BigBrother-84 Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 This is to document a test I just ran - over two weeks. I've been gone a bit over that time visiting the kids and decided I needed to put a battery charger on Big Blue just to make sure the batteries are up when I get back. But I don't have a "smart" battery charger since the HF one cratered and really did a number on the starting battery. And since I have the smart battery isolator that both parallels the batteries when one of them gets to something like 13.2V and then pulls significant current itself via its coil I wasn't quite sure what charger and settings to use. In the end I opted for this charger and its settings, meaning the 2A mode: And when we got back today I found that my guess had been spot on: First time I see such a charger with a "timer" option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 1, 2023 Author Share Posted June 1, 2023 First time I see such a charger with a "timer" option! I never use the timer. I think it was to allow you to hit it hard for X hours and then turn off. Instead I'd rather hit it slowly for a long time. Here's what the owner's manual says: TIMER The 12 hour timer on Models SE 60 and SE 1012D is useful for preventing overcharging of the battery. Set the pointer knob to the number of hours you want the charger to be on. The knob will automatically rotate counter clockwise indicating the remaining charge time. When the knob reaches the OFF position, the charger will shut off. When the HOLD position is selected, the charger will remain on indefinitely. Familiarize yourself with the action of these settings by rotating the knob through each position several times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 First time I see such a charger with a "timer" option! There's always this one: That's what I have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 2, 2023 Author Share Posted June 2, 2023 There's always this one: That's what I have. Does that behemoth have wheels? I have one with handles that I inherited from Dad, and it takes a man to carry it. They put lots of copper and steel in them back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 Does that behemoth have wheels? I have one with handles that I inherited from Dad, and it takes a man to carry it. They put lots of copper and steel in them back then. Yes, on the back of the base, probably 6" OD. I also have 2 of the Sears ones, allegedly fully automatic, more like fully a royal pain (I think they must be made by Lucas). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted June 2, 2023 Author Share Posted June 2, 2023 Yes, on the back of the base, probably 6" OD. I also have 2 of the Sears ones, allegedly fully automatic, more like fully a royal pain (I think they must be made by Lucas). They don't work in the rain or the dark? After the fiasco of the HF one hurting the starting battery on Big Blue I'm not a huge fan of the smart chargers. I'm happy to find that this one on the 2A setting will keep both batteries at 12.8V indefinitely with the load of electronics I have onboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted June 2, 2023 Share Posted June 2, 2023 They don't work in the rain or the dark? After the fiasco of the HF one hurting the starting battery on Big Blue I'm not a huge fan of the smart chargers. I'm happy to find that this one on the 2A setting will keep both batteries at 12.8V indefinitely with the load of electronics I have onboard. A lot of marine dealers carry battery tenders, trickle chargers that shut down when the voltage is reached. Good ones aren't cheap though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 A lot of marine dealers carry battery tenders, trickle chargers that shut down when the voltage is reached. Good ones aren't cheap though. While this update is intended to be about seats, I'll start with the charger since that's the last thing we talked about. For some reason in the last couple of days the battery voltage has been up almost 1.0V - in spite of the charger still being on the 2 amp setting. What I've done since the voltage was lower was: Disconnected the HVAC blower motor. I doubt this has anything to do with it, but will check tomorrow. Ran the charger on the 10A mode, which brought the batteries to almost 15 volts. Then I turned on the blower and brought it down to ~12.5, then back up to almost 15, and so on. This went on for maybe an hour. Tomorrow I'll do some more checking, but if anyone has ideas as to why, please let me know. Now for why I started to post. I saw on Facebook recently that a guy in the Dallas area had an 86 Supercab he was thinking about parting out and it has the seats shown below. He says they are in excellent shape and we've worked out a deal. I'm headed to Texas next Thursday, the 25th, to pick them up as well as the console and rear seat. They'll replace the red seats that go in Dad's truck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 While this update is intended to be about seats, I'll start with the charger since that's the last thing we talked about. For some reason in the last couple of days the battery voltage has been up almost 1.0V - in spite of the charger still being on the 2 amp setting. What I've done since the voltage was lower was: Disconnected the HVAC blower motor. I doubt this has anything to do with it, but will check tomorrow. Ran the charger on the 10A mode, which brought the batteries to almost 15 volts. Then I turned on the blower and brought it down to ~12.5, then back up to almost 15, and so on. This went on for maybe an hour. Tomorrow I'll do some more checking, but if anyone has ideas as to why, please let me know. Now for why I started to post. I saw on Facebook recently that a guy in the Dallas area had an 86 Supercab he was thinking about parting out and it has the seats shown below. He says they are in excellent shape and we've worked out a deal. I'm headed to Texas next Thursday, the 25th, to pick them up as well as the console and rear seat. They'll replace the red seats that go in Dad's truck Looks like a nice find! And a road trip! Edit: Saw the zip tie on the steering column, that a Mecum truck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted January 20 Author Share Posted January 20 Looks like a nice find! And a road trip! Edit: Saw the zip tie on the steering column, that a Mecum truck! I don't know where he got it, but I've gone to several Mecum auctions and doubt they'd have had it. But it was a really nice truck. It has been in an accident and the frame is bent to some extent at the front. And one of the fenders, driver's I think, was pushed back and hit the door. But otherwise it was mint. According to the new owner, Allison Terry, it apparently was parked under a very big tree after the accident and not driven again. He said he went back for many years on Google Street and it was in the same spot every time. And the shade seems to have saved the interior very well as he said even the dash pad isn't cracked. So I'm happy to have found what are said to be blue seats in excellent condition. I wanted to have the short-back buckets that Chad gave me recovered, but I'm not finding anyone around here that will do it. And about 10 years ago when I had the ones for Dad's truck done it was over $1000, so it is probably double that now. Road trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts