"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
...
On Oct 11, 2:41 pm, "RogerN" wrote:
"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message

...
On Oct 11, 1:09 pm, "RogerN" wrote: This winter I'd
like to try to keep my batteries in good condition if
possible. I've got a zero turn mower, tractor, truck, backhoe, marine
batteries for the boat, I've counted 8 lead acid batteries to maintain
in
all. My goal is to keep everything charged to be ready when I need it
and
have my batteries to still be good next year when I need to mow again.

Possibilities are on-board automatic chargers or perhaps use
weatherproof
connectors and running cables to a cabinet with chargers. Not sure if I
should run 120V to each vehicle for an on board charger or run the
chargers
in a cabinet and run 12V charge leads to each battery. Just wondering
if
any here have recommendations or good/bad experiences with such?

RogerN

\
\How cold does it get at your location?
\
\How many sunny days do you have at your location?
\
\TMT
\

I'm not far from St Louis, it's warmer than Chicago but it's not unusual
to
get a few 4WD snow days a year. That's the problem I had last year, my 1
ton 4WD truck doesn't get driven much unless I have to haul something or
need the 4WD. We had a snow day and I needed to take the truck and had to
charge the trucks (F350 diesel with 2 batteries) for a couple of hours
before it would start. This year I'm wanting to keep the truck ready to
go
plus try to keep the seasonal batteries in shape for next year. I already
have a few bad batteries but I'd like to have automatic charging working
before buying new batteries. The backhoe is handy year around but only
using it every couple of months keeps the batteries dying.

RogerN

Okay...much more adverse environment than we have here in southern CA.

Anything that NEEDS to run during the winter should have a trickle
charger and engine heater.

Anything else you can charge on a regular basis...just keep the charge
topped off or the batteries will freeze.

Be careful enclosing any charger...they do need ventilaton. I came
very close to burning a van up by closing the hood on the van with a
charger inside...I caught it as it was smoking.

It is better to run a 110v extension cord than to run long 12v
lines...low voltage lines drop too much voltage and give the charger
an errorous indication as to its charge.

A comment on trickle chargers...I have had several batteries killed by
chargers that overcharged the batteries.

Also in my experience smart chargers are not so smart...I have seen
them not charge batteries or overcharge them....always watch them.

TMT

TMT knows about trickles. His mommies trickle their spooge into his eye as
he watches them through the peephole he drilled into the basement ceiling.