Battery Saver

R

robert mueller

New member
Jul 4, 2007
17,586
0
0
Maybe... but this isn't much more and has multiple uses... like jumping
a dead towd, for instance.

https://www.amazon.com/GOOLOO-Portable-Starter-Battery-Booster/dp/B017LIE842

Got one stored in my coach and I've used it to fire up the neighbor's
dead Ford PU, too.

Kelvin

> G'day,
>
> Opinions on this device please:
>
> Tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/zafyfxc
>
> Full URL:
>
> http://www.adventurerv.net/vehicle-dead-battery-brain-saver-type-bronze-p-40
> 36.html?utm_source=AdventureRV&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Specials_12_29_
> 2016am
>
> Regards,
> Rob M.
> The Pedantic Mechanic
> USAussie - Downunder
> AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
> USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
> USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
We use the BatteryMINDer http://www.batteryminders.com/ on all our vehicles that we leave with a battery in the vehicle and don't drive regularly.

We use a Model 12248 on the coach with its two large 6 volt house batteries and single 12 volt engine battery. All three batteries are flooded cell
lead acid batteries.

We keep another BatteryMINDER (I have forgotten the model number) on a little convertible we leave in Florida. That car has a 12 Optima AGM battery.
AGM batteries should have a little different charging program than wet cell batteries and we have the model on this car that is specific to 12 volt
AGM batteries only.

We also keep a BatteryMINDER on a 24 volt Concord AGM battery. This is about a $400 battery and we want to keep it alive as long as we can. The
Concord 24 volt AGM battery also requires a specific charging program and the unit we use can only be used on a 24 volt AGM.

The only short fall for our use with any of these is with the first mentioned unit, the Model 122248 that we keep on the coach. This unit can be used
on AGM, Flooded Cell and Gel batteries. If the electrical power to the unit is interrupted for a short period, it falls to the Gel charging
programing. If you don't reset it and it is in use on an AGM or Flooded Cell battery, you will end up with a slightly undercharged battery.

I like the little Zap the BatteryMINDER gives the battery every 24 hours to keep sulfation down. We highly recommend the use of a battery maintainer.

Regards,

Don and Susan Jeffers
1978 Eleganza III 500 Cadillac
 
Just use a manual battery disconnect. The device from Amazon is just an voltage controlled battery disconnect. I have one of the small portable
battery packs, similar to the referenced one. It will start a GMC. Actually very useful device. I have powered a portable ham radio transmitter, a
string of led Christmas lights and other USB-based devices. Flashlight is a very neat addition to it's capabilities. Prices all seem to hover around
$50. Every retailer has them in stock, Wal-Mart, and other big box stores.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG
 
Seems like a pretty good idea to me, Rob, especially for a vehicle in unattended storage without trickle charge from a Battery Minder.

A manual disconnect device would be a lot cheaper, though.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ D C "Mac" Macdonald ~ ~~
~ ~ Amateur Radio - K2GKK ~ ~
~ ~ Since 30 November '53 ~ ~
~ ~ USAF and FAA, Retired ~ ~
~ Member GMCMI and Classics ~
~ ~ ~ Oklahoma City, OK ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ ~ "The Money Pit" ~ ~ ~~
~ ~ ~ ~ TZE166V101966 ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ '76 ex-Palm Beach ~ ~ ~
~~ k2gkk + hotmail dot com ~~
~ www.gmcmhphotos.com/okclb ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
______________
|[ ]~~~[][ ][]\
"--OO--[]---O-"

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Rob Mueller
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2016 22:48
To: gmclist
Subject: [GMCnet] Battery Saver

G'day,

Opinions on this device please:

Tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/zafyfxc

Full URL:

http://www.adventurerv.net/vehicle-dead-battery-brain-saver-type-bronze-p-40
36.html?utm_source=AdventureRV&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Specials_12_29_
2016am

Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
USAussie - Downunder
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808
 
Well Rob- 1) it will cause voltage drop at cranking, not sure how much but impossible not to.
2). Hanging extra stuff on the battery post creates a stress failure chance internally. This can cause intermitants or battery explosion.
3) hanging extra stuff on the positive creates an extra short hazard point in a negative ground system.
4) I use stock GM side terminals not posts
5) the factory system gives you a built in boost backup
6) I disconnect the negative terminal on any and all vehicles that go into my storage building, as soon as they are parked to prevent electrical fires
or parasitic drains. I keep plenty of the little 5/16 battery ratchets handy so one is always near by
7) disconnecting the negative gives you a good reminder to spray both connections with Caig D5 or similar to keep the connections in good shape before
reconnecting.
8) I don't like add on stuff ( can you tell)
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Source America First
 
To Rob:
Executive summary for Rob.
I have never used one. I have seen such a device in service and repaired it when it failed. The owner loved it and would not be without it.

