Re:Now Battery Care

["David Swingle" <dswingle@xxxx>]

A caution is in order for the following. At a tech seminar I attended 
a few years back, Stephen Wynne indicated that they have began to see 
cars that had signs of aluminum deterioration in the engine block due 
to electrolytic action. This was caused by leaving the battery in 
the car, CONNECTED to the car, with a float charger attached. The 
solution to this is simply to disconnect BOTH battery leads when 
float-charging the battery in the car, or remove it entirely. 

What is supposedly going on is that incidental electrical current 
flow was causing aluminum to migrate from the engine to the radiator, 
to the detriment of both. The indication was aluminum gunk in the 
radiator and a thinning of the engine block and cooling tubes. 

Not confirmed from any other source, but it seemed logical to me at 
the time. 

ALSO - note that you want a battery TENDER (aka battery buddy, etc.) not a float charger. Based on the price range given, that is probably what the author meant. The difference is that the tender-type of device actually cycles on and off, whereas the float/trickle charger keeps a constant current flow to the battery. The constant current flow is not as healthy for the battery. The difference in cost between the two is slight. 


Dave Swingle

> 
> One of the best things I have found for car / battery storage is a 
> float charger. They run from $10 to $50 and they keep the battery 
> toped off at all times (without cooking it) which will give you the 
> longest battery life. It also will cover the ma amp draw that the 
> batter has from clocks, alarm systems etc and has the added 
advantage 
> of keeping the memory on your radio, clock and computer.