Batteries

[johndeerebones]

Ive got some battery issues myself...probably has LOTS to do w/
the stereo load im pulling...I really think my alternator isnt keeping up
(well in fact i know it isnt...even at speed i can see the charging voltage
drop to the low 12.x volt charge)

i THINK im boiling my batteries....the TOPS of my batteries are "wet" a
little...

any thoughts ???

Im thinking im gonna have to 1st up grade the alternator and then
eventually replace my batteries...



this happened in my f150 gasser too...

If you are boiling your batteries over the top you either have

A- too much acid in the batteries to begin with,
B- you're over charging them
C- batteries are just leaking

doubt its a, check your charging voltage at the batteries with the engine revved up a little, if its much over 14.5 start looking into the volt reg system. Overcharging will cook batteries pretty quick, hope that's not it...

by the way, keep them batteries cleaned off, believe it or not the moisture on the batteries conducts enough voltage through the plastic and between the terminals to discharge the batteries. This is where the old adage about putting batteries on a concrete floor comes from, its not the concrete that discharges em, its the moisture in it...

To everybody else, don't forget, not only does the sulfate slow electron flow through the batteries, but the deeper you cycle the battery the more erosion you will have on the plates, as the sulfate and eroded plates fall to and build up in the bottom of the battery they short out the plates and keep the effected cell from producing voltage......one bad cell drops the capacity of the battery alot, each cell makes 2.1 volts, so even one dropped cell will cut possible voltage to 10.5, not to mention the drop in cranking amps.....

 

[bushpilot]

doubt its a, check your charging voltage at the batteries with the engine revved up a little, if its much over 14.5 start looking into the volt reg system. Overcharging will cook batteries pretty quick, hope that's not it...

yeah makes sense...ive never seen my charge voltage over 14v...im lucky
if i ever see 13.8v running down the road....even when i know the static
charge (from sitting) of the batteries is 11.8v (or less).

if i have EVERYTHING on...200w halogen aux lights, audio cranking (over 1500w)
and laptop (mapping/gps-ing) i can pull the "charge" voltage down to 12.1v
or LESS (depending on the base thump)

 

[johndeerebones]

yeah makes sense...ive never seen my charge voltage over 14v...im lucky
if i ever see 13.8v running down the road....even when i know the static
charge (from sitting) of the batteries is 11.8v (or less).

if i have EVERYTHING on...200w halogen aux lights, audio cranking (over 1500w)
and laptop (mapping/gps-ing) i can pull the "charge" voltage down to 12.1v
or LESS (depending on the base thump)

Ya, that's alot of load, I used to have a 700 watt pheonix gold running 4 12's and a 600 watt california running a diamond component set(when diamond was good) in an 87 4x4 s10 extended cab I had, it would dim the lights, but never had a problem with it charging, I lived 10 miles outta town though and 16, so It never sat long, and took long trips, no short trips. MAN would that sucker make your eyeballs bounce. Would thump so hard you'd have to shat after you got out it if you turned it up. I never wanted a thumping stereo again after that

Every system since has been for sound quality and nothing else.

 

[bushpilot]

yeah im not much of a THUMPER <i leave that to my ex-wife HA !
im more interested in CLEAN/CRISP sound...i get plenty o COMPLEMENTARY
bass from a single 10" solobaric (using a 500/1 JL to drive it).

 

[95_stroker]

What kind did you go with Mike? Motorcraft I hope

Edit: I read another thread and what do you know

My original Motorcrafts are still going strong although I did put them in my 75' F250 a couple of years ago because I thought Crummy deserved a new set for Christmas.

I looked at Interstate's and I looked at Optima's but settled on Motorcrafts. The Interstates were $101.00 a piece and the optimas were $1stupid.00 a piece and the Motos were $99.00 a shot.