Engine run time to keep battery charged

Drive it around the block. It's good to have the wheels spin and the brakes engage too.

George H.

Reply to
ggherold
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Hi John-Del,

You prove with every post, you are an idiot (you prove it yourself).

You say I don't have a clue, & yet, at least I _comprehended_ the question! o Not only did you (and your child buddies) not _comprehend_ the question o All you _can_ do, is worthless chitchat (ala' the child you prove to be)

*I used to think people like you were _only_ incredibly stupid* o But now I realize it's worse - because your brain can't comprehend facts.

*I used to think people like you were simply incessantly pulling our leg* o But now I think it's far worse - since you appear to _believe_ what you write

Since you _are_ clearly stupid, & you prove to _remain_ ignorant... o The only viable conclusion is you own the left-side brain of Dunning Kruger

Since your brain is wired as that of the lemon-juice bank robber, John-Del, o There is no possibly way for an adult to communicate with you.

You will _still_ believe, even in the complete absence of evidence, that lemon juice works to hide your face from the bank surveillance cameras.

While all people are on the DK scale when it comes to cognitive skills assessment, you, John-Del, appear to be far to the left of Mount Stupid:

I don't even need to prove this fact; you prove it yourself - in every post. o Just watch.

NOTE: To save _others_ from your drivel, John-Del, I will not respond to your unfathomably childish posts any further in this thread.

Reply to
arlen holder

*Jesus Christ, pfjw proves in every post, his brain stem is that of a child!*

I don't even need to prove pfjw can _only_ write as that of a child. o You prove it yourself _every_ time you post your childish off-topic drivel (For example, "it", is, I'm sure, *hilariously* witty to you & your ilk.)

HINT: You clearly don't even have a clue what the OP's question is asking. DOUBLEHINT: You certainly have no chance at _answering_ the OP's question. TRIPLEHINT: You can't even _insult_ someone using >3rd-grade retorts

Jesus Christ, pfjw, o You prove yourself, in _every_ post to own the brain of a mere child.

--
NOTE: To save others from having to deal with the worthless pfjw's drivel, 
I will no longer respond to his always child-like posts any further in this 
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
arlen holder

Since you are a logical sentient adult, you speak on-topic wisdom. o I agree to everything you said, where I basically said the same thing.

To _directly_ answer the OP's question, we only need to replace Coulombs o However, there is _more_ to "maintaining" the battery status than just that.

We agree. o Adults easily agree on such things simply because they are related facts.

Reply to
arlen holder

On 2/5/19 6:01 PM, arlen holder wrote: His usual incoherent drivel.

Like I said,

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
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Reply to
Fox's Mercantile

15 minutes at 1,000 rpm sitting still (using only the radiator fan if neede d) is substantially different from moving down the road. Not to suggest tha t you are wrong. Every engine is different, and the goal is to drive all th e moisture products-of-combustion out of the engine oil and exhaust system.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
peterwieck33

ded) is substantially different from moving down the road. Not to suggest t hat you are wrong. Every engine is different, and the goal is to drive all the moisture products-of-combustion out of the engine oil and exhaust syste m.

is it? Why would the OP need to do that every 2 weeks?

A 1987 car will have fairly low parasitic loads. It should be fine sat ther e for a month.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

Not sure where the OP and that Buick might be, but we just had a week of below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other things.

Every two weeks is good practice.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
peterwieck33

If it's below freezing the air is bone dry & any water from combustion frozen solid. Regardless of temperature cars do not need running every 2 weeks unless electrically faulty.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

t there for a month.

f below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other things.

ozen solid.

Why does every little thing need to be challenged to absolutes in this NG? I've never seen so much mental dick-wagging on a "professional" group.

Is the car going to explode if started and run every two weeks? It might b e overkill, but old cars in particular should be exercised often. Even the seals in the engine, transmission, rear end, and hydraulic systems are hap pier when kept lubricated by routine. Solenoids and vacuum actuators can st ick from sitting long periods. And here's another reason: cars stored out o f doors around where I live become fodder for squirrels and chipmunks when sitting in the same spot. I friend stored a low mileage Acura at my house (interior fire) while he located another from Copart to use as a donor. 6 months later, he went to drive the car out of my property and found the tra nsmission harness eaten right down to the casting.

So... OP: start the Buick every two or three weeks, let it idle for a good half hour or so to get it good and hot if you can't drive it. If you can, take that old Buick for a good half hour drive - fedora and cigar optional. ..

Reply to
John-Del

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 11:09:24 AM UTC-5, snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrot e:

ozen solid. Regardless of temperature cars do not need running every 2 week s unless electrically faulty.

Water in the air is not the issue, and never was. Water from products-of-co mbustion are the issue.

Ideally, the battery would be float-charged with an actual "smart" charger. Most of the Chinese Junque chargers these days run a continuous charge int o the battery - AKA a "trickle" charger. Not hardly the same thing. A trick le charge will either:

a) Destroy the battery by charging faster than the self-discharge rate. b) Allow the battery to run flat by charging slower than the self-discharge rate. c) Miraculously match the self-discharge rate... odds of this?

