Battery Tender

[TheViper]

A battery maintainer is as it is called, a "maintainer", and used to keep a charged battery fully charged. It is not meant to "charge" a depleted battery, (however it may do it in a extended period) such as yours, for that you need a battery charger.
Michael

Originally Posted by goldfive

I just hooked up my Battery Tender Jr yesterday, and as of today it still has the red light on indicating it's still charging the battery. This seems like too long, i mean it's been probably 24 hours now since I hooked it up. I will say, however, that prior to hooking it up, I found the car wouldn't start. I jumped it with my other car, and took it for a short drive. When I came back, I hooked it up to the tender.

So, in short, the red light has been on (steady, not flashing) for about 24 hours. I have the black alligator clip connected to a little protrusion on the engine block, since the directions don't say to hook it up to the negative terminal. Any suggestions as to why the red light has been on for so long?

[goldfive]

Originally Posted by Demonized

You cannot charge a dead battery with this product.

well, technically my battery was not "dead" since I jumped it and then took it for a drive. I parked it, then started it up again for the return home. Upon arriving home, I hooked it up to the BT Jr. My point is, the battery had enough juice to start up on it's own, so it wasn't completely depleted.

[Gizmo3000]

Originally Posted by goldfive

I just hooked up my Battery Tender Jr yesterday, and as of today it still has the red light on indicating it's still charging the battery. This seems like too long, i mean it's been probably 24 hours now since I hooked it up. I will say, however, that prior to hooking it up, I found the car wouldn't start. I jumped it with my other car, and took it for a short drive. When I came back, I hooked it up to the tender.

So, in short, the red light has been on (steady, not flashing) for about 24 hours. I have the black alligator clip connected to a little protrusion on the engine block, since the directions don't say to hook it up to the negative terminal. Any suggestions as to why the red light has been on for so long?

I'm not an expert on batteries, but (having stored a car prior to owning a tender/mindr)
I've found that once a car battery has been drained/discharged and left sitting for any amount of time like that, it's no longer the same - even if it appears to charge up again.
the usually symptoms are that it's unable to hold a charge for more than a week, then a few days, then next thing ya know it'll be dead the next morning unless you keep it constantly charged.

So my guess is that you're battery is now crippled to some degree, unable to hold a complete charge, and that's why the battery tender is unable to top it off with a complete charge?

Keep your eye on it, and consider getting the battery checked out before it flat out dies on you at the wrong moment when you wanna take the car for spin.

[goelise]

Originally Posted by goldfive

I just hooked up my Battery Tender Jr yesterday, and as of today it still has the red light on indicating it's still charging the battery. This seems like too long, i mean it's been probably 24 hours now since I hooked it up. I will say, however, that prior to hooking it up, I found the car wouldn't start. I jumped it with my other car, and took it for a short drive. When I came back, I hooked it up to the tender.

So, in short, the red light has been on (steady, not flashing) for about 24 hours. I have the black alligator clip connected to a little protrusion on the engine block, since the directions don't say to hook it up to the negative terminal. Any suggestions as to why the red light has been on for so long?

You have the Battery Tender Jr. - as long as that red light is on (not flashing) it means its charging - the Jr. takes a while to charge since its only doing it at .75amps. I have this one and the Battery Tender plus - the plus charges a battery to 100% capacity much faster.

So rest assured - it should get there - just be patient. Please let us know after a few more days of the battery tender jr does not display the green light.

[glb]

IIRC, which is unlikely, once a battery is depleted enough to need a charge, it's life is shortned by about 15%. Maybe 20.

Driving a car to charge the battery requires min of 45 minutes; lots of other factors. It takes 20 min just to make up for starting the car.

I think...

[TheViper]

There is one solution to both maintaining, charging and reversing the detrimental effects on a dead battery caused by moderate sulfation. The latest units, both charge, maintain, de-sulfate (recondition), and include other useful functions, they can be purchased for about $70. I have had a Black & Decker unit for a few years, that I purchased at Walmart, that works very well.

