Battery maintenance question

[AllBlackBimmer]

OK, since my ranger has now become my daily driver I recently purchased a CTEK 3300 Battery charger/maintainer to use on my other car since it is now sitting a lot... and it has been COLD here as of lately, and when I went to start my car the day, it barely started.

I've had my ranger for about 2 weeks now, and I'm not sure how old the current battery is.

I daily drive this truck, but my drive to work is about 15 miles... 10-12 of which are on the highway.

Should I hook my truck up to my battery charger, say, once a month to top it off? Or should I not even bother?

My truck will not sit for more than 2 days at the most currently. Once its summer again, it may sit a little more, but even than 3-5 days at the MOST.

Thoughts?

I honestly don't know a ton about batteries or what is or isn't "good practice"... I personally hate "electrical things" as I am way more mechanical in nature.

 

[hank857]

Take the battery out and have it bench checked, most parts houses (autozone etc) can do this for free. Also do this for your other vehicle and then see where the battry conditions are at. If good make sure they are both fully charged and then hook the parked one up and keep it on the charger. Dont know what the amps are on the maintainer you have but I have a 3a connected to my big truck and it has no issues with the 2 batteries. This is schaurer/sears maintainer. Also keep my motorcycles on the 1.5A charger/maintianers, no issues.

If both are good and fully charged put the best one in the parked car and the other in the DD to keep it up unless it is marginal good, if so get a new one.

Once the batts are checked, get the charging system checked to see if the alternator is weak. If everything is OK no need to charge up, 15 miles will replace or should what it took to start or at least keep it fairly close.

 

[RonD]

You can usually determine a battery's age, and health, by using a voltmeter

At rest battery voltage can tell you, battery should have been sitting unused for 4 hours or longer, that doesn't mean unhooked just not used to start engine and not recently charged.
12.7 or 12.8 volts is a new battery
12.5v will be between 2 and 4 years old
12.2v will be 5+ years old and will probably crank very slowly or not at all on cold mornings, so time to shop for a battery sale.

Car batteries have thin "plates" so they can discharge alot of amps quickly, these "plates" start to wear out over time and use, a battery can last longer if you don't use it but it will still wear out because it is a chemical reaction that is storing the voltage.
This chemical reaction is faster when warm and slower when cold, which is why a cold battery cranks engine slower, it can't release the amps as fast.
Worse thing that can happen to a Car battery is being drained very low, this will cause faster wear on the "plates", so a battery that may last 6 years would only last 4 years if it was drained down several times.
Deep Cycle batteries have thicker "plates" and can take the draining, but these can not release the amps as fast and these do not like the quick discharge and recharge that happens in a car, although they can be and are used by some.

The thin "plate" car batteries like, and are made for, the quick discharge and recharge of vehicle use.

If you are not use a "smart charger" then I would just charge a battery for an hour or two every few weeks, unhook the battery from vehicle when it won't be used, battery will still self-discharge over time but not as much as if running clock and computer.

If using a "smart charger" then you can leave it hooked up as convenient, these measure battery voltage, so can't overcharge a battery.
Overcharging causes a loss of chemicals so will shorten a battery's life.

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

You can usually determine a battery's age, and health, by using a voltmeter

At rest battery voltage can tell you, battery should have been sitting unused for 4 hours or longer, that doesn't mean unhooked just not used to start engine and not recently charged.
12.7 or 12.8 volts is a new battery
12.5v will be between 2 and 4 years old
12.2v will be 5+ years old and will probably crank very slowly or not at all on cold mornings, so time to shop for a battery sale.

Car batteries have thin "plates" so they can discharge alot of amps quickly, these "plates" start to wear out over time and use, a battery can last longer if you don't use it but it will still wear out because it is a chemical reaction that is storing the voltage.
This chemical reaction is faster when warm and slower when cold, which is why a cold battery cranks engine slower, it can't release the amps as fast.
Worse thing that can happen to a Car battery is being drained very low, this will cause faster wear on the "plates", so a battery that may last 6 years would only last 4 years if it was drained down several times.
Deep Cycle batteries have thicker "plates" and can take the draining, but these can not release the amps as fast and these do not like the quick discharge and recharge that happens in a car, although they can be and are used by some.

The thin "plate" car batteries like, and are made for, the quick discharge and recharge of vehicle use.

If you are not use a "smart charger" then I would just charge a battery for an hour or two every few weeks, unhook the battery from vehicle when it won't be used, battery will still self-discharge over time but not as much as if running clock and computer.

If using a "smart charger" then you can leave it hooked up as convenient, these measure battery voltage, so can't overcharge a battery.
Overcharging causes a loss of chemicals so will shorten a battery's life.

