BATTERY CHARGERS DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS BATTERY TESTERS

10
BATTERY CHARGERS - TESTERS - DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS
WHY? Once a fi ller cap / wet cell battery has been fi lled with acid and placed directly in the vehicle the fi rst ‘action’ the
battery sees is a very high starting current. Lead plates will have to pass current through partially activated areas which
will cause mechanical damage. In AGM batteries the acid absorbs into the fi ber glass mat separators between the plates.
If the acid is concentrated in the top part of the separator mats the lead plates in contact with the upper areas will have to
deliver most of the starting current.
BEFORE being installed in the vehicle a new fi ller cap / wet cell battery should be fi lled with clean battery acid (AGM “MF”
sealed motorcycle batteries are dleivered with a battery acid pack), and left to stand for at least 30 minutes (the larger the
battery the longer it should stand) and then be charged with an initializing charger such as OptiMate PRO-S, PRO2 or
PRO4-S that include cell balancing (equalization charging) in their charging method.
5 : Factory activated AGM batteries need no charging and are always good to go.
Even though good quality factory activated AGMm batteries have been designed to remain full charged for up to 12
months, ALL batteries self discharge faster in high temperature conditions (above 95°F / 35°C) that is typical for sealed
shipping containers, non ventilated warehouses where batteries are stored before they are shipped out the dealer or
customer. The more the battery discharges the more lead sulfate is created.
Ideally stored batteries should be maintained at full charge or at least periodically recharged to remain 100% effective, or
at minimum completely recharged before installation with an OptiMate so that any sulfate buildup can be removed.
6 : Once a battery is fully charged it should not be charged again until the voltage drops below a certain level.
Lead-acid batteries last longest if maintained at the fully charged level, especially when not in use.
So, the key to how long it lasts mostly depends on how the battery is treated when it is not used. A fully charged battery
will generally maintain an adequate charge for a month, if it is not to warm and if no external current draining devices are
connected, or if the current draw due to vehicle alarm, computer etc. is normal.
However, it is recommended that the battery of any vehicle fi tted with an alarm, computer etc., and left to stand for a long
period of time should be supported by a good maintenance charger.
Batteries have a fi nite life. If a charger allows the battery to ‘cycle between discharged and fully charged, it reduces the
overall life of the battery. Some smart chargers provide only a very low current (as low as 10mA) which is often insuffi cient
to cope with parasitic loads (alarms, aged wiring, fl ashing light, bike computer) in modern vehicles. Some smart chargers
will only revert from maintenance to high current charging once the voltage has reduced to below 12,5V, or even 12,2V in
some cases. At 12,5V a sealed AGM/VRLA (including MF type) battery is only at 60% charge! Imagine if you want to go
riding just then?
The OptiMate provides current at 13,6V for 30 minutes in maintenance mode, then during the following 30 minutes
checks whether the battery can maintain its charge. This period is followed in turn by the next 30 minute period during
which charging is again offered to the battery. This cycle ensures that the current drawn by an alarm, computer and/or
the parasitic current loss through aged wiring will never cause a good battery to drop below 95% of full charge.
7 : Can any TecMate charger initialize a new battery?
TecMate chargers recommended for battery initializing are:
Professional level chargers:
30 minutes: BatteryMate 60-3 or BatteryMate 150-9
1 hour: OptiMate PRO-S
2- 3 hours: OptiMate PRO4-S
6 -12 hours: OptiMate PRO2 (the smaller the battery the shorter the initializing period).
Any OptiMate charger can be used for initializing if no other options exist, but to get the most out of the battery use the
chargers recommended above.
8 : Can any TecMate charger maintain a battery stored in or out a vehicle?
TecMate chargers such as OptiMate, OptiMate PRO, AccuMate, AccuMate PRO provide long term battery maintenance
until the battery is disconnected. BatteryMate professional level shop chargers will maintain the battery until the set timer
expires.
In a consistently high temperature environment (above 86°F / 30°C) the level of the electrolyte in fi ller cap batteries should
be regularly checked and topped up, and sealed batteries should be checked for signs of a loss of electrolyte (these are
typically condensation on the battery or within the vehicle’s battery compartment, or a bubbling or hissing noise).
For temperatures below 86°F / 30°C all batteries can be left connected, but again, the electrolyte level in fi ller cap
batteries should be periodically checked and topped up with distilled water if necessary.
OptiMate battery chargers offer better long term maintenance - See OptiMate facts on page 5.
T: 905 337 2095 F: 905 337 3962 sales@tecmate.com