Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

[Larry E.]

Some of my Battery Chargers are the "Old Type" that doesn't have an electronic monitor with a shutoff. It is either on
or off. I got one set up that uses a wireless electrical outlet. I can turn it on/off with the touch of a button. Here is my question:
Since the Charger is hooked up to the car all the time does the battery (that is fully charged now) actually lose power by the
fact it is hooked up to a charger that is off? Does some of the "stored" electricity go back to the charger circuit that is off? Larry
P.S. One of the car cables is pulled off the battery so none of the battery charge is going back into the car.

[Harry S.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

Larry, I can't answer the question. I see in your profile you have a 66 and a 68. I don't think it's necessary to keep a charger on the battery, just disconnect the battery after use. I've been using the same battery on my 63 for 8 years and it's never seen a charger. All I do is disconnect it after user and for the entire winter. I use a guillotine type disconnect.

[Larry E.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

Larry, I can't answer the question. I see in your profile you have a 66 and a 68. I don't think it's necessary to keep a charger on the battery, just disconnect the battery after use. I've been using the same battery on my 63 for 8 years and it's never seen a charger. All I do is disconnect it after user and for the entire winter. I use a guillotine type disconnect.

Harry: Thanks for the reply. I also have other toys; the battery is actually hooked up to a 77 Chevy Sport Truck Shortbed. The truck is in the
"ready position" which means it is used more often then the Vettes. Larry

[Michael J.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

I have had all my non-daily driver cars' (and even my trailer's) batteries hooked to BatteryMINDer or Odyssey Ultimizer or CTEK chargers for years, and they have never had a problem. On ones with a battery shut-off switch, I shut it off but leave the battery connected to the chargers.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

If the charger is operating correctly, there should be no draw on the battery.

[John D.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

I used to use battery chargers for testing 12 Volt parts. Found out that my automatic shut off 12V charger was a real poc. Only put out 10.85 volts. Now I use an AC-DC converter. Can also be used as a battery charger.

I like the automatic shutoff chargers Larry. Feel safer that way but I still don't trust them. John

[Michael W.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

If the charger is operating correctly, there should be no draw on the battery.

Agreed. 9 10

[Gary R.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

FYI
I just shipped out my 2nd battery tender plus to the factory for a burnt out transformer. It was working fine one day and toast the next. It was just under 1 year old. The other one might have been my fault, I left the parking lights on by mistake and connected the tender. A couple of days later I found it toasted.

[Frank D.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

Gads -- spend a few bucks for a 'smart' charger that properly maintains your battery....these units detect battery condition and will cycle on and off to keep a surface charge on your battery for optimal performance.... I have them on my jet ski and boat (VERY seldom used) and on my two Corvettes when they will be stored for more than a couple of weeks...

[Duke W.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

There might be a slight electrical drain back through the charger as there is on typical alterntor installations. With the charger off, but connected to AC power, measure resistance across the charging leads, and then use Ohm's law to compute the current drain, if any.

To avoid overcharging with a conventional charger that is always connected to the battery, connect the charger to the 115V source with a timer that allows it to run only about one hour per day at the lowest charge rate setting.

Tell me more about this "wireless electrical outlet".

Transmitting power "wirelessly" through the electromagnetic spectrum has been a dream going back to Tesla, but no one has ever come up with a practical way to transmitt significant power levels this way.

Duke

[Steven B.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

I'm not an expert but since most chargers are basically a transformer and a diode bridge (plus additional components for filtering, controlling charging currents, etc.), the bridge should block current flow in the opposite direction of charging current. I would check continuity of the charger with a multi-tester as Duke suggested. I would guess that the efficiency of chargers is somewhat related to the expense. I'm sure that others have experience with quality issues.
I am also curious about how the "wireless electrical outlet" functions.

Steve

[Larry E.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

[QUOTE=Duke Williams (22045);748501]
Tell me more about this "wireless electrical outlet".

Duke: Poorly worded on my part; it is simply a Wireless On/Off switch(Can be bought at Walmart/Menards) between the outlet and the charger plug. Thanks for your input; will make sure I don't leave it on for more than 1 Hr./Day. Larry

[Joe L.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

Some of my Battery Chargers are the "Old Type" that doesn't have an electronic monitor with a shutoff. It is either on
or off. I got one set up that uses a wireless electrical outlet. I can turn it on/off with the touch of a button. Here is my question:
Since the Charger is hooked up to the car all the time does the battery (that is fully charged now) actually lose power by the
fact it is hooked up to a charger that is off? Does some of the "stored" electricity go back to the charger circuit that is off? Larry
P.S. One of the car cables is pulled off the battery so none of the battery charge is going back into the car.

Larry------


Forget the old style "trickle" chargers. Use a BatteryMinder. Leave it on continuously (but remember to take it off when you drive the car).

[Joe L.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

FYI
I just shipped out my 2nd battery tender plus to the factory for a burnt out transformer. It was working fine one day and toast the next. It was just under 1 year old. The other one might have been my fault, I left the parking lights on by mistake and connected the tender. A couple of days later I found it toasted.

Gary-------


I've found the BatteryMinder to be much better than a BatteryTender.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Question for our Electrical Experts: On using Battery Chargers for our Corvettes

Gary-------


I've found the BatteryMinder to be much better than a BatteryTender.

Same here, though I use the CTEK for the C5 and C6. They're the ones that GM uses and are made for AGM batteries.
The C3s and C4 get Battery MINDers.