... or, as I previously suggested, a 'small' (voltage-wise - probably just a single cell) one to put in series with it for a brief period of time, to get the charger going.
Kind Regards, John
Raising Battery Voltage
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Kind Regards, John
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Sorry, RF (and John, edit), it's a bit obscured, but I posted this a bit back:
Basically, I wedged the hi-tech inter-cell warming device (1200W hairdryer) close to the battery, shut the bonnet and left it for 45 minutes.
At intervals, I checked the voltage and it was still rising slowly.
When it got to 1.96V, I connected the CTEK and it started charging straight away.
At the moment, the voltage with the charger connected is 12.42V and when I disconnect, it falls to 11.16V.
It's up to stage 3 so far, but I'm hopeful it will charge fully.
Basically, I wedged the hi-tech inter-cell warming device (1200W hairdryer) close to the battery, shut the bonnet and left it for 45 minutes.
At intervals, I checked the voltage and it was still rising slowly.
When it got to 1.96V, I connected the CTEK and it started charging straight away.
At the moment, the voltage with the charger connected is 12.42V and when I disconnect, it falls to 11.16V.
It's up to stage 3 so far, but I'm hopeful it will charge fully.
... in that case, maybe some of us were a bit over-pessimistic. If that's the case, I'm pleased for you.
I didn't realise that it was still in a vehicle. If so, I wonder why you didn't just jump-start the vehicle engine and let its alternator do the initial charging? [I realise that someone previously mentioned 'jump starting' but I thought they were talking about 'jump starting' the battery (putting another in parallel with it), not the vehicle)]
Kind Regards, John
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Seems a good battery charger. When a battery dischargers then clearly sulphur forms on the plates that's normal process it is how hard this sulphur has set that matters and I have found that a very slow charge will often bring the battery back to life.
As to stage charging this would be a problem as standard system is.
Stage 1 - Maximum charger output until voltage reaches around 15 volt.
Stage 2 - Voltage held at 15 volt until current drops to about 3.5A
Stage 3 - Float charge at 13.2 volt.
Using this with a poor battery it would go straight away to stage 3 so it would take ages to charge.
If it has the option for equalising charge then select that option the idea is over time batteries will get some fully charged cells and some under charged cells and by slightly over charging it brings all cells to fully charged. In the old days before the alternator this should be done every 6 months but today not normally required.
12.42 volts does not seem right. The float charge volts do vary slightly some cars go as high as 14.2 volts float charge but most stage battery chargers will be 13.2 to 13.6 volt. Never seen it below 13.2 except when still in stage 1.
The stage battery charging is designed to charge batteries fast but one problem is where something is draining the battery be it internal or external the current may never drop enough to put it into the third stage of charging so to stop it pumping in power when there is a fault there is also a timer. So even if the current does not drop it will still switch to stage 3 once the time has lapsed.
You may need to disconnect and re-connect the charger to re-set it and fully charge the battery.
Seem to remember with my sons battery charger on the boat when the battery voltage dropped to a set level it would re-start charge cycle. It also had a set of dip switches to set type of battery and the max charge lenght seem to remember either 4 or 8 hours could be selected.
His was a little on the small size only 25A but there were also two 90A alternators fitted to the boat.
It does seem strange to find a stage battery charger which was not matched to the battery. The normal battery charger is not a stage charger.
As to stage charging this would be a problem as standard system is.
Stage 1 - Maximum charger output until voltage reaches around 15 volt.
Stage 2 - Voltage held at 15 volt until current drops to about 3.5A
Stage 3 - Float charge at 13.2 volt.
Using this with a poor battery it would go straight away to stage 3 so it would take ages to charge.
If it has the option for equalising charge then select that option the idea is over time batteries will get some fully charged cells and some under charged cells and by slightly over charging it brings all cells to fully charged. In the old days before the alternator this should be done every 6 months but today not normally required.
12.42 volts does not seem right. The float charge volts do vary slightly some cars go as high as 14.2 volts float charge but most stage battery chargers will be 13.2 to 13.6 volt. Never seen it below 13.2 except when still in stage 1.
