Charging up an old battery?

[GearheadTool]

I think I want to go ahead and get the CTEK 3300. I think it may really help the battery that is in there. Maybe even let it sit an hour or two after car is turned off..

What are some opinions about charging an old battery? The CTEK is supposed to be a great "smart" charger, and I would likely have it on for about.. 7 hours, maybe? Late at night, cold. So "winter" mode, with the snowflake...

 

[fdcg27]

Why not just use the coin to buy a new battery, which you'll probably need anyway?

 

[Astro14]

GHT - if this is in your Volvo, just replace the battery. The battery is critical on a car like this, and once they get upwards of 6 years, you can have all sorts of electrical and driveability issues that are all trace-able back to a weak battery...

 

[eljefino]

+3 buy a battery from advance with coupon.

 

[NHGUY]

Buy a new battery,then in a couple years buy one of those chargers to maintain it.

 

[Donald]

A charger with a desulfation circuit might help. A few smart chargers might have one. Keep in mind some smart chargers are too smart and will not charge an old battery that is 1/2 dead. I have had to charge them first with a old charger, then finish off with a smart charger.

I would fully charge the battery with an AC charger, then do a carbon pile load test at 1/2 the CCA. If your battery is history, time for a new one made by Johson Controls (JCI) like Interstate (definitely) and some Walmart MAXX.

 

[Rand]

go to advanceautoparts.com

find battery.. buy battery with aap coupon code..

get it for 70$+tax or so .. win.

 

[JHZR2]

Is the battery just old?

If so, just charge it. Some theories indicate that some fast charging can be good, but I'd charge it gently until full.

If it has sat flat more than a day, don't count on it. The chemistry gets irreversibly damaged.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
I think I want to go ahead and get the CTEK 3300. I think it may really help the battery that is in there. Maybe even let it sit an hour or two after car is turned off..


Well, if it fails, you'll have to replace the battery anyhow. However, there's nothing wrong with having a decent charger around. I forget, do the CTEKs have a desulphation mode?

 

[GearheadTool]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
I think I want to go ahead and get the CTEK 3300. I think it may really help the battery that is in there. Maybe even let it sit an hour or two after car is turned off..


Well, if it fails, you'll have to replace the battery anyhow. However, there's nothing wrong with having a decent charger around. I forget, do the CTEKs have a desulphation mode?


Yes.

Guys, this Volvo has never "sat flat more than a day." The only slightly weird thing that had me thinking was when I got that busted window fixed. It ran (idled) for about an hour. I then turned the car off. About three hours later, we went to start it, and it acted as though dead. The guy gave it a jump from a battery starter. The car then drove for about two hours, (on the highway, on Dorchester Ave, etc etc) after that. Has been fine since. Went to Maine, etc etc.. so, I am thinking "it may be a little bit low."

I bought the CTEK. I need to now buy a 50-foot extension cord to hang out the window. I can put it on "at nights" and go by its red, yellow, green indicators.. I hear the advice about "slow charge first," but, this battery I think could use some pulsing.. I also want to buy a digital voltmeter. Can someone run me through what it is supposed to say, that voltmeter? Thanks!

This way, whether I get a new battery or not (this one is a Bosch) I am all set with battery charger, voltmeter, for every car I ever have again. And I may get a 2A old-fashioned slow charger.. Maybe buy that today, and use it first *as in before the CTEK comes, then next week, use the CTEK?

 

[Bgallagher]

Considering the cold, wet weather we are having right now I wouldn't mess around with an old battery. Buy a new one and be safe for the winter. Batteries die in the most inconvenient times!

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
I think I want to go ahead and get the CTEK 3300. I think it may really help the battery that is in there. Maybe even let it sit an hour or two after car is turned off..


Well, if it fails, you'll have to replace the battery anyhow. However, there's nothing wrong with having a decent charger around. I forget, do the CTEKs have a desulphation mode?


Yes.

Guys, this Volvo has never "sat flat more than a day." The only slightly weird thing that had me thinking was when I got that busted window fixed. It ran (idled) for about an hour. I then turned the car off. About three hours later, we went to start it, and it acted as though dead. The guy gave it a jump from a battery starter. The car then drove for about two hours, (on the highway, on Dorchester Ave, etc etc) after that. Has been fine since. Went to Maine, etc etc.. so, I am thinking "it may be a little bit low."

I bought the CTEK. I need to now buy a 50-foot extension cord to hang out the window. I can put it on "at nights" and go by its red, yellow, green indicators.. I hear the advice about "slow charge first," but, this battery I think could use some pulsing.. I also want to buy a digital voltmeter. Can someone run me through what it is supposed to say, that voltmeter? Thanks!

This way, whether I get a new battery or not (this one is a Bosch) I am all set with battery charger, voltmeter, for every car I ever have again. And I may get a 2A old-fashioned slow charger.. Maybe buy that today, and use it first *as in before the CTEK comes, then next week, use the CTEK?


