Battery Maintenance

[dmb]

save you money, one of those freezing 36* L.A. winter nights it will get you.

 

[koozy]

My OE Battery is still ticking and strong. It is 5 years old

I picked up a digital battery analyzer to take the guessing out of it with regards to just a volt meter and the magic eye indicator on the battery, which is still green.

The digital battery analyzer test for CCA, resistance, and power condition without straining the battery.

Result of the 5yr. old OE Battery. Power is good at 13.1v with excellent resistance.

CCA. The 500 on top is what I inputted the battery should be rated at. The bottom number 560 is what the battery tested at

I think I'm on the right path on how I care and maintain my batteries for all of my vehicles.
Here is a 10yr. old original motorcycle battery that came with the bike and it’s strong as ever, 12.5v. It was mfg. in 2008 for my 2009 sportbike.

Battery is putting out 191 CCA well over it's rating for 120.

 

[dmb]

touche' bro

 

[Sekred]

The most important thing is to keep it charged. Sounds obvious but it takes very low discharge for "Sulfation" to occur and this will shorten battery life. How much discharge?. Fully charged is very close to 12.7 volts and sulfation starts to occur around 12.4 - 12.5 volts, a couple of days sitting in the garage is enough for voltage to drop to this level.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Great info! I can say that I've learned a few things from this thread.

But, me being me, I'm going to continue to ignore my battery. Why, you ask? No? You don't? Well I'm still going to tell you. It's because it gives me the perfect excuse to get an AGM battery to replace it so that I can safely continue to not care. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Which one though? I too contemplate this thought...

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[koozy]

I like to see how long I can get away with making things last by testing out theories and rules. I can then apply my acquired experience to my next battery.

I’ve also been looking at agm batteries and planning on how I will fab the box and bracket for the ecu. Current mass produced looks ghetto for my taste. Looking and highly considering Braille 9 or 11lb. If I stay with lead acid, it will probably be a Bosch 96r.

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[TyphoonFiST]

I typically go for XS Power batteries. The preference is purely a holdover from my high powered car audio days because I could beat the ever-loving snot right out of those batteries and they'd keep on going. In my 2012 Fiesta S, I believe I used a XS Power D4700 and had minimal voltage droop with a 2500watt RMS sound system.

The battery size for the Fiesta is BCI Group 96R, and a BCI Group 47 battery like the D4700 will fit. It's a tight fit, but it fits. If you get one, you'll probably want to get a battery heat wrap (AGM batteries don't like high temp and it's cheap insurance), and some XS Power terminal lugs to go along with it. Totally worth the investment IMO.

I was also thinking a 47 group size also....no good AGM in a 96er. No optimas for me...they have gone to the birds in quality as of late....done a lot of warranties in the past on them after they sent production to Mexico after being bought by Johnson controls.

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[Jerickson88]

My OE Battery is still ticking and strong. It is 5 years old

I picked up a digital battery analyzer to take the guessing out of it with regards to just a volt meter and the magic eye indicator on the battery, which is still green.

The digital battery analyzer test for CCA, resistance, and power condition without straining the battery.

Result of the 5yr. old OE Battery. Power is good at 13.1v with excellent resistance.

CCA. The 500 on top is what I inputted the battery should be rated at. The bottom number 560 is what the battery tested at

I think I'm on the right path on how I care and maintain my batteries for all of my vehicles.
Here is a 10yr. old original motorcycle battery that came with the bike and it’s strong as ever, 12.5v. It was mfg. in 2008 for my 2009 sportbike.

Battery is putting out 191 CCA well over it's rating for 120.

Good info, but what does the voltage do when you flip a key? I would say resting voltage and amperage do not always correlate with the output with a load applied. I’m an equipment mechanic. I deal with these salty bastards all day.. arrive at a customer and the battery is 6 months old, test the voltage, 12.67v, flip the switch to start 9.2v or less. Or 12.48v and it starts and you monitor as the equipment runs, it should jump over 13, but yote hovering around 11, and it’s steadily dropping. The story of my life!

