[ramzsys]

Can i charge a discharged car battery by connecting it to the home UPS(the battery alone, with the UPS battery removed)?

[amitk26]

Well my Safari battery ( Amron 80 AH) is going strong for 5 years got it checked from exide shop last week and all the cells are perfect in specific gravity measurement and voltage check.

I charge my phone and leave charger in socket , run a car refrigirator of 18Liter capacity on long trips and always play FM radio and blower is almost always on at 1 or 2.

I do shut down the engine at traffic intersections whenever the timer shows more then 60 seconds of wait time. Safari has follow me home feature so headlights remain on for good one minute after you shut down the engine.

This is despite the fact that the battery spills out lot of acid as I drive a lot on irregular roads and for last 3.5 years whenever bonnet is opened some or the other "expert" recommends battery replacement by just looks of it.

So my take on this battery issue.

1. Always make sure that your alternator is in good shape. If you have a multimeter at home then perodically you should check if alternator is giving out proper voltage across the terminals.

2. Get the battery topped up with distilled water everytime , In SUVs there is a lot of roll so don't bother much if some acid is being spilled out. Just clean the salts with water periodically.

3. I have no amps and subwoofers just plain 4 Component speakers in front and rear rows , So probably being frugal on current requirement helps.


Last but not the least a good quality battery helps , I have seen in other cars that exide and SF last lot less then Amron.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Can i charge a discharged car battery by connecting it to the home UPS(the battery alone, with the UPS battery removed)?

I guess the battery will charge if connected properly and may charge quicker than normal.

What is the home UPS capacity at your house?

Battery guys charge the battery after topping up in the same way.

Cheers,
Anurag

[desertfox]

If the current from the transformer is about 5 to 7 Amperes it can easily charge an automobile battery in 10 to 12 hours.

Depends on which battery it is, if it is a smaller battery of an Alto, Santro, Wagon R etc. it can be charged with lower capacity transformers.

What i have mentioned above it good for 50 - 55 AH batteries to 75 - 80 AH batteries.

Can someone also post here the AH of the smaller car batteries in India ?

[dutta_d1]

Originally Posted by rxpaul

In the event of your car remaining unused for say 1 month, do you disconnect the battery or should you remove it altogether (and store it outside the car)? Also, how to prevent battery leaks or paint discolourations due to battery leaks or fumes.

I had left my beloved RX100 with battery in situ,all packed up, covered for about 1 year and returned to find that the battery fumes had discoloured the plastic side panels & i had some rust points on the bike frame. This despite the fact that i had placed the battery in an unsealed plastic pouch with the drain line open and connected to the long plastic downtube.

Generally it is not necessary to remove the battery altogether. It would be sufficient to just pull out the +ve terminal. But all batteries have some amount of self discharge. And surely they don't last for 1 full year. It is advisable to fully recharge them once in 2 months max if you don't use it.

What must have happened is the battery got fully discharged and started leaking acid. A well charged battery in good condition is not likely to emit so much acid to damage paint.

Originally Posted by ramzsys

Can i charge a discharged car battery by connecting it to the home UPS(the battery alone, with the UPS battery removed)?

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I guess the battery will charge if connected properly and may charge quicker than normal.

What is the home UPS capacity at your house?

Battery guys charge the battery after topping up in the same way.

Cheers,
Anurag

It is not advisable to do so. UPSes are designed to charge batteries of different capacities and technologies (constant cycle) which can withstand higher charging rates, etc. and may damage car batteries. However, you can buy some chargers explicitly designed for car batteries for around 500 bucks.
I also saw a solar powered car battery charger that you can hook to your car battery if not using the car for a long time and it is supposed to keep it charged. Not sure if it works though, and is a bit expensive.

Originally Posted by desertfox

If the current from the transformer is about 5 to 7 Amperes it can easily charge an automobile battery in 10 to 12 hours.

Depends on which battery it is, if it is a smaller battery of an Alto, Santro, Wagon R etc. it can be charged with lower capacity transformers.

What i have mentioned above it good for 50 - 55 AH batteries to 75 - 80 AH batteries.

Can someone also post here the AH of the smaller car batteries in India ?

Car batteries can anywhere from range from 25 AH to 100 AH.

E.g. of some smaller cars-
Tata Nano = 25 AH
Maruti 800 = 35 AH

[veyron_head]

Had posted this in another thread as well, but couldn't get an answer. I had left the headlights on atleast 5 times in the last two months (absent minded me!). The battery got drained completely everytime and had to jump start all the 5 times. Now the car doesn't start with the usual first crank sometimes. It also needs a taller crank to start. Should I consider changing the battery?

I have a couple of long drives coming up in the next two weeks and I dont want be stranded on the highway because of this. Would greatly appreciate if someone can advise me on this.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by veyron_head

Had posted this in another thread as well, but couldn't get an answer. I had left the headlights on atleast 5 times in the last two months (absent minded me!). The battery got drained completely everytime and had to jump start all the 5 times. Now the car doesn't start with the usual first crank sometimes. It also needs a taller crank to start. Should I consider changing the battery?