The stage battery charging is designed to charge batteries fast but one problem is where something is draining the battery be it internal or external the current may never drop enough to put it into the third stage of charging so to stop it pumping in power when there is a fault there is also a timer. So even if the current does not drop it will still switch to stage 3 once the time has lapsed.
You may need to disconnect and re-connect the charger to re-set it and fully charge the battery.
Seem to remember with my sons battery charger on the boat when the battery voltage dropped to a set level it would re-start charge cycle. It also had a set of dip switches to set type of battery and the max charge lenght seem to remember either 4 or 8 hours could be selected.
His was a little on the small size only 25A but there were also two 90A alternators fitted to the boat.
It does seem strange to find a stage battery charger which was not matched to the battery. The normal battery charger is not a stage charger.
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But you've already started a course of penetrating oil treatment, just in case, haven't you....
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Just found the instructions. Interesting reading. I have seen this with special alternator switch mode regulators/inverters where the power is pulsed for interest this is link and with the smallest version at 80 amp there is a need for this careful monitoring.
However at 5A it does seem a bit of over kill the chargers I have worked on with step charging started at 25A. I have in the past with a poor battery just stuck it on the power supply set to 1A and 13.4 volts and just left it for a few weeks and 9 times out of 10 they do come up without and pulse charging.
I do like the idea of a relay so can't be connected in reverse all too easy to make a mistake I have seen reverse charged batteries been connected to battery chargers and blown the diodes. One rarely sticks a meter on first so easy to get caught out.
I am sure you will soon report on how the battery is up and running again. But my comments on voltage were when I thought the charger could deliver 50A not just 5A so that explains low voltage.
A 110AH battery will take around 36 hours with losses to fully charge so with a sulphated battery looking at a week.
However at 5A it does seem a bit of over kill the chargers I have worked on with step charging started at 25A. I have in the past with a poor battery just stuck it on the power supply set to 1A and 13.4 volts and just left it for a few weeks and 9 times out of 10 they do come up without and pulse charging.
I do like the idea of a relay so can't be connected in reverse all too easy to make a mistake I have seen reverse charged batteries been connected to battery chargers and blown the diodes. One rarely sticks a meter on first so easy to get caught out.
I am sure you will soon report on how the battery is up and running again. But my comments on voltage were when I thought the charger could deliver 50A not just 5A so that explains low voltage.
A 110AH battery will take around 36 hours with losses to fully charge so with a sulphated battery looking at a week.
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Here are the instructions for my CTEK charger:
http://www.advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/abspdf/Multi-XS-50_uk.pdf
It worked a treat. Once I had spent £250 heating the battery with the hairdryer and bringing its voltage up, it happily latched on and started charging.
I took a video of me starting the car but uploading it failed....
But it fired up sweet as a nut last night. It was last driven on February 12th 2012 and last started on May 1st.
Today, I left it on the drive, engine running, to warm up a bit and drive off the damp.
Now I need to decide what to do with it...
Thanks for your suggestions, guys.
http://www.advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/abspdf/Multi-XS-50_uk.pdf
It worked a treat. Once I had spent £250 heating the battery with the hairdryer and bringing its voltage up, it happily latched on and started charging.
I took a video of me starting the car but uploading it failed....
But it fired up sweet as a nut last night. It was last driven on February 12th 2012 and last started on May 1st.
Today, I left it on the drive, engine running, to warm up a bit and drive off the damp.
Now I need to decide what to do with it...
Thanks for your suggestions, guys.
Live in it if Mrs Secure gets seriously knicker-twisted about how long you spent on on that old thing when there are so many jobs to do around the house? I take it it was her hair drier in the engine compartment as well?
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Nope. Mine.
Ah.
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Nah. This was me in 1987:
And me in 2007:
Sad, innit?
And me in 2007:
Sad, innit?
Sad???
Bloody frightening!!!!!
Glad you got the battery sorted out though. Is that the car in piccy #1 (or as you would have known it then, your lurve machine!!
)
Bloody frightening!!!!!
Glad you got the battery sorted out though. Is that the car in piccy #1 (or as you would have known it then, your lurve machine!!
)
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No, the car in Piccy 1 was a one month old (1986 D) Nissan Micra that was subsequently stolen from the dealer when it was being serviced...Seen driven around South Manchester but never recovered.
At least you still need a hairdryer...
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