Listeners:
The solution for dead batteries has been discussed many times. In today's
world batteries are basically all the same and will last years if you drive
the vehicle regularly. We do not. Our vehicles and sitting in the garage or
storage and, as many of us who know this have said, will reduce the life of
the battery very quickly. Use a battery maintainer or floater charger when
it is sitting, take the car for a 20-30 mile drive once a month to give it a
full charge or give it a full change while in storage. Oh yes, idling the
engine will not give the battery life.
I buy inexpensive batteries. The current was purchased 4 years ago from
Walmart. It has been out of the vehicle for 2 years and has been on a
Battery Tender with charger which only holds the charge, however, the
storage charge will deteriorate over time. So I put it on a charger at 10
amps for 15 minutes every few months. Today it is rated as fully charged
and ready to turn over the engine when I get it back together.
Nevertheless, I expect the battery will need to be replaced after I begin to
drive my Healey again on long trips. I have an alternator on my BJ8.
On the other hand, regarding batteries on today's vehicles, my wife drives
an 18 month old Honda CRV. She called me because her car would not start at
her friends home. I brought over the Starter cables jumped the car and drove
it home. Then I put the charger on the battery and suggested she drive the
car longer distances once a week. She was just driving around our small
town visiting her friends etc. and not getting out on the road. An
alternator will not fully charge a battery on short distances especially
when you are operating many electronic items on the car while it is sitting
overnight. She has not had a battery problem since. And, I remember to use
her car when taking a 30 Plus mile trip on the interstate.
Drive your cars gentlemen.
Regards, battery a
Bob Begani
BJ8
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