I have a couple of long drives coming up in the next two weeks and I dont want be stranded on the highway because of this. Would greatly appreciate if someone can advise me on this.

5 times? Frankly speaking, that is a blasphemy!

But looks like the battery needs some charging. Does the cranking sounds lazy or lethargic?

You won't get stranded IMO on the longer drives (until again you decide to keep the headlights on) and may in fact recharge your battery in the process, esp. if the drive is through the day, but charging the battery would clear the air around it.

Regards,
Saket

[drsingh]

Originally Posted by veyron_head

Had posted this in another thread as well, but couldn't get an answer. I had left the headlights on atleast 5 times in the last two months (absent minded me!). The battery got drained completely everytime and had to jump start all the 5 times. Now the car doesn't start with the usual first crank sometimes. It also needs a taller crank to start. Should I consider changing the battery?

I have a couple of long drives coming up in the next two weeks and I dont want be stranded on the highway because of this. Would greatly appreciate if someone can advise me on this.

Car batteries do not tolerate deep discharges and it affects their life badly. You should get the voltage checked of all individual cells and see if any of them got damaged irreversibly. Also give an equalizing charge to the battery to try and get it back to 100%.It just means giving a full charge by low amperage and overcharging by about 10%.

If the above measures do not solve the problem, change your battery asap. Don't stress your starter motor for long if it can be avoided by replacing your battery.

[veyron_head]

Originally Posted by saket77

5 times? Frankly speaking, that is a blasphemy!

Regards,
Saket

he he! LOL! I know! But there is a reason to it. In my work place, we can either park in the basement or in a open ground nearby. I go to the basement first everyday with the lights on and come back to the open if i cant find parking in the basement. When I park in the open the lights would be still on and I cant figure out in the sunlight.

But yes, I need to be more careful. Trying to learn to switch the lights first and then the engine. Maruti onroad service charged me Rs.435 everytime to jump start the car. I should either learn to switch off the lights or buy a jump start kit.

[amitk26]

Originally Posted by veyron_head

But yes, I need to be more careful. Trying to learn to switch the lights first and then the engine. Maruti onroad service charged me Rs.435 everytime to jump start the car. I should either learn to switch off the lights or buy a jump start kit.

435 Every time !!! better call myTVS roadside assistance next time they charge just 500Rs for year and will visit you 5 times at no additional charge.
Also no previous enrolment is required so you can pay and enroll whenever you are stranded.

Also there is an Exide batmobile service FOC for jump starting

Disclaimer : I have not availed either of these till now( touchwood)

[saket77]

Originally Posted by amitk26

435 Every time !!! better call myTVS roadside assistance next time they charge just 500Rs for year and will visit you 5 times at no additional charge.
Also no previous enrolment is required so you can pay and enroll whenever you are stranded.

Also there is an Exide batmobile service FOC for jump starting

Disclaimer : I have not availed either of these till now( touchwood)

On a funny note, you are actually encouraging veyron_head to leave his lights on!

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

What is the home UPS capacity at your house

Originally Posted by desertfox

If the current from the transformer is about 5 to 7 Amperes it can easily charge an automobile battery in 10 to 12 hours.

Can someone also post here the AH of the smaller car batteries in India ?

http://www.powerzoneindia.com/produc...batteries.aspx

This link gives the Ah rating of Indian cars. The two digit number after PZ gives this value.

The UPS manual says it can provide 5(+/-)1 A. The battery that i use at home is 100AH capacity.

The car battery that is supposed to be charged is a 60Ah one.

[sohail99]

Can we use lithium ion battery in our cars?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aexPaVHDRzc

[RM2488]

Originally Posted by sohail99

Can we use lithium ion battery in our cars?

If the battery has inbuilt circuitry to make it compatible as a direct replacement, then yes.

Lithium-ions have some disadvantages as well (preventing direct compatibility)-
1. They can explode when punctured. Therefore the battery needs a metal/composite casing for automotive applications.
2. Special charging needs: Lithium-ion as well as lithium-polymers require a specific charging cycle. Therefore, a "raw" lithium battery directly connected to your car is liable to explode or ignite (the electrolyte is also flammable).
3. Expensive compared to lead-acid.
4. Limits on current capability.
5. Smaller range of temperatures considered operational.

Again, we're going

[desertfox]

Your home inverter charger will do the job, in an overnight charge of about 10 to 12 hours if the current is 5 AMP.

Why an inverter charger circuit differs from an automobile battery dedicated charger is that a home inverter charger is constantly connected to charging, thus a slower rate over a longer period of 20 hours for a full charge will be more desirable. Here many models are actually servo thyrister controlled.

An auto battery charger is a simple thing, often no control circuit, just about a 5 AMP rated IN 4000 series type diode rectifier and a condensor for filtering, it is a cruder current with usually no control and smoothening.