I just have to wonder what some people are thinking, use logic, don,t assume

Grumpy

The Grumpy Grease Monkey mechanical engineer.
Staff member
I got a call from one of the local guys that was having trouble keeping his battery charged,
any time you have a problem, it pays to verify the basics and to think logically,
are the battery cables corroded?,
did you leave the interior lights on?
how old is the battery?
is the alternator putting out about 14.5 volts at idle?
theres usually a reason why battery's go dead, even if the car sat un-used for a couple days time...
but you better have a float/trickle charger on that battery if the car sits for weeks at a time un-used.
he had a HF battery charger (float charger on the cars battery)
(so he was aware of the potential problem and doing what was needed to prevent the issue!)
and the little red led was on, showing the battery was not totally dead,
but his starter would not do more than click!
image_11311.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic- ... 69955.html

I had a cheap but functional multi meter in my car so I start to diagnose the issue

image_493.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/ac-dc-digi ... 37772.html
the battery shows about 10.7 volts, on the multi-meter.
I check the HF trickle/float charger and there's zero voltage,coming out of the two clip connectors, I check to see if its correctly plugged into the extension cord,
its plugged into and the female end of the extension cord ,
that the float charger is plugged into looks like a good connection,
but just to be sure I grab a drop light and plug it into the extension..
there's no power, the light (LED) on the float charger is lit because the battery has some current ,
not because there's current feeding it from the extension cord...
theres nothing wrong with that float charger that plugging it in to an electrical outlet would not cure!
I trace 50 feet of extension cord across the shop floor only too find.....
its not plugged into an electrical outlet, its male ends laying on the floor,
he grudgingly admitted he had unplugged it a week earlier,
when he used a power saw and forgot to re-plug the extension cord when he was done.
OK we all screw up occasionally,we all have done similar things
but I would think checking to see if the float charger was getting power was..
a NO BRAINER AT SOME POINT,
yeah we have all been there done that and got the tee shirt

I ask him if he has a battery charger.... he points to the H.F. float charger
.
.
I explain that the float charger will NEVER recharge the car battery it will require at least a decent trickle charger.. float chargers basically supply just enough current to off set the cars internal electronic drain in a car that,s not in use, there's no way they actually re-charge a depleted battery

I would suggest you don,t waste money on a cheap HF battery charger like this one I linked as they have a well documented history of not lasting very long in
service


https://www.harborfreight.com/10250-amp-12v-manual-charger-with-engine-start-60653.html

IDEALLY SOMETHING LIKE THIS
$250
Walmart #: 550865501

Schumacher 300/200/60/30 Amp Manual Starter/Charger with Tester
charty1.jpg




but most guys won,t invest that much and will select something like this
Schumacher 10 Amp Fully Automatic/Manual Deep-Cycle Charger
batchth.png



I drive back to my home and get a battery trickle charger he can use over night but I tell him he needs to buy a decent quality trickle charger....

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/battery-charger-for-the-shop.928/#post-55878

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/battery-life.11172/#post-50085

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/trickle-charger.10294/page-2#post-41758
 
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That is what I call CRS, and in a few seconds, you can forget what you were doing the minute before, like plugging the charger back in when you were through with the saw and put it back on the shelf. Getting older is great--just the s"""t that comes with it isn't!!!
 
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