-8 degrees here the last several days. I attached a battery maintainer (original battery) several days ago. This morning the maintainer wires are melted and broken. No power when I turn the key. I will be purchasing a new battery. Any advice on changing out battery or possible reasons for the melted wires would be appreciated. Thank You.
2021 L4701, Battery Issue
- Thread starter Tom46
- Start date
Melted wires would point to a faulty battery maintainer that had excessive current flowing.
You may try to charge your old battery. Sometimes they recover even when completely flat.
If you are thinking about using a battery maintainer again I'd suggest to place an inline fuse as closely as possible to the positive clamp. Fuse rating should be the maximum output current of the maintainer. Otherwise you have a fire risk.
You may try to charge your old battery. Sometimes they recover even when completely flat.
If you are thinking about using a battery maintainer again I'd suggest to place an inline fuse as closely as possible to the positive clamp. Fuse rating should be the maximum output current of the maintainer. Otherwise you have a fire risk.
Battery shows 5.5 I have the same maintainer on my car, it show 15.5 while charging. Seems high but I have no experience.
Any suggestion for replacement battery. O'Reillys offered one with only 575 CCA and 90 reserve. Manual calls for 600cca and 120 reserve. Car Quest could not find a compatible battery but are still checking. Thanks
i've found if a battery is failing from a dendrite short (crystalline growth) it can draw a large amount of current and not remain charged due to the leakage. A "less expensive" maintainer that doesn't limit current output will "giver 'er all she's got, Capin'" and likely melt down due to excessive current delivery.
I go to the local industrial battery store and get higher quality batteries, which have treated me quite well over the years. I also use a temperature compensating maintainer (NOCO quietly removed the circuitry to do temperature compensation so I use a BatteryMINDer which has paid for itself a few times now).
I go to the local industrial battery store and get higher quality batteries, which have treated me quite well over the years. I also use a temperature compensating maintainer (NOCO quietly removed the circuitry to do temperature compensation so I use a BatteryMINDer which has paid for itself a few times now).
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Which make/model of 'maintainer' fried ! Most are good rated less than 4 amps.
Those melted wires does sound like excessive current ,so a defective maintainer.
It should have popped the primary internal fuse or the external secondary fuse.
Those melted wires does sound like excessive current ,so a defective maintainer.
It should have popped the primary internal fuse or the external secondary fuse.
Thank You. I will look into the battery minder. I have never heard of the temperature compensating maintainer.
The maintainer was a Cen-Tech 12v Automatic Battery Maintainer, 500mA float maintainer. I have one on a vehicle I rarely drive. Multimeter showed 15.5 volts when connected to car battery. Is that normal? The battery from the tractor show 5.5volts. Going to replace it. Thank You!
The charge voltage of a lead acid battery when it starts gassing (water electrolytically split into hydrogen and oxygen) depends on temperature. As far as I remember its 13.8V at 20°C and 14.0V at 0°C (32F). So 15.5V I think is way too high, even at low temperatures. For keeping charge at 20°C I would not go above 13.4V continuously.
So I would get a different maintainer.
Below 10.8V you have non-reversable lead sulphate forming on the plates. This reduces capacity and maximum current. Nevertheless I heard of a lot of people charging and reviving a battery that was even at 0V, so I think it's worth giving it a try.
Wrt to the battery: it has to fit physically, the connections have to be in the right place, the capacity and crank amps (is that the right word?) should be similar to the existing battery.
I always buy the biggest battery that fits physically, I believe it lasts longer due to less strain on a bigger battery when charging or discharging with the same current.
So I would get a different maintainer.
Below 10.8V you have non-reversable lead sulphate forming on the plates. This reduces capacity and maximum current. Nevertheless I heard of a lot of people charging and reviving a battery that was even at 0V, so I think it's worth giving it a try.
Wrt to the battery: it has to fit physically, the connections have to be in the right place, the capacity and crank amps (is that the right word?) should be similar to the existing battery.
