Looking at the post on battery drain I wondered if it is possible to connect a trckle charger to the battery without disconnecting the battery at all?
I saw one trickle charger and it seemed to suggest that this was possible- a Draper model.
Doesn't overcome te need to replace an ineffective battery, but would save having to disconnect the battery each time.
Any thoughts/recommendations as I know for a full recharge you have to disconnect
Thanks
Battery Trickle chargers
Moderators:MarkX, mike020150
Bttery charger.
I use a Swedish CTEK battery conditioner to keep my XK8 up to snuff. (About £40 on Ebay).
I connected a fused pair of wires direct to the terminals and ran them out through a rubber bung in the R.H. rear of the boot/trunk. To this I joined the (supplied) waterproof connector that snaps into the CTEK's output cable. I plug the unit into a convenient power socket in the garage.
The beauty of a conditioner is that it automatically monitors and 'tops up' without harming the battery; apparently prolonging its life.
When not in use, I clip the battery cable under the R.H. wheel valance.
I've never had the dreaded 'window drop' since!
Michael
I connected a fused pair of wires direct to the terminals and ran them out through a rubber bung in the R.H. rear of the boot/trunk. To this I joined the (supplied) waterproof connector that snaps into the CTEK's output cable. I plug the unit into a convenient power socket in the garage.
The beauty of a conditioner is that it automatically monitors and 'tops up' without harming the battery; apparently prolonging its life.
When not in use, I clip the battery cable under the R.H. wheel valance.
I've never had the dreaded 'window drop' since!
Michael
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PrideofLyons
- Posts:45
- Joined:Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:28 pm
Just connect directly to the battery terminals. The advice to connect the negative of chargers/boosters to an earthed body part is to avoid the risk of a spark when you make/break contact (as in removing a jump lead once the car has started) which could ignite any gas seeping from the battery, thus blowing the whole lot to kingdom come.
A permanently-connected battery conditioner doesn't present the danger of sparking unless, I suppose, you haven't firmly anchored the connection to the battery post (unlikely) when it's conceivable that plugging/unplugging the charger could jiggle the wire enough to disturb the loose battery connection, possibly creating a spark in which case, all bets are off. This scenario is a bit far-fetched though, ie just make sure the connections to the battery are nice and tight. I've had permanently-connected CTEK's on my cars and bikes for a few years now and everything's fine - I believe that the latest models even boast a 'no-spark' technology anyway.
A permanently-connected battery conditioner doesn't present the danger of sparking unless, I suppose, you haven't firmly anchored the connection to the battery post (unlikely) when it's conceivable that plugging/unplugging the charger could jiggle the wire enough to disturb the loose battery connection, possibly creating a spark in which case, all bets are off. This scenario is a bit far-fetched though, ie just make sure the connections to the battery are nice and tight. I've had permanently-connected CTEK's on my cars and bikes for a few years now and everything's fine - I believe that the latest models even boast a 'no-spark' technology anyway.
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springelec
- Posts:39
- Joined:Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:24 pm
Battery Charging
Hi Everyone,
There's a lot about looking after your battery on various motorcycle web sites because bikers, like me, tend to only use their bikes during the summer months.
Optimate is a well known motor cycle brand which monitors battery voltage level and sometimes temperature to ensure long life.
The only problem I can foresee is the constant drain from the car, expressed in other parts of this BB as anywhere between 10mA and 100mA.
Optimate and similar battery chargers only trickle charge to keep heating losses in the electrolyte to a minimum.
If the trickle charge is say 10mA and your XK8 back ground current drain is say 10mA, then all the battery charger will be doing is feeding your XK8 and not the battery.
Trickle battery chargers are OK, but I think their application needs a bit more thought before rushing out and buying one.
It would be nice if we as an XK8 group could get some battery drain stats from Jaguar or even members. Jaguar should be able to provide some original design information as this would have been part of the XK8 design excersise. Anyone know a Jag design insider ?.
With the benefit of best and worst case battery drain data from Jaguar, we could then specify an optimum trickle charger.
Any offers from members to tackle Jaguar about this ?.
Springelec
There's a lot about looking after your battery on various motorcycle web sites because bikers, like me, tend to only use their bikes during the summer months.
Optimate is a well known motor cycle brand which monitors battery voltage level and sometimes temperature to ensure long life.
The only problem I can foresee is the constant drain from the car, expressed in other parts of this BB as anywhere between 10mA and 100mA.
Optimate and similar battery chargers only trickle charge to keep heating losses in the electrolyte to a minimum.
If the trickle charge is say 10mA and your XK8 back ground current drain is say 10mA, then all the battery charger will be doing is feeding your XK8 and not the battery.
Trickle battery chargers are OK, but I think their application needs a bit more thought before rushing out and buying one.
