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| Cold Cranking Amps oddity |
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| awemawson:
Phil, it had undoubtedly stood unused for several months prior to coming into my ownership as the previous owner passed away and the family organised disposal. However when I first saw the tractor it started on the button from stone cold, and when delivered to me was the same. It's been here a few days and each time I've needed to shift it it's been a sterling starter, I think I probably left something turned on that flattened the battery overnight - the electrics are the usual nightmare of added bits and bits broken that may or may not still be connected. So I don't think it's been heavily sulphated. Also looking at the battery it's probably not much more than a year old. Just as well it's come back to life - those batteries cost a kings ransom :bugeye: |
| vtsteam:
Back in the old days (early 70's :lol: ) when experimenting with windspinners etc. one way of obtaining usable batteries with little cash for new or deep cycle batts was to use junkyard auto batteries discarded because they could no longer crank a car in winter. The secret to rejuvenation was to empty out the old electrolyte, and rinse a few times with distilled water to remove accumulated sulphation sediment on the bottom of the plates, drain and refill with clean battery acid, or at least settled and drawn off clear. They then worked, not as good as new, but certainly as good usable batteries, in most cases. This can't cure plate damage, but it can bring the lower portion of the plate back into service where it is masked or shorted by accumulated conductive sediment, and that is a frequent ill of old or neglected batteries. Charging stirs up old sediment and temporarily can clear the lower plate section -- if it will accept a charge at all. Sometimes to clear a some buildup the battery is charged for longer than its normal amount of time -- some marine inverter/chargers do this automatically for a specific interval -- I had a Heart Interface inverter that did this when I lived aboard. I don't know why the battery in question increased its CCA after some discharge, but perhaps more sediment was stirred up by the discharge rate imposed after initial charging. One thing is certain, if there is sediment present, gravity works to re-deposit it on the bottom. The problems may return, particularly if the tractor sits for awhile and unpredictably, depending on how much "stirring there is, what the sediment looks like and how it arranges itself. I have several chargers, and the newer "smart" charger is basically useless. It is stupider than the dumb ones and refuses to do its job unless conditions are perfect. Ahhh progress: smart everything, and made of plastic! |
| hermetic:
Hi Awemawson, yes that is a bit mysterious, a small discharge will cause sulphation wheras a heavy one usually will remove it. but you checked the tractor with everything off, and there was no current flow? odd indeed. Try disconnecting one of the terminals from the battery and put a sidelight bulb between the battery terminal and the lead, and see if it glows. It could be that when you moved the tractor something got disturbed and is flattening the battery slowly. leaky diodes in the alternator, does the charge light work/is it glowing when all is off? Was it stood under cover or exposed? I know what you mean about tractor batteries, I recently bought a new one for my Fordson diesel major. I leave it with a cheapo Lidl anti frost maintaining charger on it, and it is kept in a nice warm shed, covered with all sorts of junk to keep it warm, and almost never used, but the day is coming........................... Phil |
| awemawson:
Better than the side light bulb was my trusty Avo on the amps range - no discharge and no leakage :bang: |
| lordedmond:
Hope its a mark 8 last time I looked on RS at them had to sit down quick and have a large Brandy worst of all my one sticks so I cannot trust it can you still get the larger cell for the ohms range the lower one is easy Stuart |
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