| MG | -- 08-24-2010 @ 2:09 PM |
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I see in my latest Hemmings Classic Car magazine an ad for a Deltran Battery Tender which claims to "tripple" battery life. Quote: "A battery can not sulfate if it is connected to a Battery Tender" Some sort of super-trick circuitry in this charger which puts out DC pulses at a very high frequency and actually de-sulfates the battery plates. "BatteryMINDer" is another brand which claims the same thing. I recently purchased a Chicago Electric Charger (Model 65834) from Harbor Freight which hums/vibrates while charging and works well but makes no claim to be an "anti-sulfation" charger - I wonder if it is though. Anyway, have any of you had any experiences with these type of anti-sulfation chargers?
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| supereal | -- 08-24-2010 @ 2:39 PM |
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"Anti-sulfation" is a sales gimmick, in my opinion. Sulfation is a natural occurrence in conventional lead-acid batteries. It happens as the battery is discharged and recharged, and the more rapid the charging, the faster the battery declines. Most of us have discovered that the Optima "saturated glass mat" battery is the near perfect choice for old cars. It can be mounted in any position, and does not leak acid to eat away the battery tray, etc. The only drawback is that it must be slowly charged, but will hold a full charge for months or longer, and start your car like is was run yesterday. They are a bit pricier than the old lead acid type, but remember, it isn't what you pay as much as how often you pay it.
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| MG | -- 08-24-2010 @ 2:46 PM |
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I agree with you about the advantages of the Optima but I can't seem to find them in the "Group 2L" size anymore. The Group 2L fits the under the floor installation in my '34. I don't want to install the Optima on it's side or at an angle even though I know you can.
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| supereal | -- 08-24-2010 @ 2:52 PM |
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Sometimes it does take a bit of ingenuity. When I put an Optima in my '47 several years ago. I constructed a wooden box to hold it. I made the sides of the box from "bead board", and routed the top to resemble a conventional battery, complete with three caps. After a coat of black paint, it looks so much like a "real" battery that most can't tell the difference. Don't be afraid to mount the Optima on its side, or any other way it will fit the carrier, as it cannot leak.
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| MG | -- 08-24-2010 @ 2:58 PM |
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I would rather find a Group 2L and have it sit vertical (posts up) as I want to have quick access to those posts.......MG
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| lightflyer1 | -- 08-24-2010 @ 5:30 PM |
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When I bought my Optima I bought two. If you tape them together with duct tape and then black electirical tape it looks more like a regular battery and fits very well like a stock battery. I have my own back up in case one dies. A used dead one would work as well. Being that the floor location in my '35 fordor is inconvienent I have two of the small HF chargers connected and the wire is accessed from under the drivers running board area under the battery. I bought another plug set to cap them when not in use. It works very well for me and is essentially invisible. This message was edited by lightflyer1 on 8-24-10 @ 5:32 PM
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| 40guy | -- 08-24-2010 @ 5:58 PM |
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Sulfation is cause for concern only if the battery remains in a discharged state for an extended period of time. The plates can be damaged to the point the battery cannot be charged or will not hold a charge.
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| 37RAGTOPMAN | -- 08-25-2010 @ 5:32 AM |
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my take on the sulfation issue. if you drive your car and it has this problem , your charging system is set TO HIGH,and need to be ajusted and watched so it does not create that problem,boiling of battery acid, I have used battery tenders with great results,ON A REGUALR AUTO ZONE 6 VOLT BATTERY better then NO CHARGING,does keep the battery charged, but you should keep a eye on it, and run the car every few weeks or months, the worst this you can do is let it sit for 6 months that try starting it, this is my 3 cents worth, 37RAGTOPMAN an KEEP ON TRUCKIN,!!!!!!!!!
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| TomO | -- 08-25-2010 @ 8:00 AM |
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MG, Optima has its own unique size and shape. In order to install one in the upright position in a pre-1940 car, you must make a new battery carrier. If you are going to install it in the 2L case, you must remove the bottom of the battery case and then make a shelf deep enough for the Optima to fit while leaving the battery case sitting on the old carrier. AS Supereal said, there is no way to prevent sulfation, but a fully charged battery on a battery tender will last longer than one that is allowed to self discharge over a period. You must keep a careful watch on the water level and only fill the battery with steam distilled water to ensure the maximum life of about 5 years from a standard battery. Tom
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| tudorbilll | -- 08-25-2010 @ 9:11 AM |
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I have been useing two trickel chargers one for each car.I bought at walmart 4-5 yrs ago still have the same bats. why pay more?
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| MG | -- 08-25-2010 @ 11:36 AM |
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Tom, I don't want to modify my '34 just because Optima no longer makes a battery the same height as a Group 2L. So, unfortunately, I'm stuck with using a "wet" battery in this application.
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| lightflyer1 | -- 08-25-2010 @ 6:27 PM |
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Two will work fine. I'll even send you a dead one if you like. You aren't stuck with a wet one if you don't choose to be. Drove my '35 fordor tonight. Yesterday was 107 here in Austin. Much better today at 94 for a drive. Car started right up after sitting a month due to high temps in the area. Hard to be unhappy when everyone is waving and looking at you.
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| MG | -- 08-25-2010 @ 8:37 PM |
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flyer, You don't understand my post with respect to the height of the Optima 6V Redtop battery. Optima no longer manufactures a battery the same height - 7.813 inches - as a Group 2L battery which fits perfectly under the wooden cover in the floor of my '34. The current Optima 6V Redtop is 8.13 inches - too tall for this application. Again, I want to utilize my existing battery tray with the battery standing vertical - posts up. I will not modify my car in any way in order to accommodate a Optima battery. But we stray from the original topic of my post which was "Anti-Sulfation Battery Chargers"
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| 51f1 | -- 08-26-2010 @ 7:28 AM |
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I'm always straying from the topic. Why stop now? I have never felt the need for an Optima battery. I don't doubt that Optima batteries are superior at a higher price, but don't they just help mask problems in our old vehicles caused by lack of maintenance? I have a conventional Interstate 6-volt lead-acid battery in my truck. It's larger than a size 1, a 2 something-or-other, but I don't know the exact size designation. I don't have any problems with it. I have it sitting on a Battery Mat and I use two of the felt washers on the posts under the clamps. The engine starts instantly under any conditions. There are no corrosion problems. Richard This message was edited by 51f1 on 8-26-10 @ 7:31 AM
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| TomO | -- 08-26-2010 @ 7:44 AM |
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MG, IMHO the anti-sulfation battery chargers will not rejuvenate a battery and will not extend battery life more than the normal 5 year expectation of a well maintained battery. They may help a battery that is fairly new and has been neglected. The humming and vibration that you hear from your charger is the transformer that drops the line voltage from 110V to 7V before it is rectified into DC voltage. Most chargers charge the battery with pulsed DC due to poor filtering in the rectifier circuit. Tom
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| supereal | -- 09-04-2010 @ 9:44 AM |
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The latest issue of the Hagerty Insurance news magazine carries word of a newly available thermoplastic "topper" for the Optima battery that resembles the original type and slips over the Optima. It is called a "tar topper" and sells for $27.50, according to the article. Their web site is www.tartopper.com, phone 602/866-7776
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