[Kaliuzhkin]

Originally Posted by TheViper

There is one solution to both maintaining, charging and reversing the detrimental effects on a dead battery caused by moderate sulfation. The latest units, both charge, maintain, de-sulfate (recondition), and include other useful functions, they can be purchased for about $70. I have had a Black & Decker unit for a few years, that I purchased at Walmart, that works very well.

If you talk to the tech. people at BatteryMinder VDC Electronics (Automotive Battery Chargers*::*Battery Chargers by BatteryMINDers.com) they'll tell you sulphuration is rampant. They say it starts when the battery is put on the store's shelves and only stops when charging. It accelerates when the battery is heavily discharged.

My evidence in support: I'm now charging a Napa SureStart 65, the battery the came with the car, with a Black and Decker Smart Battery Charger and it gives the F03 error message, meaning either a problem with a cell or sulfuration. By leaving the dome light on, I severely drained this battery.

AFAIK, the following chargers reduce sulfuration by high frequency pulses:

VDC Electronics BatteryMINDer Charger, Maintainer, Desulphator, various models;
CTEK models 3300, 7000 and 7002 (thanks, The Viper) http://www.ctek.com;
RediPulse 6/12 Volt Charge/Maintenance System # RP612;
Solar 16-amp Pro-Logix™ Automatic Battery Charger;
CENTURY AUTOMATIC 10-AMP PULSE BATTERY CHARGER.

[RoadDad]

I have a BatteryMINDer Plus. I have used it to resurrect a car battery from 1.6V to now works wonderfully. It took a long time to do so though. Desulfating the battery first was the key. It was about 1 year ago so gestimates on the time frames. That 1.6V will forever be etched into my memory and the memory of Chris at Advanced when he double checked it for me . I put the charger into desulfation mode and left it for about 1 week. Rechecked the charge and it was somewhere around 4V. Recheck in another week and it was about 6V. Somewhere close to 3 1/2 weeks or so it was over 11V. Then put the charger into charge mode and got up to 13.6V. It then went into automatic desulfation mode. That battery can sit for over a month without dropping below 12V although I keep it on the BatteryMinder routinely now. I need to drive that car more I guess...

Love my BatteryMinder plus .

[TheViper]

F03 almost certainly means that the battery voltage is too low for the charger to operate. The problem with these "smart" chargers is that they interpret a voltage of below about 7.5V as a defective cell and will not operate. The answer is to either jump start it or get a "dumb" charger to bring the voltage up.
Michael

Originally Posted by Kaliuzhkin

I'm now charging a Napa SureStart 65, the battery the came with the car, with a Black and Decker Smart Battery Charger and it gives the F03 error message, meaning either a problem with a cell or sulfuration. By leaving the dome light on, I severely drained this battery..

[Kaliuzhkin]

Originally Posted by TheViper

F03 almost certainly means that the battery voltage is too low for the charger to operate. The problem with these "smart" chargers is that they interpret a voltage of below about 7.5V as a defective cell and will not operate. The answer is to either jump start it or get a "dumb" charger to bring the voltage up.
Michael

Any other explanation? This F03 error pops up after the charger says the battery is charged to FUL, and when the battery voltage is at least 12.5. ??

That's why I believe its detecting the sulfuration.

Is it possible that the water level in one of the cells is too low?

[TheViper]

Yes there are other, such as a defective cell, but from your explanation I believe the voltage is too low to charge, the same happened to me. Can you put a volt meter on the battery terminals? Water level will not give you that read out. Tell me more about the battery...age etc?
Michael

Originally Posted by Kaliuzhkin

Any other explanation? This F03 error pops up after the charger says the battery is charged to FUL, and when the battery voltage is at least 12.5. ??

That's why I believe its detecting the sulfuration.

Is it possible that the water level in one of the cells is too low?

[glb]

volts are nice, but amps count.

