Battery swapped, old one looks like it was ready to blow

[Sanjøy]

[steve_weegie]

Dude, get yourself one of these and just leave it connected forever. Will be cheaper than replacing those batteries in the long run....

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OptiMate-4-Batt ... B000R5936U

[Sanjøy]

So optima or disconnect thingy Ross posted?

[steve_weegie]

I'd go for the optimate, as it will keep the battery conditioned, including discharge tests and trickle charges only when required. They go through something like a 12 stage charge / monitor process while they're left attached to a battery. I think the 4 is good for smaller stuff, like bike batteries, but the 5 will do everything from wee cars batteries to the monster battery I have in the Audi. There's some good guff about how they work on their website.

http://www.optimate.co.uk/optimate%205.htm

[Ferg]

Once you've got one you'll wonder how you lived without it.

[fd]

I leave the battery (identical to the one in the pictures) disconnected in my race car for the entire off season, car has an FIA disconnect switch as you would expect, I never charge it (never have in 4 years), just switch the FIA on and it fires up every time . . . keeping it on float charge seems nonsensical. Also, I have kept my Elise on float charge for 5 years and the battery is perfect, recently tested and all ready to go when it eventually makes it back on the road . . . Suggest your battery conditioner is crap.

Fd

[alicrozier]

Yep, although my 2-11 has an FIA disconnect it also has a tracker so needs to be connected. Optimate charger all the time and no problems.

[robin]

(a) Fd is right, just disconnect the fcuk, provided you already have gotten rid of the alarm.

(b) On the side of the battery it tells you what the float charge is. Get a volt meter and measure the float charge voltage being applied by whatever battery wrecking charger you are using. If it is not in the 13.5v - 13.8v range it will destroy your battery.

(c) Hawker cells are not the same as normal lead acid batteries when it comes to charge cycles, etc. Go and read the data on the web sites that are printed on the side of the battery.

[Sanjøy]

Oh. Just ordered an optimate.

[steve_weegie]

Top stuff. It's the best charger for that battery - you can leave it connected indefinitely and the battery will only recieve a charge if it asks for it

Did you go for the 4 or 5?