A Float Charger will activate at some point when the battery charge drops b elow the trigger level, charge to a specific set-point, and then shut off u ntil the next cycle.

Failing the availability of a float charger, and, especially in extreme (ho t or cold) weather conditions, "about every two weeks" is a good rule-of-th umb. One never quite knows the actual condition of the battery, charging sy stem, parasitic loads and so forth, so 'designing to the specific need' may not be ideal. And more than a month or so starts getting into the risk of seals drying out - especially in 30+ year old engines.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
peterwieck33

This actually pretty easy. If you feel you really need to know, measure the quiescent current in the vehicle several minutes after the ignition has be en shut off. It should be in the milliamp range. Now you can figure out the rate of discharge for the battery based on the AH rating. (NOT CCA). In ho t or cold climates, derate the battery 20% for every year of life. (20% of the previous capacity, not the original capacity). BUT.... it really doesn' t matter.

Vehicles with early electronics didn't manage the quiescent loads as well a s modern vehicles. And added accessories can obviously add to that if they tap unswitched power.

You want to keep that battery charged to 80% or better of capacity. Because charging systems vary in algorithm and efficiency, and vehicles vary in dy namic loading, it's impossible to say "run the vehicle for X minutes every two weeks. But it is possible to pick a battery tender. Anything of decent quality today will taper the charge and many apply desulfating algorithms t o the battery once it's charged. You can fearlessly leave a Schumacher or B attery Minder or Battery Tender on your dormant vehicle battery indefinitel y.

The amp rating only makes a difference in the time it takes to charge the b attery from a discharged state. Any tender can keep it topped off. I person ally use tenders rated from 800ma to 4A and they all work fine on my many p ieces of power sports equipment, as well as my winter-stored street vehicle s, boats, and yard equipment.

Unless the battery is bad -- unusually high self discharge due to sulfation -- any tender has the capability to keep it topped off.

Note that final voltages are different for various types of batteries -- so if you are using an AGM or GEL battery, get the appropriate tender.

I *do* have some experience in this from both a personal and professional s tandpoint.

Reply to
Terry Schwartz

n if needed) is substantially different from moving down the road. Not to s uggest that you are wrong. Every engine is different, and the goal is to dr ive all the moisture products-of-combustion out of the engine oil and exhau st system.

sat there for a month.

of below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other things.

frozen solid.

?

The topic is how often the car should be started & for how long. It's a dis cussion.

Differing opinions are not dick wagging

be overkill, but old cars in particular should be exercised often. Even t he seals in the engine, transmission, rear end, and hydraulic systems are h appier when kept lubricated by routine. Solenoids and vacuum actuators can stick from sitting long periods.

Yes. 2 years yes, not 2 weeks

ecome fodder for squirrels and chipmunks when sitting in the same spot. I friend stored a low mileage Acura at my house (interior fire) while he loca ted another from Copart to use as a donor. 6 months later, he went to driv e the car out of my property and found the transmission harness eaten right down to the casting.

how would running the engine every 2 weeks solve that?

d half hour or so to get it good and hot if you can't drive it. If you can , take that old Buick for a good half hour drive - fedora and cigar optiona l...

Groupthink has struck.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

frozen solid. Regardless of temperature cars do not need running every 2 we eks unless electrically faulty.

combustion are the issue.

I've not heard any reason they wold be, nor how running every 2 weeks would cause less of that than every 4.

r. Most of the Chinese Junque chargers these days run a continuous charge i nto the battery - AKA a "trickle" charger. Not hardly the same thing. A tri ckle charge will either:

ge rate.

below the trigger level, charge to a specific set-point, and then shut off until the next cycle.

hot or cold) weather conditions, "about every two weeks" is a good rule-of- thumb. One never quite knows the actual condition of the battery, charging system, parasitic loads and so forth, so 'designing to the specific need' m ay not be ideal. And more than a month or so starts getting into the risk o f seals drying out - especially in 30+ year old engines.

I presumed the OP didn't have a charger, or we wouldn't be having this disc ussion. If the OP does have a decent charger, use it. If a not-decent charg er, don't.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

fan if needed) is substantially different from moving down the road. Not to suggest that you are wrong. Every engine is different, and the goal is to drive all the moisture products-of-combustion out of the engine oil and exh aust system.

e sat there for a month.

ek of below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other things .

n frozen solid.

NG?

iscussion.

A discussion is fine, but when you start saying stuff like "If it's below f reezing the air is bone dry & any water from combustion frozen solid." that 's not a discussion, that's pushing a silly argument. Cars develop condens ation internally from incomplete heat cycling regardless of ambient conditi ons. Everyone knows this, including you I'm sure.

It is when every bit of minutia is parsed to absurdity.

ht be overkill, but old cars in particular should be exercised often. Even the seals in the engine, transmission, rear end, and hydraulic systems are happier when kept lubricated by routine. Solenoids and vacuum actuators ca n stick from sitting long periods.

