how to charge reproduction battery?

[Tim D.]

Went to start car yesterday and battery was dead, even with a cut-off wheel? My question is how do safely/properly charge this reproduction battery. I bought this battery from Paragon. The catalog part number from Paragon is: 11949 L1963-65 It is a Delco maintenance-free battery DC12REV/558 H.D. stamped 558 on top lip, single screw in Delco caps, black with yellow letters, 780 cranking amps at 32 degrees.

What do I set my battery charger on, WET, GEL or AGM????

The battery states it is maintenance free and DO NOT ADD ACID OR WATER TO THIS BATTERY! It says to charge it at 10 amps for 2 hours. OK, I get that but WHAT do I set the charger on , WET, GEL or AGM??

The directions Clearly state DO NOT JUMP!!!! It goes on to say, "this battery is very different from standard liquid-acid batteries that are openly vented. This battery is and operates as a sealed battery, recycling all gases internally. There will be no corrosion porblems coming from the positive post or surrounding area.

The last time this happened a couple of years ago, when I went to charge it, the fault code F01 (internal shorted cell) came up on the charger and I had to replace this expensive battery. Besides being a pain to change it out, it was expensive....$275 plus $10 date code.

If anyone is familiar with this battery, please comment. I am almost tempted to buy a Sears Die Hard or Optima and be done with it, but I really want this "correct looking" battey. However, it seems to be unreliable.

Thanks,

Tim

[Charles P.]

Re: how to charge reproduction battery?

Unreliable is right on and for $285 plus postage you could have purchased nearly 3 batteries. Go to your Chevrolet dealer and buy a Delco battery as they are one of the few things I rely on over the counter there anymore. My Sears charger has but 2 settings, Conventional (low maintenance) and Maintenance Free. I imagine that your Gel setting is the same as Maintenance Free setting and would be used for such a battery. AGM batteries are non-lead adsorbed glass media which I am pretty certain you would know if you had.

[Duke W.]

Re: how to charge reproduction battery?

It appears you have an off-the-shelf Delco battery inside an original looking case. Though the actual battery is likely NOT manufactured by "Delco" (GM), you can probably find information on the technology at the Delco battery Web site.

Be aware that all batteries have a natural discharge rate. The OE "maintenance-type" batteries were about 3 percent per day at room temperature. Most modern "maintenance-free" batteries are only about one percent per day. I don't know the discharge characteristics of gel or AGM technology batteries. Higher than room temperature increases the natural discharge rate, and lower temperature decreases the discharge rate.

Another tidbit to know is that batteries have what can be loosely called a "chemical memory". If a car is only driven once a month and the battery is called upon to delivery cranking amps when it's discharged 20-40 percent, it will eventually, after so many of these cycles, never be able to return to full charge. For this reason it is a good idea to charge batteries before use if the car has not been driven for a week or more - or keep a battery tender device connected when the car is not in use.

Most current name brand and house brand batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls. Though they are technically "maintenance-free" they do have removable cabs that span three cells. Removing these caps and adding distilled water as required at least every couple of years - one year in hot climates - will considerably extend battery life.

I have a Johnson Controls (Autozone brand) 26R that I think was $39.95 that is still going strong at 12 years! I check the water level every couple of years.

Duke

[Russ S.]

Re: how to charge reproduction battery?

Went to start car yesterday and battery was dead, even with a cut-off wheel?


That is why I hate the thumb screw type of battery cut off even tho some people seem to like it. I have repeatedly found that even when the thumb wheel is loosened, if often doesn't disconnect. The blade type is far Superior.

[Tim D.]

Re: how to charge reproduction battery?

Thanks guys..I really appreciate your comments. I charged my battery and it took a full charge and the car fired right. I set the battery type to GEL, set charger at 10 amps, charged for 2-3 hours and no shows full charge. Tim