It would be nice if we as an XK8 group could get some battery drain stats from Jaguar or even members. Jaguar should be able to provide some original design information as this would have been part of the XK8 design excersise. Anyone know a Jag design insider ?.
With the benefit of best and worst case battery drain data from Jaguar, we could then specify an optimum trickle charger.
Any offers from members to tackle Jaguar about this ?.
Springelec
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PrideofLyons
- Posts:45
- Joined:Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:28 pm
I've got 3 battery conditioners for my bikes & XJS. They are all models of the Accumate / Optimate series of chargers.
All the Acumax, Accumate & Opimate seem to run output current somewhere between .8a - 1.2a until they get the battery voltage into the 14.2v - 14.9v range, then maintain it there. With that level of outut current , it's more than sufficient to overcome the amps being drawn on alarm / radio circuits.
I also just noticed M&P are selling the Acumax Platinum at the reduced price of £29.99 - great value!
Paul
All the Acumax, Accumate & Opimate seem to run output current somewhere between .8a - 1.2a until they get the battery voltage into the 14.2v - 14.9v range, then maintain it there. With that level of outut current , it's more than sufficient to overcome the amps being drawn on alarm / radio circuits.
I also just noticed M&P are selling the Acumax Platinum at the reduced price of £29.99 - great value!
Paul
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mike020150
- Posts:3469
- Joined:Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:26 pm
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springelec
- Posts:39
- Joined:Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:24 pm
Trickle Chargers
OK Pride of Lyons, I admit I was a bit sloppy with the use of 'trickle charger' to describe a 'battery conditioner'. These are however, terms invented by their manufacturers to introduce marketing differentiation between themselves and the old style trickle chargers.
My argument remains the same, these devices output low current levels, i.e. trickle current to keep the battery topped up. By way of comparison, many modern batteries will withstand the 10Hr charge test, which for a 1000AHr XK8 battery is 100 Amps/Hr for ten hours ! !. Not many people have access to this type of equipment, so most just use an inexpensive charger or a slightly more expensive conditioner.
Your point about the CTEX device exercising the battery is well made but, to truly exercise a battery, the discharge needs to be very heavy and deep to fuse delicate fingers that can grow across the plates and give the appearance of a shorted cell. I have used this technique successfully on a couple of motor bike batteries and on one car battery to breath new life into the unit.
The technique needs access to a fairly powerful bench power supply with a high current capability. Connect the battery to the power supply and switch on. A shorted battery will naturally take amps and amps, but if it is going to recover, eventually all the little shorting fingers inside the faulty cell will fuse releasing the cell for normall charging.
Fully charge the battery and then discharge violently. A thick screwdriver usually does the trick. Yes there will be sparks and stuff and yes the screwdriver will get hot, but that's the point. The high discharge current fuses any other stubborn filament within faulty cells.
Repeat two or three times and the battery should be OK for another twelve months service.
Interestingly, I've just referred to my Yuasa Battery notes and they also state that heat adversely affects the life of a battery, quoting 90% loss of float life at 50C.
Now Jaguar put their batteries in the boot which is usually a cool space, but all the Eurobox cars put their batteries in the engine bay which during the summer can easily achieve 70C - 80C. Armed with this fact, it's amazing most car batteries actually last more than one season.
Springelec
My argument remains the same, these devices output low current levels, i.e. trickle current to keep the battery topped up. By way of comparison, many modern batteries will withstand the 10Hr charge test, which for a 1000AHr XK8 battery is 100 Amps/Hr for ten hours ! !. Not many people have access to this type of equipment, so most just use an inexpensive charger or a slightly more expensive conditioner.
Your point about the CTEX device exercising the battery is well made but, to truly exercise a battery, the discharge needs to be very heavy and deep to fuse delicate fingers that can grow across the plates and give the appearance of a shorted cell. I have used this technique successfully on a couple of motor bike batteries and on one car battery to breath new life into the unit.
The technique needs access to a fairly powerful bench power supply with a high current capability. Connect the battery to the power supply and switch on. A shorted battery will naturally take amps and amps, but if it is going to recover, eventually all the little shorting fingers inside the faulty cell will fuse releasing the cell for normall charging.
Fully charge the battery and then discharge violently. A thick screwdriver usually does the trick. Yes there will be sparks and stuff and yes the screwdriver will get hot, but that's the point. The high discharge current fuses any other stubborn filament within faulty cells.
Repeat two or three times and the battery should be OK for another twelve months service.
Interestingly, I've just referred to my Yuasa Battery notes and they also state that heat adversely affects the life of a battery, quoting 90% loss of float life at 50C.
Now Jaguar put their batteries in the boot which is usually a cool space, but all the Eurobox cars put their batteries in the engine bay which during the summer can easily achieve 70C - 80C. Armed with this fact, it's amazing most car batteries actually last more than one season.
Springelec
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