I didn't say they would stick in two weeks, I said that exercising the car every two weeks would likely prevent those issues. This is an old car we'r e talking about. The older they are, the more they need to keep moving.

become fodder for squirrels and chipmunks when sitting in the same spot. I friend stored a low mileage Acura at my house (interior fire) while he lo cated another from Copart to use as a donor. 6 months later, he went to dr ive the car out of my property and found the transmission harness eaten rig ht down to the casting.

Squirrels and chipmunks don't build nests inside cars that move often or sm ell of human interaction. Leave a car unmoved for a month and you start se eing chipmunks running under the car daily. I move my old plow Explorer ev ery week or so and turn it around, or park it elsewhere for a few days.

Reply to
John-Del

Yes they are when it's pointless. You constantly feel the need to always add some contrary opinion to anything being discussed.

You do it every time Peter says something. The grout thread for example.

And now you're doing it with John.

I see a pattern here, you have to always be right. About every thing. Usually you aren't. But that doesn't stop you.

Do us all a favor, instead of having to hit "Follow up" on every post, buy yourself a roll of paper towels and a bottle of Astro Glide.

If you don't know what to do, I'm sure you can find the answers via Google.com, or any number of search engines.

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
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Reply to
Fox's Mercantile

It seems like you don't know what a float charge is. It involves maintaining the battery terminal voltage at the correct point for the ambient temperature with a permanently-connected charger so that the battery neither passes an appreciable amount of charge current nor self-discharges. The relevant type of lead-acid cells will remain fully-charged and healthy for decades when this is done correctly, but only if they are intended for low-discharge float service, as seen in telco POPs and similar where they are rarely called on for service.

Starter batteries don't deserve this sort of treatment, and the chargers you get for them don't behave in this way. There are maintenance chargers which are intended to be permanently connected which operate in the way you suggest, but it's not float charging.

Reply to
+++ATH0

r fan if needed) is substantially different from moving down the road. Not to suggest that you are wrong. Every engine is different, and the goal is t o drive all the moisture products-of-combustion out of the engine oil and e xhaust system.

ine sat there for a month.

week of below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other thin gs.

ion frozen solid.

s NG?

discussion.

freezing the air is bone dry & any water from combustion frozen solid." th at's not a discussion, that's pushing a silly argument.

it's stating a fact directly relevant to the topic

less of ambient conditions. Everyone knows this, including you I'm sure.

sure.

.

the claim that cars need to be run every 2 weeks is core to the topic, not minutia

ight be overkill, but old cars in particular should be exercised often. Ev en the seals in the engine, transmission, rear end, and hydraulic systems a re happier when kept lubricated by routine. Solenoids and vacuum actuators can stick from sitting long periods.

r every two weeks would likely prevent those issues. This is an old car we 're talking about. The older they are, the more they need to keep moving.

ve become fodder for squirrels and chipmunks when sitting in the same spot. I friend stored a low mileage Acura at my house (interior fire) while he located another from Copart to use as a donor. 6 months later, he went to drive the car out of my property and found the transmission harness eaten r ight down to the casting.

smell of human interaction. Leave a car unmoved for a month and you start seeing chipmunks running under the car daily. I move my old plow Explorer every week or so and turn it around, or park it elsewhere for a few days.

maybe a valid point at last.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

it's the topic being discussed. Whether that is pointless depends on the OP's situation

sometimes discussion threads just drift off into bs

At the risk of stating the 100% obvious, that is not even possible.

ah, ad hominem.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

Jeff:

I think this entire discussion may be distilled to the following:

a) The first-stated purpose is to keep a battery charged on an otherwise id le vehicle. b) A float charger/battery maintainer is not an option. c) Actually driving the vehicle is to be avoided - could be for many good r easons from physical issues to insurance to registration and so forth.

What we know A:

a) Starting any fossil-fuel Internal Combustion engine produces a great dea l of water as a product-of-combustion. b) We do not want that water to remain in the engine. Which means: c) We have to bring the engine up to a minimum operating temperature, and t hen maintain that temperature for some undefined period of time, but one th at is sure to remove the water. d) It is extremely likely that this water-removal requirement will exceed t he keeping-the-battery-charged requirement in operating time.

What we know B: a) 1987 was 32 years ago. b) We have no direct knowledge of state of the vehicle in terms of mainten ance - oil seals, gaskets, and so forth. c) Older gaskets do like to be exercised against shrinkage and drying out. d) The gentleman in the Hospital would probably want his very cooperative n eighbor to err on the side of caution.

EVEN THOUGH 147.5 angels *can* dance on the head of a pin, running said veh icle for a minimum of 15 minutes (or until fully hot) at ~1,000 rpm at leas t every two weeks is probably adequate. Special circumstances may SHORTEN t hat time (2 weeks), but unlikely that the time would be lengthened by much

- given 'What we know B'.

So, Tabby may obsess around the details - I know for sure he is highly frus trated when pepper gets into his fly-poop - but the actual reality on the g round won't change because of that obsession.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
peterwieck33

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