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paulz
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# Posted: 7 Jun 2024 14:37
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Looking that way. Last night I unplugged the solar, not that it would do anything. Battery at 12.8 before bed. This morning 12.3, still better than the 10.7 before refilling but wouldn’t turn the cart over. Back on the solar now. That will likely do it again, but yes I need the cart to start when I need it. Might have some use for the battery other than a starter, solar shop lights maybe.
To reiterate, this was a new unused battery that sat, filled, for several years before I got it (for a $20 gamble). Maybe a lesson if you’re somewhere that sells new batteries and you see one that was filled some time ago. Bring a tester, volts don’t tell CCAs.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jun 2024 16:40
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I believe it is best to never purchase a pre-filled flooded lead-acid battery if the factory date sticker is more than 6 months old.
I'm not sure about AGM type but I would prefer to go by the same 6 months rule unless it was one of those small AGM types that are sold dry and come with the bottle of acid to add and activate at purchase.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 7 Jun 2024 17:31
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Good advice ICC. I’m back at the city house now, probably for the weekend (need to shop for ingredients for your bean burgers among other stuff). The battery sat on the cart solar for an hour or two before I left, morning sun, and did turn over just for a couple seconds. On the solar now till I get back.
Here at the house sits another pickup, that battery goes down to 12.2 and it still fires right up. So again volt measurement and CCAs, two different things.
There are about 3 AGMs at the cabin, about 2/3 the size of a car battery, all far from new. All hold voltage and will start the carts no problem, even ran the tractor on one the other day. Nothing to offer there..
Darn good thing I have those 4 140 amp LFPs that run the cabin, no futzing around there!
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2024 01:06
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Back in the 70s, on those vehicles and machinery that I depended on and wanted very reliable starts, I implemented my own plan of using only high-quality batteries and replacing them every 5 years, even if they were still cranking okay. That was after a particularly time-consuming and awkward failure on a job site. Oftentimes the 5-year-old battery would be swapped out for an older one in some less frequently used machinery or vehicle. I have a log book for every machine, a habit learned from keeping my flight logs; all maintenance records. All the seldom-used machines have a small solar-powered trickle/maintenance charge system.
The only exceptions to the 5-year change rule has been on serious work or play/exploring 4x4 trucks used for exploring the real boonies. On those I use 2 Optima spiral wound AGM batteries, replacing them alternately every 3 years. I made up my own design isolator system that allowed both to be charged from the running engine alternator, but the vehicle would normally only start and run on the 'primary' battery, which was always the older battery. A button that activated a solenoid would allow the secondary battery to be connected to self-jump with no fuss, no bother if necessary. That also provided enough power to get back to civilization one time when the alternator quit.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2024 15:07
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Two is one, One is none approach; ie, redundancy on mission critical systems.
Fwiw, on my lawn 'tractor' I will run a battery so long that I have to put the charger on even a day or two later and I 'roll' the engine by hand past compression so it can get enough spin to go another time around and start.
There Paul, am I back in the good graces of the Cabin Cheapskates?
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 8 Jun 2024 16:48 - Edited by: paulz
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Quoting: gcrank1 I 'roll' the engine by hand past compression so it can get enough spin to go another time around and start
Ha, I remember that from the old motorcycle days.
Certainly nothing mission critical enough going on around my place anymore for a new battery swap system. In fact I gave away the old Datsun yard truck last week, and another guy wants the dozer. Stump grinder went last month. Probably done with the backhoe too. I’ll keep the one tractor with loader and drag box to keep the driveway smooth. That and I need to start the generator and log splitter once in awhile, and one run around cart.
Quoting: gcrank1 There Paul, am I back in the good graces of the Cabin Cheapskates?
Probably, you’re in with me, but I’ll have to run it by the other club members.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jun 2024 15:45
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After sitting on the cart solar charge for 3 days, the subject battery read 13.2. Cart fired right up. This morning it still read 13.0. Engine turned over for 5 seconds but no start, and that was all the battery would give. Recovered to 13 a while later no charging but still just a few seconds of start spin.
So what to learn. This FLA will go to full charge, hold it overnight, but will not deliver its normal CCAs. Maybe that’s normal for old FLAs. Might have some use for a 12v light load but no more than a small 12v battery would give.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jun 2024 17:32
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Might try running some LED lights off it to see how long it will power them.
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jun 2024 17:42
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Will do tonight. Also found a corroded wire connection to the cart fuel pump. Fixed that, fires up quickly now, not that I want a suspect battery in it.
Also, I bought a gallon of distilled water to top off this and some other FLAs laying around. I know you’re not supposed to top off with electrolyte from wherever, I guess there is no other fluid that helps, like ‘battery rejuvenation fluid’ or something.
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gcrank1
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jun 2024 19:07
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Do like Burt Munro and drop a nitro pill in?
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jun 2024 20:54
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In the battery, fuel tank or me? Another movie I haven’t seen in years. Shameful, as I have an Indian and a couple Velos.
Cart firing right up in the warm sunshine. Only takes one hiccup though and I’m walking. Probably up the hill.
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