I always buy the biggest battery that fits physically, I believe it lasts longer due to less strain on a bigger battery when charging or discharging with the same current.
I measure the tray and height and note where the + and - cables are, then get the biggest battery that'll fit. Size doesn't seem to affect the price and a little extra weight just improves traction.
When the Ford needed a battery, NAPA had a pallet of truck batteries, so that's what it got.
A note on that: NOCO uses 19V pulses (last I checked) to break up sulfates, though I personally would disconnect the battery from anything with an ECU because in my experience anything over 14.8V could cause damage depending on what its applied to (though it's generally not an issue until over 15.2V).
The unit I suggested uses a harmonic frequency of sulfate that causes it to break up...if I remember correctly.* What I have seen it do is rescue batteries that got drained to 3 to 5 volts from months of sitting with a parasitic drain, both car and motorcycle, quickly, when several other chargers could not bring those batteries back. I did have a motorcycle battery the previous owner flattened over years of abuse that it could not bring back, so don't expect miracles, but that unit does work exceptionally well in my opinion.**
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I also buy the biggest battery that fits because they aren't worked as hard (so likely last longer) and have more on tap in cold weather, though I live in a climate that's cold 1/4 of the year.
*Which upon looking it up, apparently I do remember correctly: "...pulses are set to resonate the sulfate crystals allowing them to breakup at the molecular level thus un-bonding the components of the crystals made up primarily of sulfuric acid and lead chemically described as pbSO4. ...." -FAQ
**I can't speak to how other units work because I use that model with a breakout box (they make cords for that but I fused everything...not saying the investment was worth it) in several locations. I did have one display go out after around a year of use and they replaced it promptly under warranty, and that to date is the only problem I've had.
The requirement for the last ECU I designed was 28.8V for 1 minute (jump start from truck battery) and 150V for 1 second (disconnect battery while engine running).
Short pulses were a few hundred volts; don't remember exactly how high, but those short pulses are trivial to get rid off anyway.
Those requirement specifications came from Volkswagen but I believe other manufacturers are very similar.
That's a lot of voltage, though OEM "stuff" is designed really well. (Not VW in Wisconsin, our weather is known for killing VW electronics.
)I do wonder though what that does to things like aftermarket stereos and such, because a lot of corners are cut on "cheap stuff from China" when it comes to electric circuitry and shedding any parts not "absolutely necessary." I'd think NOCO wouldn't use 19V pulses if they commonly damaged things, but...well, maybe it's stuff that was getting ready to give up the ghost that formed my experiences and not the ~20V itself. If I'm wrong about something I'd rather know the truth so as to not continue having an incorrect understanding.
Pulses should be in the megahertz range depending on the type/construction of the battery, though what 'they' claim as 'desulphuration' might not be what scientists use.
Decades ago 42 volt cars were to be the norm ( less copper = better MPG ) ,so the design of semis got 'robust' ,aka bulletprof when used on '12 volt' systems.
As far as radios and such, the pulses should not affect them, too high a frequency, short pulses, so not a 'high energy blast'.
Decades ago 42 volt cars were to be the norm ( less copper = better MPG ) ,so the design of semis got 'robust' ,aka bulletprof when used on '12 volt' systems.
As far as radios and such, the pulses should not affect them, too high a frequency, short pulses, so not a 'high energy blast'.
First, if a battery is more than 3 years old and doesn't have a good excuse for being dead (chim forgot to turn something off) it gets replaced. They normally go for 5-7 years. I never use a "maintainer".
Second, the tape measure and battery specs are referenced. I shop price and specs and get the best CCA for the physical size and price. Last tractor battery came from RK and has been easily starting the L4240 in single digit temps without any engine heater.
Second, the tape measure and battery specs are referenced. I shop price and specs and get the best CCA for the physical size and price. Last tractor battery came from RK and has been easily starting the L4240 in single digit temps without any engine heater.