The CTEK unit I bought is a smartcharger... it is pretty fail safe and won't overcharge a battery. A lot of high end car companies (Mercedes, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc.) will take these CTEK units, slap their companies logo on it and mark it up like 500%...

The CTEK 3300 I got shipped to my house of amazon for $50... the same "Ferrari charger" from the dealership is literally $500!!! I get you are buying a premium car, but holy gezzz...

Great info in your post though, thanks!

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

Take the battery out and have it bench checked, most parts houses (autozone etc) can do this for free. Also do this for your other vehicle and then see where the battry conditions are at. If good make sure they are both fully charged and then hook the parked one up and keep it on the charger. Dont know what the amps are on the maintainer you have but I have a 3a connected to my big truck and it has no issues with the 2 batteries. This is schaurer/sears maintainer. Also keep my motorcycles on the 1.5A charger/maintianers, no issues.

If both are good and fully charged put the best one in the parked car and the other in the DD to keep it up unless it is marginal good, if so get a new one.

Once the batts are checked, get the charging system checked to see if the alternator is weak. If everything is OK no need to charge up, 15 miles will replace or should what it took to start or at least keep it fairly close.

Good info!
For my truck I may do this, but my other car is a BMW and is made to keep the battery in the car while changing... BMWs (and other German cars) are SUPER finicky about their electrical systems, and removing the battery, or having one die turns into a HUGE PITA. You can't simply unhook the battery, and then hook it right back up... the car won't start and will go into "transport" mode or some nonsense.

...With my car battery, much like other german cars, I need to "register" my battery to my car when getting a new one which is like $50-100 at the dealership (can do it yourself, but need to OTB scanner and codes, etc) just so the car doesn't overcharge the battery and blow up. I have literally seen pictures where people thought battery registration was BS and had their batteries BLOW UP on them.

 

[RonD]

Good info!
For my truck I may do this, but my other car is a BMW and is made to keep the battery in the car while changing... BMWs (and other German cars) are SUPER finicky about their electrical systems, and removing the battery, or having one die turns into a HUGE PITA. You can't simply unhook the battery, and then hook it right back up... the car won't start and will go into "transport" mode or some nonsense.

...With my car battery, much like other german cars, I need to "register" my battery to my car when getting a new one which is like $50-100 at the dealership (can do it yourself, but need to OTB scanner and codes, etc) just so the car doesn't overcharge the battery and blow up. I have literally seen pictures where people thought battery registration was BS and had their batteries BLOW UP on them.

I gotta shake my head on something like that type of setup.

Cars have been using batteries and generators/alternators since the first electric starter motors were installed.
And we are talking OVER 100 years now.
I have been wrenching for a good 40 of those years and have yet to come across a battery that blew up, overcharged and dried up yes but never blown up.

"SUPER finicky" would not be the way I would describe a system that could "blowup" a battery, any battery.
Poorly made or poorly designed with a lack of proper ventilation would be my nicest description of a system like that, lol.

I can see a company having a list of "approved" batteries that won't void a warranty, I can understand that, not agree with it but understand it.
When you have a poor design with dangerous safety hazard you can either do a recall or make lemon-aid out of the lemon.
They made lemon-aid, instead of costing them money they slap on a Registration Fee to make sure only certain batteries are installed, this covers their butts when a battery does blow up.
Not bad

Not blaming the Germans, but after the Hindenburg disaster I would think they would have learned a bit more about explosive gases and ventilation.
Buy a Ford, they did make the Pinto though, lol

 

[hank857]

You can still take the bmw to a parts house and they can hook up to the battery and still run tests. I guess I now know why they call it a Big Money Wonder! Friend has bmw motorcycles and they are $$ to own/operate. He finally got some japanese ones and rides them all over with less maint requirements.

Last one he bought was one of the can ams, the bmws are basically barn rats now!

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

I gotta shake my head on something like that type of setup.

Cars have been using batteries and generators/alternators since the first electric starter motors were installed.
And we are talking OVER 100 years now.
I have been wrenching for a good 40 of those years and have yet to come across a battery that blew up, overcharged and dried up yes but never blown up.

"SUPER finicky" would not be the way I would describe a system that could "blowup" a battery, any battery.
Poorly made or poorly designed with a lack of proper ventilation would be my nicest description of a system like that, lol.

