Hank wrote on 08/03/2007 :
Could I be right in thinking that using a battery charger to recharge
a run-down car battery tends to reduce the life of the battery? On
more than a couple of ocasions, car batteries I have owned have not
survived long after I have used mains plug-in chargers to recharge
them.

The reason the batteries needed charging was not due to any fault in
the battery; it was due to the cars having ben standing, undriven, for
a long time.

Thanks,

Hank

The discharge/charge cycle itself damages batteries, but this is normal
wear and and tear. If you use an old type battery charger which just
charges irrespective of need for charge, it is possible to overcharge
them which is seriously damaging to the battery.

Assuming none of the above, simply leaving a battery to go flat can
cause the most severe form of damage.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk