# managing battery



## Ultrared (Jun 29, 2018)

i have a champion 3400 that comes with a 12 volt, 7 amp lead acid sealed battery. got it august of 2018 and have had it on a charger/tender since. i've left it on full time and through the winters the battery has worked well. this spring i noticed that it appeared it was not holding a charge (or maybe there was a lose connection - now i'm not sure).

champion said that a battery lasts about a year and said i should disconnect the charger/tender and put it on every two weeks to "top it off". they nicely sent me a new battery for free. and now the 1st battery is now holding the charge.

so i have 2 batteries and one charger/tender. the original battery is in the unit (it's really a pain to take it in and out) and the other on a shelf. both are outdoors under a deck, waterproof. i'm on an island in the Pacific NW, so temps can get cold for a time but not like the mountains, etc.

what would you recommend in terms of a plan to keep both batteries at their peak?

I also notice that the company that makes the charger also makes batteries, one is acid lead and the other is lithium. While the lithium is much more expensive when i do need to replace the batteries would that be a good option? if not why and also other brands to consider.

Thanks,

Jim


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

It depends on your charger/tender. I have a half-dozen Optimate 4 & 6 tenders and they stay on the batteries all the year for the most part. I have not had to replace a battery in 4 years since I started using the Optimates. I use older Schumacher tenders on batteries that are in locations where there is no A/C power other than the generators, and then bring the batteries home and put them on the Optimates in the winter. 100% success so far; looking forward to seeing how many years I can get out of these batteries this way. FYI, the charger technology/rate/cycling is very different for lead/acid and lithium/ion or lithium/phosphate. Optimate and others make different chargers for each type.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

I like the solar brand 1005
the link for it is on this site 1/2 way down the page.




__





POUST_USA


POUST_USA



www.poustusa.com




they are one of the better units for sla, and wet cells.
now for ion battery's it all depends on the battery...
please post the numbers off the ion battery and snap a pix of the battery.


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## speedy2019 (Jan 29, 2019)

Those Optimates look good,I might buy one to use during the winter months. Can you leave the charger connected when your using the generator? My gen charges the battery when its running.


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## Melson (Dec 8, 2019)

Finally! A topic I know a little about :-]
I believe the charger model tabora suggests has a desulfation mode. That is an important function: Common battery types become sulfated (over time and periods of idleness) which then limits the chemical reaction. Additional factors that directly affect battery life: Float voltage; temperature; depth of discharge. Secondary factors: Battery chemistry; cell thickness (lead); overall capacity.
I think you'll be better off sticking with good old (proven, cheap, rugged) lead-acid type. Besides using a good battery charger you should also consider using the largest size (capacity) possible which typically translates into longevity.


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## drmerdp (Apr 10, 2018)

I’ve used a cheap battery tender junior on my old champion 7000/9000 generator from 2013. Its the original lead acid battery and remains connected 100% of the time. It still has plenty of cranking amps and holds a charge.

One component to battery longevity is a very low amp trickle charger. Honda specifies a max 1.1 amps for slow charging and a max of 5.5 amp fast charging to be used in an emergency situation only.

I just bought another one for my eu7000. Pretty sure it’s a sealed lead acid battery. Form factor wise I like how the battery tender jr is super compact and hangs right off the outlet without needing to be mounted.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yup the eu7000is is an sla battery.
the solar brand unit sits just on top of the battery!! hidden away just notch out the notch in the battery door for both the tri fuel conversion and the cord for the battery charger.
link for both the battery and the charger is below





honda eu7000is parts


honda eu7000is parts



www.poustusa.com


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

speedy2019 said:


> Can you leave the charger connected when your using the generator? My gen charges the battery when its running.


You CAN leave them connected. The Optimate and Schumacher tenders have protection circuitry that prevent backfeeding them. This is NOT the case with at least some of the Harbor Freight tenders, though. I blew up 2 of them before I discovered this.


Melson said:


> I believe the charger model tabora suggests has a desulfation mode.


Yes, the Optimates have multistage detection/testing/recovery/charging/desulfating modes; all fully automatic.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

yea an 2 amp auto reset breaker is an good idea on any of them..
a just in case breaker.

hey tabora will that Optimates brand deal with the L ion battery's??
most of those need a special charger that checks the battery temp in other gear.
ha I see one Mfr Part # TM-291
also TM-275 
brand is Tecmate 
they are $110.00 - $150.00 usd or a bit more..
but it will recover ion battery's from 0.5 volts on the good one!!
I will have to check to see if that will do glass mat and agm and sla as well... they list deep cycle..
but not sure on the battery type for that.. too many deep cycle battery's types out there to choose from for sure.


