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How new is your "New" battery?

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  • 03-02-2015 9:43pm
    #1
    Nekarsulm
    Registered Users Posts: 11,191 ✭✭✭✭


    Had to buy a new battery for the quad today. The guy gets the battery, cuts off a shrink wrapped cover and then proceeds to open a plastic bottle type container, and pour the contents into the battery. Then tapped the bungs into place. It turns out that these batteries come "dry" and you add the acid at the time of sale. He told me "a battery sitting around for up to a year before sale, possibly at a half charge, you would only get 30% of the life span you should have."
    Why is this practice not used with machinery batteries as well?


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    #2
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    Nekarsulm wrote: »
    Had to buy a new battery for the quad today. The guy gets the battery, cuts off a shrink wrapped cover and then proceeds to open a plastic bottle type container, and pour the contents into the battery. Then tapped the bungs into place. It turns out that these batteries come "dry" and you add the acid at the time of sale. He told me "a battery sitting around for up to a year before sale, possibly at a half charge, you would only get 30% of the life span you should have."
    Why is this practice not used with machinery batteries as well?
    Because the amount of acid required to fill a machinery battery is much more than a small motorcycle type.
    Good practice to vibrate the battery a small bit before use as well, to ensure all the bubbles are removed from the plates.
    If the battery is charged while bubbles are on the plates you will lose that portion of the plate as a conductive surface.
    Having large quantities of acid in a loose state is a risk that perhaps insurers and HSA don't want?

    I suggest buying from a Battery supplier that has a big turnover of stock to get the freshest battery, If you buy a good brand like Yuasa they usually give a decent 3+year warranty with their batteries.
    Mine was engraved with a date code so I could go back for a replacement if mine failed within that timeframe.
    Use a smart charger to keep the battery charged between use will also aid longevity.
    Smart chargers are a lot cheaper than batteries, a really good C-TEK unit will cost less than a mid range truck battery.


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    #3
    sandydan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,471 ✭✭✭sandydan


    CJhaughey wrote: »
    Because the amount of acid required to fill a machinery battery is much more than a small motorcycle type.
    Good practice to vibrate the battery a small bit before use as well, to ensure all the bubbles are removed from the plates.
    If the battery is charged while bubbles are on the plates you will lose that portion of the plate as a conductive surface.
    Having large quantities of acid in a loose state is a risk that perhaps insurers and HSA don't want?

    I suggest buying from a Battery supplier that has a big turnover of stock to get the freshest battery, If you buy a good brand like Yuasa they usually give a decent 3+year warranty with their batteries.
    Mine was engraved with a date code so I could go back for a replacement if mine failed within that timeframe.
    Use a smart charger to keep the battery charged between use will also aid longevity.

    Smart chargers are a lot cheaper than batteries, a really good C-TEK unit will cost less than a mid range truck battery.
    what is a smart charger, pardon my ignorance,
    seen yuasa batteries in halfords , expensive. but yuasa were fitted to hino trucks a few years ago , but is there that much difference in branded batteries sold with a 3 yr warranty which are date branded by suppliers


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    #4
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    sandydan wrote: »
    what is a smart charger, pardon my ignorance,
    seen yuasa batteries in halfords , expensive. but yuasa were fitted to hino trucks a few years ago , but is there that much difference in branded batteries sold with a 3 yr warranty which are date branded by suppliers
    Smart chargers have circuitry that tests the battery and maintains it by either supplying a small amount of current or in better versions a pulse to ensure the battery doesn't sulphate.
    Examples are Optimate, Ctek and Procharger.
    They aren't cheap but if you consider the cost of a battery or batteries over time they pay for themselves pretty quickly.


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    #5
    sandydan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,471 ✭✭✭sandydan


    was about to try starting a 18 yr old corolla during week, mechanic told me take out battery and shake before connecting jump leads to it to circulate acid inside first. needles to say the corrolla started first shot despite not being started in over 12 months,


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    #6
    Kevin McCloud
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,797 ✭✭✭Kevin McCloud


    CJhaughey wrote: »
    Smart chargers have circuitry that tests the battery and maintains it by either supplying a small amount of current or in better versions a pulse to ensure the battery doesn't sulphate.
    No battery charger in the world will prevent a battery from sulphating, that is only sales talk trash.


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    #7
    sandydan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,471 ✭✭✭sandydan


    think in past a weak ampage bulb was used to flatten battery repeatedly. supposed to work anyway


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