Author |
Share Topic Topic Search Topic Options
|
techntrek
Admin Group - pHp
Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059
|
Topic: battery and outlet issues Posted: 29 Dec 2013 at 11:40am |
With that many dead cells I'm surprised anything works unless you are plugged in. Even if it is working at first the voltage will quickly crash so I wouldn't rely on it. Usually a battery tender will be fine, as long as you apply it to an already-charged battery. If you want to try something else one option is to put a regular battery charger on it once a month overnight.
|
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
Goose
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Sep 2010
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 672
|
Posted: 29 Dec 2013 at 11:45am |
Just a thought, after you park your POD at the storage spot you may want to take out the battery and bring it home to put on the charger. You will have to take it back when you go to pick up the POD but it only takes a few minutes to reinstall it.
As for the motorcycle battery tender maybe one of the other folks that know more about electricity might be able to answer that for you. I have a small 6 volt/12 volt battery minder that my battery is on all winter in the garage, it keeps it up without overcharging it. Goose
|
Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
hogone
Senior Member
Joined: 09 Apr 2013
Location: St. Louis
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1045
|
Posted: 29 Dec 2013 at 12:41pm |
just had a call from a friend regarding this topic. is there a battery tender for the deap cells to leave plugged in thru the season? hogone
|
Jon & Pam
2013 RP177
2010 F150
2017 HD Streetglide
2009 HD Lowrider
CHEESEHEAD
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
techntrek
Admin Group - pHp
Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059
|
Posted: 29 Dec 2013 at 3:46pm |
Any battery tender is fine for deep cycle batts and can be left attached to the battery.
|
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
bodie55
Senior Member
Joined: 25 Mar 2013
Location: San Francisco
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100
|
Posted: 29 Dec 2013 at 5:23pm |
I'm sure now we killed it by not taking it off the pod soon enough and thinking the battery tender would recharge it vs maintain its charge, which was not full given that it sat on the pod for at least a few weeks after the last trip. Lesson learned!! Thanks for the good suggestions. Next time we'll leave it at home with the gear and a full charge:)
|
Bay Area Crew
2013 178 Beach Pod
F-150 SuperCrew
...sempre in viaggio sul mare...
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
Sleepless
Senior Member
Joined: 07 Jun 2013
Location: Titusville, FL
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 556
|
Posted: 29 Dec 2013 at 5:36pm |
The best unit I have found is the Battery MINDer, which is used extensively here in Florida for prolonging the life of deep cycle batteries, both in recreational boats and RVs. I purchased mine about 10 years ago when my shrimping/trolling batteries were near the end of their useful life. The Battery MINDer is relatively expensive, around $50, but can actually rejuvenate badly sulfated cells. I have used it on Groups 27 and 24 deep cycle batteries that were supposedly dead and given to me to revitalize. I have had batteries that would no longer take a charge using a conventional charger, and brought them back to 13+ volts after a few days. This is more than just a battery charger/maintainer, it will actually desulfate and return a "dead" battery back into service. It will not work in all cases, but more often than not, it will revive batteries with problems.
This is not a battery tender, it is much more sophisticated and versatile. "BatteryMINDER.com" has the full information on these units.
|
2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD)
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
svskier
Newbie
Joined: 24 Dec 2013
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 29
|
Posted: 29 Dec 2013 at 8:56pm |
Thanks everyone for your input on this issue I checked on my pod yesterday and everything was perfect. Can not wait till spring to get it out and hit the road. Until then please everyone pray for snow for us here in Idaho
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
bodie55
Senior Member
Joined: 25 Mar 2013
Location: San Francisco
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100
|
Posted: 10 Jan 2014 at 1:47am |
Well, we took the battery to a local Interstate store. Turns out we had one of the few 'bad' batteries. It was under warranty, so it was replaced. The directions for charger we have 'says' it should work for our purposes, but I think we'll get a stonger device just to be safe.
Thanks, Sleepless, for the tip on the Battery Minder. It looks like a good product! Now, to wait until the next vacation to test out the new battery. Probably should hook it up this weekend just to make sure it functions and it is t another internal issue with the pod before our warranty on the inverter is up.
Thanks All for your words of wisdom. It certainly is a learning process.
|
Bay Area Crew
2013 178 Beach Pod
F-150 SuperCrew
...sempre in viaggio sul mare...
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
techntrek
Admin Group - pHp
Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059
|
Posted: 10 Jan 2014 at 8:27am |
Hook the battery up immediately to whatever charger you have on-hand.
|
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |
bodie55
Senior Member
Joined: 25 Mar 2013
Location: San Francisco
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 100
|
Posted: 16 Jan 2014 at 9:04pm |
Just tested the new battery. All systems go! Now to get a new battery minder just in case our other device doesn't really do what it's directions say it does, although it did seem to have kept it fully charged.
|
Bay Area Crew
2013 178 Beach Pod
F-150 SuperCrew
...sempre in viaggio sul mare...
|
![Back to Top Back to Top](forum_images/back_to_top.png) |