 

[koozy]

Testing resting state of the battery assures if the battery itself is good or not. I got the battery analyzer because there’s more than voltage output that needs to be ascertained to properly diagnose the condition of a battery. Hard to diagnose a weak or dead cell by just reading voltage.

If a car or operating equipment is having issues with a known and properly tested battery, then the issue most likely lies elsewhere within the charging system. Just got to isolate and test each component. Corroded or high resistance through cables is common with older machines and those exposed to unkind elements.


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[Jerickson88]

Testing resting state of the battery assures if the battery itself is good or not. I got the battery analyzer because there’s more than voltage output that needs to be ascertained to properly diagnose the condition of a battery. Hard to diagnose a weak or dead cell by just reading voltage.

If a car or operating equipment is having issues with a known and properly tested battery, then the issue most likely lies elsewhere within the charging system. Just got to isolate and test each component. Corroded or high resistance through cables is common with older machines and those exposed to unkind elements.


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That’s true. I was referring to damaged cells. I just got rid of a battery that read in the 12’s resting but couldn’t hang with starting my mower. Purchased a new battery, no issues. You’re right, a resting test does help point you in the right direction.

My wife’s grandfather replaces batteries at the end of the warranty period regardless. I believe if it’s working, it will continue to do so, until it doesn’t lol

I had an 03 Dakota with the original battery.. replaced it in 2014 when my alternator went out and drained it to the point of shorting. I charged it overnight flipped the key and it exploded. That’s the coolest thing I never want to see again. I needed to change my shorts

 

[Intuit]

I can relate to wanting to see how long something can last.
Had a battery that wore out in a rather unusual way.
It had plenty to crank the vehicle, but just had no capacity.
It didn't have the capacity to run the hazard lights for five minutes.
But had plenty of cranking amps to briskly turn-over the engine.
Found out the hard way; finally replacing it after the second time I had to get a jump.

Negative temperatures are forecast for this coming Tuesday overnight.

Announcing the imminent demise of a short-lived OEM battery.
I had looked at the battery last week Monday.
I've already known that the cranks have been unusually slow. (terminals are clean)
Magic eye was again, black. There was a puddle of water beneath it.
Didn't bother with a visual check of the plates.
I remember electrically checking the individual plates and all but the last cell closest to the negative post were reading the same voltage.

Battery is as old as the 2016 car.
It was allowed to sit long enough to get very low mid last year; maybe something like 10.8v.
Most of my miles/starts go to the motorcycle though... so the FiST has done a lot of sitting.

I'll be looking for AGM.

I typically go for XS Power batteries. The preference is purely a holdover from my high powered car audio days because I could beat the ever-loving snot right out of those batteries and they'd keep on going. In my 2012 Fiesta S, I believe I used a XS Power D4700 and had minimal voltage droop with a 2500watt RMS sound system.

The battery size for the Fiesta is BCI Group 96R, and a BCI Group 47 battery like the D4700 will fit. It's a tight fit, but it fits. If you get one, you'll probably want to get a battery heat wrap (AGM batteries don't like high temp and it's cheap insurance), and some XS Power terminal lugs to go along with it. Totally worth the investment IMO.

What are the risks in going with a radically higher density power battery? Are critical defects or malfunctions more likely? Are there potentially higher consequences if a malfunction or defect, such as shorted cell, were to arise? I know most car alternators aren't really designed to charge batteries for long periods; high density or not.

 

[koozy]

If no one picked up on it, I posted this image back in post 1. I’ve kept all of my batteries on a tender at 1.5amps whenever the battery is not in use for long periods of time. My motorcycle battery is 10yrs. And strong because of this IMO.

For the first few years I did nothing with the FiST battery until I popped the caps off and saw some plates barely being exposed with sulfate.

I was able to restore the FiST battery and de sulfate with the 1.5amp tender. I never disconnect the tender from the battery until i am ready to use it. The tender is fully automated. It’s too easy to use, more people should consider it and not let a battery die needlessly. Top off each cell with distilled water.

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[M-Sport fan]

I would invest in one of those IF I were planning on staying with flooded acid cell (standard type) batteries in the future.