Sounds like your alternator is weak and doesnt quite make charging voltage at idle depending upon what is running. My 91 BMW will sit around 12.7V if idling with headlights, AC and radio on.

As I said, there ars some theories that high rate charging is actually better. That ctek wont cut it, Im looking for more like 8-10A. CTEK looks nice, but doesnt have the options for you to choose the charge rate, so you could put, say, 8A on and then take it down to 2A until it hits float.

I like the temperature compensated chargers, which CTEK sells, but the 3300 isnt one of them.

Id go with a ctek, but Id try to borrow another charger and give it 8-10A to start for once.

Do buy a digital multimeter, and report back to us with it in the DC voltage setting, what the battery voltage is on the car after sitting overnight with no charger. Then start the car and report the same after a few miles of driving. Also put it on the AC voltage setting and report that reading with the car on.

 

[GearheadTool]

I may also pick up the CTEK 7000.

On my way to get that digital multimeter! Avoiding Radio Shack.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
This way, whether I get a new battery or not (this one is a Bosch) I am all set with battery charger, voltmeter, for every car I ever have again. And I may get a 2A old-fashioned slow charger.. Maybe buy that today, and use it first *as in before the CTEK comes, then next week, use the CTEK?


There are some decent intelligent battery chargers out there from the usual suspects that are good to have, too. I have one from our Canadian Tire store (probably a rebranded Schumacher, but not sure) and it does the intelligent thing and desulphation and maintenance charge, along with various amperage settings if one wants to do a simple older style charge (i.e. 2 amps, 10 amps, and so forth). Of course, while not large by any stretch of the imagination, it's a little more unwieldly than a CTEK, which sounds good for your application of having to string a cord - and likely ensuring no one steals your charger.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: GearheadTool
I may also pick up the CTEK 7000.

On my way to get that digital multimeter! Avoiding Radio Shack.


The habit you got looks fine, especially how you have it intended to be set up, for regular maintenance. For the other stuff, I'd just go for a relatively smart Schumacher charger. Personally I like this one best:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000BQSIWK

 

[GearheadTool]

Quote:
Do buy a digital multimeter, and report back to us with it in the DC voltage setting, what the battery voltage is on the car after sitting overnight with no charger. Then start the car and report the same after a few miles of driving. Also put it on the AC voltage setting and report that reading with the car on.


Readings from a Gardner-Bender GDT-311 Digital Multimeter:
(on the "20/V" setting)

Car sitting - 12.5V
Immediately after car turned on - 13.5V

I am about to drive to Advance and borrow a tool, this ABS module replacement seems VERY straightforward. I give it a half hour of careful looking. I can check the car running when I pull in the lot, it is almost exactly two miles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0YvwpUpkQAU

I just hope I do not need to pull any fuses. Please advise, as I am about to swap out ABS unit!

 

[JHZR2]

Id always disconnect the battery before doing any real work.

12.5 is a bit low, but if cold it is OK. how long had the car sat? What was the ambient temperature?

Can you read AC volts with the car running? That will tell us something about your alternator.

The battery may be weak, the best way to tell that is an impedance reading (the HF cen-tech test unit is the best Ive found for that), or a real load test. Ill bet taking it to an auto parts store will get you a free test.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
For the other stuff, I'd just go for a relatively smart Schumacher charger. Personally I like this one best


Good find - that looks to be basically my Canadian Tire charger, or at least pretty darned similar - the function buttons appear to all work the same, though mine uses membrane keys.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I have a 2/12/25 amp schumacher charger that is not longer made but which appears identical to the above link.

It sometimes decides to take battery voltages up into the mid 15 range. While this might possibly help to dissolve some hardened sulfate into the electrolyte and will help to equalize the cells, these voltages might be at the limit of vehicular electronics, so the battery should be disconnected from the vehicle for charging.

Just in case it decided 15.6 volts is required and you are off somewhere else secure in the knowledge that an 'automatic' charger couldn't possibly damage anything.

Restoring a mistreated battery is usually a futile endeavor. Desulfating pulse chargers are not a magic cure all as so many believe. By all means get a charger to occasionally top off batteries, and fully recharge a battery which needed a jump start, but don't think any charger is going to revive a battery which sat dead for any length of time.

Even if it can hold voltage after such abuse, a significant portion of its capacity is gone forever.

Also many AP stores tester operators are clueless as to how to operate them. They are likely to claim it is good if their battery and still under warranty, and claim it bad if they have one in stock for purchase

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight


Also many AP stores tester operators are clueless as to how to operate them. They are likely to claim it is good if their battery and still under warranty, and claim it bad if they have one in stock for purchase


If they have a Midtronics tester it's pretty idiot proof. The only flaw is if your battery only shows 12.3 volts or less it says to charge it up, even if that voltage is a symptom of its deadness.

A shorted cell showing 10.5 volts will also fool it. Probably the best course of action is to let the parts store cook it on their fast charger then retry.