But, assuming you have a voltmeter & not an ammeter, try this test:

Hook up to battery, try cranking car. If voltage drops below, say, 10.5, battery is likely gone, irretrievable, kaput, 86d, finished...gone to a lead-er place...

Viper, you are a good guy.

[Kaliuzhkin]

Originally Posted by TheViper

Yes there are other, such as a defective cell, but from your explanation I believe the voltage is too low to charge, the same happened to me. Can you put a volt meter on the battery terminals? Water level will not give you that read out. Tell me more about the battery...age etc?
Michael

Michael and GLB: I removed this battery (NAPA) and replaced it with a brand new Exide. What I know about voltage is what the Black & Decker Smart Battery Charger tells me.

The NAPA battery was the original battery that came with the car. Its a 2006 Elise, probably build date Spring, 2005. It stayed at Manhattan MotorCar in the Hampton's until Autumn, 2007, then was moved to the Manhattan showroom and I bought it in November, 2007. It had about 250 miles on it when I bought it. It did seem a bit weak at times but the first time it wouldn't start the car was December 23, 2008, after I left it in the cold for about a week.

[ChrisH]

Is there a risk to the car's electronics from the pulse desulfating mode of the BatteryMinder Plus (while the charger and batter are connected to the car)? I would like to hear from people actually using the BatteryMinder Plus on their Elise (for example, through the lighter socket, and letting it get to the maintenance/desulfation mode).

[RoadDad]

ChrisH,

I have a BMPlus attached to the Elise as well via ring terminals installed on the battery. I have also used the power socket on occasion. It is typically in desulfation mode for extended periods of time. I haven't had any electronic issues in 2 years. YMMV.

[ChrisH]

Originally Posted by RoadDad

ChrisH,

I have a BMPlus attached to the Elise as well via ring terminals installed on the battery. I have also used the power socket on occasion. It is typically in desulfation mode for extended periods of time. I haven't had any electronic issues in 2 years. YMMV.

Thanks!

[Gizmo3000]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

Is there a risk to the car's electronics from the pulse desulfating mode of the BatteryMinder Plus (while the charger and batter are connected to the car)? I would like to hear from people actually using the BatteryMinder Plus on their Elise (for example, through the lighter socket, and letting it get to the maintenance/desulfation mode).

I've had no probs with teh BMPlus while connected thru the Cig lighter either.

[sleepe]

I use the battery tender jr. and a battery cut-off switch if I don't have my battery tender.
I got the switch here:Battery Switches

It's the same one s111 sells...slight price break though!

[TheViper]

After a little more research F03 does indeed indicate an open cell which could be caused by sulfate and you need to go into the recondition mode.
Michael

Originally Posted by Kaliuzhkin

Any other explanation? This F03 error pops up after the charger says the battery is charged to FUL, and when the battery voltage is at least 12.5. ??

That's why I believe its detecting the sulfuration.

Is it possible that the water level in one of the cells is too low?

The instructions for my charger in the recondition mode says to disconnect the battery.
Michael

Originally Posted by ChrisH

Is there a risk to the car's electronics from the pulse desulfating mode of the BatteryMinder Plus (while the charger and batter are connected to the car)? I would like to hear from people actually using the BatteryMinder Plus on their Elise (for example, through the lighter socket, and letting it get to the maintenance/desulfation mode).

[Kaliuzhkin]

Originally Posted by sleepe

I use the battery tender jr. and a battery cut-off switch if I don't have my battery tender.
I got the switch here:Battery Switches

It's the same one s111 sells...slight price break though!

Disconnecting the battery should set off the alarm. How does a cut-off switch avoid setting off the alarm?

I'm looking at switches that automatically disconnect the battery if the battery power gets too low. How do those switches avoid setting off the alarm?

Priority Start® Standard Battery Protector - GEMPLER'S
Priority Start® Professional Battery Protector - GEMPLER'S
Battery Guard by Samlex | BatteryStuff.com
Priority Start 12 Volt Auto | BatteryStuff.com
Priority Start 12 Volt ProMax | BatteryStuff.com
any many more.