Battery Charging?

[frv]

I've noticed a few people mentioning they charge their 12V frequently/every night.
Is this due to batteries running near end of life or good practive when Fas'ing or P&G'ing a fair bit? I haven't had any trouble with my battery until lately when it took a few turns of starter one morning (which was a bit unusual!).
My car doesn't give me 12V battery level unfortunately on my Ultra-Gauge so I haven't really got a clue what battey level is.
My battery is coming up for 6 years old - what do you guys think?

[lxmike]

Gordon according to there website you can have battery volts as a gauge.

it's a good practice to keep an eye on your 12volt battery when doing fas'ing and P&G a lot.

[frv]

Originally Posted by lxmike

Gordon according to there website you can have battery volts as a gauge.

it's a good practice to keep an eye on your 12volt battery when doing fas'ing and P&G a lot.

Thanks Mike. I saw there was the potential for a 12V gauge in the manual for the UG but out of the 35 available for my car, it didn't seem to discover that particular one unfortunately. I'll have to have another look.

[some_other_dave]

Mango Bango was too old for an SG or a UG, and did not have a voltmeter. I picked up a voltmeter that plugged into the cigarette lighter from my local big-box auto parts place, and that worked pretty well.

-soD

[frv]

Great idea Dave, I'll have a look for one of those for sure!

Do you charge your battery?

[FXSTi]

After much sidetracking, the question still remains unanswered. Is charging nightly beneficial for all or just for those with batteries on the ragged edge?

Kirk

[Right Lane Cruiser]

Hi, Kirk... it really depends upon what sort of load is being placed on the battery and what condition it is in. If you mostly drive during the day and don't use headlights or turn the engine off, there is no need to charge. If you do lots of FASing during the daytime without headlights, wipers, etc and your battery is in good shape, no worries. If however you are more like me (and several other members) and do lots of FAS with electrical draw (commonly the headlights) and/or in cold temperatures, your battery is going to get a work out with not much alternator charging time. In that case charging nightly is beneficial.

A marginal battery would also require more assistance, as would one in a vehicle with a defective charging system.

As for battery age, usage and temperature are huge factors in longevity. My batteries typically last a long time up here in cool MN... especially as I don't run the engine constantly so underhood temps tend to be lower than they might. Gord, I'd recommend getting your battery load tested at an automotive shop to see if it is still performing properly rather than simply thinking it must be old enough to be replaced.

[frv]

Thanks Sean - I am in a usual period from late October to end February where 9 commutes out of 10 are in the dark so headlights are on, maybe some demisting and perhaps a bit of heat (for my 2 passengers - although I try to wait till engine has warmed up and encourage them to wear a coat and gloves ) plus I do a bit of FAS but not so much with passengers but lots more FAS and P&G when not commuting.
I will definitely get the battery checked as I'm probably giving it a bit of a workout
Thanks for the advice....

[herm]

a battery that lasts more than 6 years is rare..

[diamondlarry]

Originally Posted by herm

a battery that lasts more than 6 years is rare..

I think it used to be but in the last few weeks I've been hearing more and more cases of batteries 7-10 years or more...around here anyway. Just last night, my wife's uncle was saying he has never had the battery replaced in his '02 LeSabre with the 3800 V6. A couple of months ago, my wife's boss put just the second battery (after the OEM) in his '97 Dodge truck with a V10. My son has been noticing that the batteries they are replacing at the shop he works for quite often older than 5 years. Has battery life improved or could it just be a regional thing around here.