While we are on the subject of batteries - is there an industry standard name
or
designation for the long & narrow batteries that originally came in the
Roadsters? (my
old PL521 truck had one, too) I hate having an off-shape battery stuffed into
the battery
space.
Gary McCormick
San Jose, CA
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Thomas Walter wrote:
> Chris,
>
> You can charge the battery with it in the car. Remove
> the vents, leave them loosely on the top. Hook up the
> charger, and charge the battery. Turn off the charger
> and wait about 20 minutes before disconnecting the
> charger leads. This gives time for the hydrogen gas
> to dissipate in case of a spark.
>
> Usually the best reason for removing the battery is
> to inspect, clean, and neutralize the metal around
> the battery try. I use a little diluted baking soda
> in water, and just flush the area around the battery
> hold down.
>
> On the electric vehicle obvious I charge the batteries
> in place. <grin>. About once a month I'll wipe down the
> tops of the batteries with windex. Ammonia is a base and
> will neutralize the tops. With a little acid and moisture
> we will see current leaks from the batteries. Windex does
> the trick.
>
> With my roadster sitting for extended periods, I really
> like the OPTIMA red top batteries. Totally sealed, no
> acid leakage. Best thing is they will hold a charge for
> up to a couple of years! As long as there is no current
> leakage, battery remains charged up. YAHOO! Usually I
> only would get a couple of years of battery life, and
> would have to hook up the charger a couple of hours
> before heading out. Interstate carries the batteries,
> so they are easy to find (about $125 for the group 24 size
> I use).
>
> Cheers,
>
> Tom Walter '68 2000
> Austin, TX
>
> P.S. Wear safety glasses when working near a battery. I've
> seen three nasty accidents from expoding batteries, two
> easily prevented (wrench across the two terminals was the
> worst!). In the third case the starter would not disengage,
> terminal got so hot that it MELTED the battery post down
> into the battery. We looked up at each other with a "what
> the heck... " when it went BOOM! Both Steve and I wore glasses,
> so it was not too serious. Freak accident, worst damage was
> a ruined paint job and our clothes.
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