Keeping a battery charged

[gunnner]

The othe day I went to start my track hoe------Battery was dead---Have not used it for some time. As there is no power where I keep it I was able to jump start it with my tractor parked next to it.
So my question is: How often do I need to start/run my equipment to keep the battery up. Being that the batteries are around 2 years old ---how long do I need to run the engines?

 

[Car Doc]

It depends on the draw with the key off (is it computerized or have a clock or a radio?) and the temperature (cold is bad on battery's) and the cleanliness of the battery itself can cause a surface drain.

I use and highly recommend HF battery tenders I have them on everything I own that sits over the winter or is parked unused I realize you have no power but a small solar panel and a diode installed in the output of the tender I think would work.

 

[kneedeep]

A auto mechanic told my mom when she was having trouble with her car battery (she drove 2 miles to work and home only) that it takes at least 30 min driving at highway speed to re-charge a car battery after cranking. Apparantly she was not driving enough to keep the batteries charged so I rigged a trickle charger that would unplug if she forgot and backed out of the garage with it plugged up. That problem solved!

I have used Solar Charges and they seem to work well if you get the big ones from Auto suppliers and not the cheap small ones from Academy

 

[Bob77064]

One that would unplug is what I would need, soon as I had backed out I would remember it.

 

[Car Doc]

One that would unplug is what I would need, soon as I had backed out I would remember it.

Yeah that sounds familiar :laughing: how about hanging the key on the battery tender wiring! :thumbsup:

 

[yelbike]

One that would unplug is what I would need, soon as I had backed out I would remember it.

How could you be so forgetful?? I would never do that......twice in one day.

 

[oldballs]

I guess one could remove the battery alltogether and leave it where one could keep a trickle charger on it. Sounds like a lot of hassle, but might be better than starting/running the tractor just to keep the battery up.

 

[gunnner]

Aaaaaah------Solar powered battery chargers------now why did I not think of that????? ( GUESS cause I never had one)
I have started to look for one (2)----As a starter motor has only so many starts in it.
Sunforce® 12-Volt Battery Solar Charger, Battery Chargers & Power Packs, Auto/Boat Batteries & Chargers, Boating : Cabela's

Thanks everyone

 

[94BULLITT]

I have some solar chargers. The small ones put out 100 milli amps and I have a big one that does 400 milli amps. I keep them one my vehicles. I also have a Noco genius battery charger that about once a month I use to top off the batterys. If you keep something inside I recommend you keep a quality battery maintainer on it. The battery in my truck is over 7 years old.

 

[gunnner]

After thinkin bout solar chargers-------Well I don't get much direct sunlight up here-----perhaps in mid winter bout from 9AM till 2PM------so I now wonder if that is enough?????
Guess I could run a extention cord on the ground to the carport----after all I have other extion cords going to my lower carport , chicken coupe, garden shed ,& greenhouse ( parcially burried ).