somehow. I use it to operate a 12v. winch now - pull the plane in the hangar when I'm tired, or last use was to load/unload an old (1901) up-right piano on the F150. I have a couple of solar chargers that we use when a car will be parked in the sun for awhile. On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 3:50 AM, Rick Knoble via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: Craig asks: Does anyone have experience with the battery maintainers which are supposed to keep a battery in good condition during prolonged storage? The Battery Tender line of products is good. Not cheap though. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dapsfield-keywords=Battery+Tender Rick -- OK Don NSA: The only branch of government that actually listens to US citizens! *“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.”* – Mark Twain There are three kinds of men: The ones that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. WILL ROGERS, *The Manly Wisdom of Will Rogers* 2013 F150, 18 mpg 2012 Passat TDI DSG, 44 mpg 1957 C182A, 12 mpg - but at 150 mph! ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
As owner of quite a number of vehicles [currently 17], I've become something of a skilled person in the art of keeping the seldom driven vehicle operational. 1. Invest in a battery disconnect switch. Harbor Freight sells one that costs about $7. Put it in the ground cable and when you park the vehicle, disconnect the ground, thus isolating the battery from any current draw the vehicle may have. Since you put it in the ground circuit, it makes location of the switch easier also, no hot lead to deal with. All required to fit the switch is usually a short ground strap with a lug on each end.. normal ground cable end is mounted on one lug of the switch, the new cable to the other, the loose end mounted at the newly vacated ground mount point. All connections to batteries need to be Clean, Bright, and Tight [good protocol]. 2. I use the small solar panels to provide 1.5 amp charging current to the now isolated battery. A good battery [presume you aren't storing a bad battery, right?] will self discharge at the rate of about .06 volts per month, starting with a good 12.40 volt fully charged battery. The small solar panel, mounted in a south facing window, will charge enough to make up that normal loss. Even on cloudy days, you will get solar energy. Not as much, but it will average out.. the panel you get should have overcharge circuitry built in.. it cost a bit more.. but still less than a new battery. Check and make sure you have proper fluid level in the battery to start with. 3. A good solar panel will come with quick disconnect pigtails that attach directly to the battery clamps. So, when you use the vehicle, you will unplug the solar panel, turn the ground disconnect switch to connect and execute the stored start checklist for the vehicle.. [ie. prime fuel, etc etc..] When you return from the weekend cruise, turn battery disconnect to off, plug in solar panel, put the car back up on stands.. etc etc.. I chose the solar panel units because the sun always shines [well almost always] even when the power grid may be down, plus.. I don't like leaving electrical devices unattended, and they fail in unexpected ways. Your personal mileage may vary. Grant... On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 1:50 AM, Rick Knoble via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: Craig asks: Does anyone have experience with the battery maintainers which are supposed to keep a battery in good condition during prolonged storage? The Battery Tender line of products is good. Not cheap though. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dapsfield-keywords=Battery+Tender Rick Sent from my BlackBerry Z10 ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
The $6 ones from Harbor Freight always worked for me, assuming the battery started out fully charged and the maintainer hadn't died. Gotta check the LEDs every once in a while to make sure it's working. ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
Well, it came with the airplane, and hasn't damaged the battery yet . . . I do remember reading something like that, now that you shared it. Must be why I don't use it on anything else :-) On Tue, May 12, 2015 at 5:02 PM, Craig via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: Since your model is an old one, I cannot find if it is an aviation type or not. Craig -- OK Don NSA: The only branch of government that actually listens to US citizens! *“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.”* – Mark Twain There are three kinds of men: The ones that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. WILL ROGERS, *The Manly Wisdom of Will Rogers* 2013 F150, 18 mpg 2012 Passat TDI DSG, 44 mpg 1957 C182A, 12 mpg - but at 150 mph! ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
On Tue, 12 May 2015 16:13:44 -0500 OK Don via Mercedes mercedes@okiebenz.com wrote: The Battery Minder line was recommended by Aviation Consumer magazine a couple of years ago to keep these expensive aircraft lead acid batteries in shape for those who don't fly often. I have the model 12112 that I use when I know the plane won't be flown for more than three weeks. there are bigger, newer models, but this one seems to do fine. This seems to be the current model: http://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDer-Model-1510-Maintenance-Desulfator/dp/B00Q3CM2QY/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8qid=1431465098sr=8-2-fkmr1 I was looking on their website last night and ran across http://www.batteryminders.com/aircraft-battery-chargers, which says, - An aviation-specific battery is different than auto or marine types. To maximize the cranking amps and reserve capacity, while trying to minimize weight and size, aviation battery manufacturers use a higher specific gravity (SG) electrolyte in their aviation batteries. This hotter mix (more H2SO4 [sulfuric acid], less H2O [water]) means it will be overcharged whenever a non-aviation charger is used. Automotive chargers are set at a higher output voltage (typically 13.8 -14.6 volts) than aviation batteries can handle. The voltage settings and charge rates for aviation BatteryMINDer® models have been chosen after conferring with leading aviation battery makers in the U.S. We are the only approved manufacturer of maintenance chargers for use on all Concorde Aviation batteries. BatteryMINDer® aviation specific models incorporate a Plug 'n Run feature, and includes full-time, fully automatic pulsed desulfation circuitry (not high voltage) designed to safely dissolve sulfation build-up on the battery's storage plates, restoring lost cranking power, and extending life. They also feature a temperature compensating sensor to ensure that batteries can be safely charged and maintained for extended periods of time in extreme temperatures. Without this type of temperature sensing, batteries will be under-charged in colder temperatures, and over-charged in high temperatures. BatteryMINDer® 12-V models 12248-AA-S2, S3, S5 and 24-V models, 24041-AA-S2, S3, S5 are designed specifically to use on all types and size Aviation Specific batteries contingent upon the brand and model of the battery. All Aviation specific BatteryMINDer® models are designed exclusively for use with either SEALED (AGM-non liquid) or FLOODED (liquid with filler caps) as manufactured by Concorde, Gill, and EnerSys' Odyssey and Hawker for use on non-commercial aircraft. - Since your model is an old one, I cannot find if it is an aviation type or not. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
The $6 ones from Harbor Freight always worked for me, assuming the battery started out fully charged and the maintainer hadn't died. Gotta check the LEDs every once in a while to make sure it's working. Those are what I use. -- Jim ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] Battery Maintainers
Craig asks: Does anyone have experience with the battery maintainers which are supposed to keep a battery in good condition during prolonged storage? The Battery Tender line of products is good. Not cheap though. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dapsfield-keywords=Battery+Tender Rick Sent from my BlackBerry Z10 ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
[MBZ] Battery Maintainers
Does anyone have experience with the battery maintainers which are supposed to keep a battery in good condition during prolonged storage? I was using a small one I got from my father's estate to keep the battery for the '94 E320 charged, but when Kaleb came to get the car, we found the battery was dead. I don't know if he ever resurrected it. I got a flyer from NAPA and they have a number of larger, more expensive chargers/maintainers, which, hopefully, might do a better job. But I want to investigate before I plunk down my cash. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