I can see a company having a list of "approved" batteries that won't void a warranty, I can understand that, not agree with it but understand it.
When you have a poor design with dangerous safety hazard you can either do a recall or make lemon-aid out of the lemon.
They made lemon-aid, instead of costing them money they slap on a Registration Fee to make sure only certain batteries are installed, this covers their butts when a battery does blow up.
Not bad

Not blaming the Germans, but after the Hindenburg disaster I would think they would have learned a bit more about explosive gases and ventilation.
Buy a Ford, they did make the Pinto though, lol

To defend BMW, I've only seen two serious threads where the batteries blew up... And have been a member of 2 highly know bmw forums for the last 5 years..Batteries are also in the trunk not that it makes it any better. And when I say blow up, I don't mean like a pound of C4 in the trunk and a huge explosion.... More of like a melted mess and acid everywhere... Still very dangerous.
I think it was extreme cases, as others have had issues. But not batteries blowing up.
They take particular batteries and have to be registered to the cars CPU or it can cause issues. Older BMWs don't have these issues, but the newer ones with all the electric gizmos and gadgets can get weird if you don't pay attention.

Also not just a. Bmw "issue" but mercedes, audi, etc also have similar electronics and similar battery requirements like registration.

99% of people don't have issues, other than the high cost, you gotta pay to play.

BMWs and other German cars are amazing cars, and super fun to drive. They truly drive,differently than most cars, and really are drivers car. With that said, recemtly they are getting away fro, their roots and losing a little of he enthusiast market. Still make great cars. Germans love to over engineer things. It's a mow fact.

You have to think of them like a supermodel.... You would love to date/marry one, but you KNOW they come with their quirks and issues.

I have always been a car enthusiast... And always will be. If it has a engine and 4 wheels, I'm in. I love my truck as much as my car, but in very different ways.

By no means am I a "bmw fanboy" or a "badge whore"

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

You can still take the bmw to a parts house and they can hook up to the battery and still run tests. I guess I now know why they call it a Big Money Wonder! Friend has bmw motorcycles and they are $$ to own/operate. He finally got some japanese ones and rides them all over with less maint requirements.

Last one he bought was one of the can ams, the bmws are basically barn rats now!

Any jap car or bike will be less maintenance, that's just how it is. I Dont know much about bikes, but do know some guys with bmw bikes who absolutely love them. Also know Honda guys who love their bikes... It's all personal preference.

Germans cars are weird, some people get lucky are have zero issues, some pimple would rather stab themselves in the eye than to deal with another maintenance "issue"...

Race cars, track cars, etc... They are awesome to drive but are super highs maintenance ... It really helps if you know how to wrench on them yourself, which many guys I know with german cars do. You kind of have to think of it that way.

I know more people that work on their own BMWs than Hondas/Toyohashi/etc... Not because they have to, but because they are enthusiast... It's just the nature of the game.

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

Still looking for more input on if it's good practice to hook my truck up to my float charger every now and then even if I'm mostly driving it everyday... Thanks!

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I would say no just replace the battery if you have any doubts and run it the way it is. You should disconnect the battery to charge it so you dont damage the computer. I would be more concerened with the battery cables especially in colder weather. Upgrade to larger cables and add a ground wire from the battery neg to the alternator chassis.

 

[kunar]

I've never disconnected a battery to charge it, and have never had any issues. After all, the alternator charges it while the computer is powered up and controlling the engine, and without any trouble at all.

If you're driving the truck on a regular basis, a maintenance charger isnt gonna do much. It won't hurt though.

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

I've never disconnected a battery to charge it, and have never had any issues. After all, the alternator charges it while the computer is powered up and controlling the engine, and without any trouble at all.

If you're driving the truck on a regular basis, a maintenance charger isnt gonna do much. It won't hurt though.

Yea I'd keep the battery in the truck.
The charger I got is a float charger, not a true trickle charger, so i don't think that is any potential for harm... At least I'm pretty sure of that... It's supposed to be a "smart" charger.

And I agree it may not do much, but so you think even with driving the truck daily the battery is close to 100%?

I bought it two weeks ago, and it's an 04 with 66k on it, so the previous two owners didn't seem to drive it that much... Also not sure how old the current battery is. It looks to b pe "newer" just because it's not all dirty and coroded, but that may not really mean much?

 

[97RangerXLT]

I let my Ranger sit for 2 or 3 weeks at a time and it starts up just fine, and even did so last week in single digit cold weather after sitting for 2 weeks. the battery is about 4 years old in it.

That being said, your smart charger will probably be a little easier on the battery than letting it sit and then starting it..

AJ

 

[AllBlackBimmer]

I let my Ranger sit for 2 or 3 weeks at a time and it starts up just fine, and even did so last week in single digit cold weather after sitting for 2 weeks. the battery is about 4 years old in it.

That being said, your smart charger will probably be a little easier on the battery than letting it sit and then starting it..

AJ

Thanks, yea, I think once I get it (just ordered it Monday) I'll at least hook it up to my truck once just to see how "low" the battery is and charge it up close to 100%... then just by driving it a lot I should be good to go for awhile, and put throw in back once every 4-6 months just for a re-fresh or whatever.