Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site linus.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!linus!dhf From: dhf@linus.UUCP (David H. Friedman) Newsgroups: net.auto.tech Subject: Re: Maintenance-Free Batteries Message-ID: <128@linus.UUCP> Date: Fri, 17-Jan-86 10:49:32 EST Article-I.D.: linus.128 Posted: Fri Jan 17 10:49:32 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Jan-86 03:40:50 EST References: <216@hropus.UUCP> Reply-To: dhf@linus.UUCP (David H. Friedman) Distribution: na Organization: The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA Lines: 31 To make a long story short, I just replaced the battery in an '81 Chevette. This was still the original battery, a Delco sealed unit, after 4 years and some months. We had a few cold mornings up here in the Boston suburbs when the thing just barely cranked the engine and died after about 20 seconds of trying. I tried connecting a 6-amp charger overnight; this helped some, but one morning at 0 degrees F. finally did it in. The replacement is an Exide, recommended by the local Chevy dealership. I'm still connecting the charger every night when the temperature is likely to go below freezing, just to be sure it starts next morning with a full charge. There are two things I'd like to know: 1) The ammeter on the charger reads about 4 amps when I turn it on, decreasing to 2 amps when the battery is presumably fully charged - this is to be expected according to the instructions for the charger. Is there any harm in pumping 2 amps or so into a fully charged battery for a few hours? If all it does is generate heat, it could possibly help by raising the temperature of the battery a few degrees. Or am I boiling off or electrolysing some of the water? 2) I replaced the battery clips on the charger cable with a plug to connect through the cigarette-lighter jack. This way the unit can be connected without raising the hood of the car. What limits the amount of current that can safely be pumped in through the lighter jack? So far I haven't blown any fuses. (When I went to shop for a charger, I initially asked for one that could be connected this way. All I got from the clerks at the auto-parts store was funny looks. I later saw one at a discount store, but it was only a half-amp trickle charger, much less than I thought I might need.) Thanks for any help from out there, and no snide comments about the Chevette, please - it does what it was meant to do, all the more so with a new battery!