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## crabjoe (Apr 20, 2020)

Like others have already stated, it's the type of battery tender you have. If it's unregulated it's going to cook your battery. Others are excellent.

I keep my batteries on a battery tender that trickle charges with a desulfating feature. This thing is magical! Not only has it brought back batteries from the dead but it's been keeping my batteries for years and years, even when I rarely use the batteries. I just leave them plugged into this unit and it keeps my batteries nice and healty.


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## tabora (Sep 6, 2018)

iowagold said:


> hey tabora will that Optimates brand deal with the L ion battery's??
> most of those need a special charger that checks the battery temp in other gear.
> ha I see one Mfr Part # TM-291
> also TM-275
> ...


Yes, the company is Tecmate and their premier battery tenders are branded Optimate. The models I had listed (4/6) are for lead/acid and the 4s models you listed are the 5A and 10A lithium-only chargers. They also have the TM-471 0.8A charger that's closer to $50.
[/QUOTE]


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

tabora said:


> Yes, the company is Tecmate and their premier battery tenders are branded Optimate. The models I had listed (4/6) are for lead/acid and the 4s models you listed are the 5A and 10A lithium-only chargers. They also have the TM-471 0.8A charger that's closer to $50.


[/QUOTE]
here below is the line sheet for the Optimate charger


https://tecmate.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/OM-Charger-flyer-USD-170803_WEB.pdf


yea they make one series of chargers for the standard battery's
and another series for the lithium's
I was looking at the best in the acid series for $170.00 as model TM255
10 amp but it had all the steps etc.
I guess I saw the orange series that was a 12 to 12 unit that would do both acid and lithium!
some where I thought I saw one that plugged in to 125volt ac like the orange unit for sale.
I may have lost that book mark..

always watching as I do remote power systems with solar worked in as primary fuel as well.
the generators in those systems are for when you get total dark for several days..
keeps the battery's up that way.


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## rotorgoat (Jan 21, 2019)

Ultrared said:


> i have a champion 3400 that comes with a 12 volt, 7 amp lead acid sealed battery. got it august of 2018 and have had it on a charger/tender since. i've left it on full time and through the winters the battery has worked well. this spring i noticed that it appeared it was not holding a charge (or maybe there was a lose connection - now i'm not sure).
> 
> champion said that a battery lasts about a year and said i should disconnect the charger/tender and put it on every two weeks to "top it off". they nicely sent me a new battery for free. and now the 1st battery is now holding the charge.
> 
> ...


Get a small solar charger from Harbor Freight and leave it hooked up year round. Even a single larger panel 15 to 30 watts will work fine. They put out higher voltage which keeps the lead acid plates from sulfating and a very low amperage which keeps the electrolyte from boiling off. I have a single auto sized battery that runs my water slow pump in the summer on a double set ( 3 + 3) of Harbor Freight panels (the early 45 watt total for three). When I leave for the winter I shut down one set and come back in the late Spring to a battery reading 14.8+ volts needing very little water. My first battery lasted 7 years. Solar is the only way to keep intermittently used batteries in prime condition and it doesn't cost anything after the initial purchase.


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## desertratt68 (Apr 30, 2020)

Melson said:


> Finally! A topic I know a little about :-]
> I believe the charger model tabora suggests has a desulfation mode. That is an important function: Common battery types become sulfated (over time and periods of idleness) which then limits the chemical reaction. Additional factors that directly affect battery life: Float voltage; temperature; depth of discharge. Secondary factors: Battery chemistry; cell thickness (lead); overall capacity.
> I think you'll be better off sticking with good old (proven, cheap, rugged) lead-acid type. Besides using a good battery charger you should also consider using the largest size (capacity) possible which typically translates into longevity.


id have to agree. changing battery type often requires charger upgrade. i have lived the last 8 years offgrid with t105 lead acid batteries. theres a reason they still sell them. they are about the most rugged type for the price/performance.if not sealed maint. is key and not difficult. check water level and electrolite.


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## iowagold (Jan 22, 2020)

desertratt68 said:


> id have to agree. changing battery type often requires charger upgrade. i have lived the last 8 years offgrid with t105 lead acid batteries. theres a reason they still sell them. they are about the most rugged type for the price/performance.if not sealed maint. is key and not difficult. check water level and electrolite.


and use distilled water to refill the battery's.
never use tap water of just filtered water.. the minerals will trash the battery.
and yes check the water level in lead acid battery's every month when on solar or off grid power.
now for car or generator battery's once a year water check is just fine.


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