But since I plan on going to an AGM (EnerSys Odyssey PC1100 to be exact) when the factory lead acid deal dies, and already own a combo full charge, and trickle/tender/maintenance charger for those (an Odyssey specific/labeled Schumacher) left over from my last car, it is not worth it for me.

 

[koozy]

The battery tender I have works with flooded and AGM batteries. My motorcycle battery is agm. I originally got the tender for the motorcycle battery, but it has paid for itself by keeping my car batteries in good charge. 1.5amps is low for a car battery, but it works and slow charging is best.


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[M-Sport fan]

Reviving this to ask a question of koozy, since he seems to have done his homework on the minutiae involving the factory Motorcraft battery.

Just how much credence does the 'green eye' function hold, as far as the battery being 'salvageable' or not??

In other words; have you ever brought yours back from the 'dead' (dark/NO green eye showing) with topping up electrolyte, and charging/desulfating?

I know that actual static charge, and of course, the carbon load test charge/discharge is the actual ultimate proof of battery life, but once that green eye goes dead, is that a definite indication of some sort of internal grid/plate damage which will result in a quick and no warning discharge/death, even if it is brought back with the above mentioned 'rehabilitation' (as I have done on mine, albeit with a cheap, crappy, Husky charger from my brother)?

I only need for this thing to last as long as it takes for Odyssey to release their 96R sized AGM, which is supposed to happen in early June, but we all know how those things go when it comes to release dates for aftermarket products for this car (even though it is a COMMON size battery for ALL modern Fords-makes one wonder WHY NO ONE has developed an AGM in that exact size until now ).

 

[koozy]

Green eye can go away and come back depending on the charge condition of the battery, which relies on the car's charging system condition. Let the car sit for months and the green eye will go away. If the cells are still good and has sufficient fluid, the battery can be brought to life with the green eye on a low trickle charge.

The best test is a load test as I posted earlier. The magic eye is only an indicator that tells ~80% of the story.

It doesn’t hurt to charge a battery or keep it charged. It will either take the charge or not. Worse case it explodes, usually related to operator error. Protect yourself, use your noodle, and be safe.

 

[M-Sport fan]

My factory battery ran down, and most likely lost the green eye (and I'm guessing ran down to below where the alternator could not bring it back, even on a long trip) due to listening to the radio/CD with the engine not running for (sometimes) extended periods of time (sometimes over half an hour), and not from sitting idle, as it is driven every day, albeit not always for long trips.

I guess the fact that the green eye came back at least shows a chance of it lasting a couple more months until that Odyssey AGM is released, but I will get it carbon load tested at the local AAA store next week anyway to be sure.

 

[koozy]

Fluid should be topped off to where it should be. It’s important IMO. And should be fully charged before testing if you’re going to go through the trouble. No point in testing a weak battery, it won’t tell you much other than it’s weak or okay. No guaranty the battery you’re waiting for will arrive on time.


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[Intuit]

[MENTION=4438]M-Sport fan[/MENTION] : It's pretty much been stuck on either black or an extremely faint yellow if a strong light is shined on it. It was tested late January and they put 100% for battery condition on the invoice. It cranked over fine on single digit (Fahrenheit) mornings. So, my announcement based on that "magic eye" was apparently, extremely premature.

................ Negative temperatures are forecast for this coming Tuesday overnight.

Announcing the imminent demise of a short-lived OEM battery.
I had looked at the battery last week Monday.
I've already known that the cranks have been unusually slow. (terminals are clean)
Magic eye was again, black. There was a puddle of water beneath it.
Didn't bother with a visual check of the plates.
I remember electrically checking the individual plates and all but the last cell closest to the negative post were reading the same voltage.

Battery is as old as the 2016 car.
It was allowed to sit long enough to get very low mid last year; maybe something like 10.8v.
Most of my miles/starts go to the motorcycle though... so the FiST has done a lot of sitting.

I'll be looking for AGM. ....................................

 

[dmb]

Cosco has interstate battery's, I've use them in my class 8 trucks for 30 years and IMHO they are the best. they don't pro-rate their battery's. So if you bring it in the last day, they give you a new one. and you can go to any interstate dealer anywhere and that helps, if your stuck in elephant breath Iowa. truck n fuc.