On 07/01/2019 01:17, Commander Kinsey wrote:
On Mon, 07 Jan 2019 00:50:07 -0000, Dave Plowman (News)
wrote:

In article ,
** Commander Kinsey wrote:
On Sat, 05 Jan 2019 18:31:01 -0000, wrote:

On Saturday, 5 January 2019 15:23:19 UTC, Commander Kinsey* wrote:

I wasn't aware lead acids were so fragile.* I have my old car
connected to an old Bradex 4A charger 24/7, as the alarm runs the
battery flat.* The charger indicates it's delivering 0.5 amps after
it's been sat for a while, and I've measured it at 14.4V.* Surely
charging a 60Ah battery at 0.5A (which is a 5 day charge!) can't
possibly break it?

Unregulated chargers have killed many batteries when left on too long.

I'm not so sure lead acids are that fussy.* Everybody tells me you must
never flatten one, yet I've had a battery which I let run completely
flat about 20 times, and it still works fine.* And I don't believe
overcharging it at a 5 day charge rate could kill it.* Oh well, if it
breaks it breaks, I've loads of batteries kicking about.* I'll buy a
nicer charger if it dies.* I was going to get a Li-Ion battery if it
died (they'd have their own charge protection), but since those cost WAY
more than I thought, I won't bother.

The little Lidl/Aldi charger at about 14 quid - similar to Ctek at
several
times the price - changes to a maintenance mode when the battery is fully
charged and can be left like that indefinitely. Very simple to do these
days with electronics.

I'd be most surprised if Li-Ion was worth it for a car starter battery. A
decent lead acid should do 10 years plus of normal use. Any weight saving
hardly worth the considerable extra cost.

I don't think even Rolls Royce fit Li-Ion.

I guess we'll get them when the cost comes down.* Which it'll have to do
if electric cars are to become viable.* But er.... then we won't have
starter batteries :-)

Seem quite popular for Motor Cycles, but I can't think why....

http://www.fastbikegear.co.nz/index....d=18&chapter=1

Dave