Cost of Keeping Batteries Healthy

[nomad297]

I am just looking for a ballpark (I know there are many factors) amount of how much it would cost to keep my golf cart batteries charged and in good condition throughout the winter if I leave my charger connected and turned on. I would be maintaining four relatively new 12 volt wet cell deep-cycle batteries for my 48 volt golf cart with an Eagle Performance i4815 15 Amp charger. Here are the details for the charger:

http://www.dualpro.com/wp-content/up...ble-Insert.pdf

I have been told that I can leave this charger plugged in all of the time without having to worry about any negative effects to the charger or to the batteries. I’m just wondering what kind of negative effect doing this will have on my wallet.

I would not be able to check on the status of the charger or batteries very often—maybe once or twice per month for the next few months. Both the charger and batteries will be outside and covered during winter weather in PA. Does anybody see anything wrong with doing this? Can anybody figure out, roughly, how much I will pay for electricity? Is it worth doing this?

Thanks,

Bruce

[bareftn]

why not just remove them and put in a area that stays above freezing?

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by bareftn

why not just remove them and put in a area that stays above freezing?

Wouldn’t I still need to keep a charger on them?

Bruce

[CHICKDOE]

there no need to keep them continuously connected to the charger. if they are fully charged they will keep there charge probably through all winter. if you want go over after a couple of months and connect the charger for a day or so.

even if you left the charger on the entire time i would think the cost of electricity would be minimal. there charger won't be using much power when the batteries are charged and don't need any more.

[NJKris]

Once they are charged and just trickle charging on occasion as determined by smart charger, electricity is just pennies a day. Right now I have my golf cart batts mounted on trailer, with trailer plugged in. Converter + solar panel on roof doing the maintaining.

[NJKris]

I keep a CTEK charger on the marine batt in my bedroom (for my CPAP during outages) and another one plugged into Corvette in garage. They pulse charge as needed if they sense voltage is falling below a healthy level.

[Canadiancrew]

A charger/maintainer is still a good idea. Even if you take them in and put them on a warm shelf you should charge them a couple of times tthrough the winter. Yes they may be ok all winter but.... The batteries in my boat are in the back buried below other equipment and a pain to get out. The battery maintainer is all wired in and a no worry solution. The boat is plugged into the house. Now since the trailer is in a storage yard the batteries come out and sit in the garage and I need to remember to put the trickle charger on them. The atv sits in the garage but I still picked up a charger maintainer for it.

[BigH]

A fully charged flooded deep cycle battery will not freeze until about -80f. The amount of charge makes a large difference on what that freeze point is...Less charge and it will freeze at warmer temps. More:

http://www.trojanbattery.com/pdf/WP_...orage_0512.pdf

I have four motorcycles that have to be stored during our cold winters and only one battery tender for them. I leave the tender on the BMW all the time and only disconnect it to place it on one of the other bikes. I leave it connected to one of the other bikes for a few days once every couple months...then back on the BMW.

Typically for trolling motor batteries (true deep cells) I would plug them in once a month for a few days. I do the same with the camper. Last year I didn't even plug the camper batteries in over the entire winter but I did check them...if a battery shows a drop in charge, I will plug it in. It is very cold here and this slows the discharge rate...-My habits don't apply for everyone and are not perfect.

I'm not familiar with the charger you linked. Some chargers are 'smart' and leaving them plugged in is the best thing you can do for the battery. The charger I use for the bikes is 'smart' and has different processes depending on the state of charge.

This is a subject that could turn into a large amount of reading. A full battery is not drawing power but the charger itself is still using a very small amount even if it is not charging. I would follow the instructions on your charger and forget about it...including the cost. After a little research a small tender like I use on the bikes is certainly less than a buck a month.

[camaraderie]

What BigH said. You don't need continuous charging as at a 60% charge you are STILL good to -10 below zero...and at full harge you are good to about 90 below.
Fully charge the batts...then REMOVE the negative wire to assure you will have ZERO drain on the battery EXCEPT for SELF DISCHARGE which is slower as the weather gets colder. LEAVE them outside in the trailer to take advantage of this. You might lose 10% a month in a north of the mason-dixon line climate. Check monthly or every couple of months and as you approach 12.2 volts...THEN put a full charge on which will prevent sulphation and mix water and acid well during the BULK charging phase. You might have to do this once every 60-90 days... but it is better than trickle charging, as there is no risk or expense (which is small change anyway) and the bulk charge will be way better than trickle charging against sulphation. Buy yourself a hot chocolate with the money you save!

[n0ms]

I've seen golf cart roofs that are solar panels. The kits are on line.

[SailorSam20500]

Warmer the battery is, the faster it will discharge. As noted above, a fully charged battery will be very happy down to below -50F for a long time - months.
If this is a wet cell battery on a charger, you have some danger from hydrogen gas off gassing during charging. Yes, this is a low risk, but it does exist and may be additive to other issues. I would never store a battery on a charger inside my house or attached garage.

[NJKris]

You mean the big marine battery next to my bed on a smart charger 24/7?

[Scottmarm]

I put my unit in storage on the first day of November and take it out in the middle of
April. That's 5 1/2 months without any power and I've never had any problems. I do however take the negative wire off the batteries to make sure no parasite drain will effect them. When i take my unit out of storage, my batteries are about 10 to 15 % drained....well above the danger zone.

[bareftn]

no one has the right or wrong answer just do what you feel is right
this could go on and on
I for one wont leave a battery in anything not in use during the winter outside I put them on a shelve in my garage that wont get below 40
my ford tractor that is only used to plow the driveway sits all summer unless I move it because its in the way. I get it ready for the winter in oct meaning filling it with gas and check all fluids and it sits till needed ,never put a charger on it and the battery is well over 10 years old. when it dies I will just go to interstate battery and buy a new $40. blem battery