Now....
This thread is a great example of "Thread Spread" and I hope others caught that. This is not a criticism of any specific individual but more an
example of what can happen any place at any time.
Rob started asking about a device that disconnects a battery when it is depleted to preserve enough power to start a main engine.
=>Kelvin responded by showing us a little high drain battery pack that can be used to boost up a system.
=>Don Jeffers suggested the use of a line powered battery maintainer.
=>Tom suggested a manual battery disconnect.
=>Mac said it sounds like a good idea.
=>JohnL came a long with a lot of good observations.

All this can possibly be helpful, but nobody has answered Rob's question.

I will try.
I ran into such a device years ago while doing work on an owner's sloop. He had put it in because between the wife and kiddies, someone was always
leaving a light on when they were anchored out (boondocking). They would get back to the boat after dark and have no power and no way to fire the
main engine (only one engine and one house/engine battery). He declared that this fixed the issue, but the device had failed. He had been very happy
with the installation prior to that. This device had a manual reset and all kinds of cautionary labels.

For this owner I quoted a major system re-work so he had a house battery and system and a main engine start battery and it was difficult to cross the
two - kind of like a GMC in factory trim. He wanted the separator to be replaced in the main engine start system, so he should never again have to
choose between rowing ashore to borrow a battery and cables or trying the hand crank the little diesel to life. Both were getting very old.

Back to the story at hand. The device had a voltage sampling circuit that would fire a winding on a magnetic latching contactor (relay). That
contactor had failed. I spent way too much time locating a replacement part(but he was a good client). I locate one replacement device, but it was
not capable at little diesel starting load. With the original repaired and re-installed, he was again a happy client. (The kind I like a lot.)

Rob et al,
I hope this answers the questions. If not please try to tell me what I missed.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
'73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
 
That just goes against my BIG as possible battery connections and cables.

I have seen some more robust looking devices that do the same thing, I just still prefer my big cables, battery connections. It sucks, but a person
just has to be really diligent with watching battery systems and state of charge/discharge.


--
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
 
Rob,
I own a Motorola Dealership and we use a similar product, and even developed and build our own. But instead of cutting the power to the whole vehicle,
it cuts power to devices connected through it. Alot of our customers (Municipal Works Departments, Utilities, construction etc) like to have their
truck two-way radios left ON while the truck engine is OFF at a work site. Our "Power-down" unit leaves the radio powered for up to 4 hours after the
engine is shut off, or until the battery voltage drops to a preset level. When the weather turns cold, the preset turn-off voltage level is increased.
It senses the engine starting, then powers up the radio. When it senses the engine is OFF, the timer starts its count down. Usually during the day
the vehicle is started again before the timer times-out. By 9 or 10pm at night the timer powers down the radio.

If I was to develop a product like this, I would install it in line with the main fusible link. That way it would cut the power to whatever is
draining, yet not be in the high current starter circuit.

I have a unit on my House battery that cuts the power once the voltage drops to 10.5 volts. That way if a light or some current draw is left on, the
power is cut before the battery voltage drops to damaging levels.

I've sold several of our units to GMCers.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/electrical/p28712-12-volt-accessory-power-down-timer.html

--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
Hubler 1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that
 
My Minivan had a timer that shut off all lights, it worked great. I wonder if thats a separate module or part of the body computer?

Except that time the kids were playing in it at the park at a family reunion and kept resetting the timer by opening and closing the doors over and over. Killed the battery anyway!

But it was nice to get in the car in the morning and realise a door was open but the lights had still shut off and the car would start.

Oh and only one lights wasn't on that timer, the glove box light... Yes I found that out the hard way too.

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Bruce Hislop
Sent: Friday, December 30, 2016 2:50:00 PM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Battery Saver

Rob,
I own a Motorola Dealership and we use a similar product, and even developed and build our own. But instead of cutting the power to the whole vehicle,
it cuts power to devices connected through it. Alot of our customers (Municipal Works Departments, Utilities, construction etc) like to have their
truck two-way radios left ON while the truck engine is OFF at a work site. Our "Power-down" unit leaves the radio powered for up to 4 hours after the
engine is shut off, or until the battery voltage drops to a preset level. When the weather turns cold, the preset turn-off voltage level is increased.
It senses the engine starting, then powers up the radio. When it senses the engine is OFF, the timer starts its count down. Usually during the day
the vehicle is started again before the timer times-out. By 9 or 10pm at night the timer powers down the radio.

If I was to develop a product like this, I would install it in line with the main fusible link. That way it would cut the power to whatever is
draining, yet not be in the high current starter circuit.

I have a unit on my House battery that cuts the power once the voltage drops to 10.5 volts. That way if a light or some current draw is left on, the
power is cut before the battery voltage drops to damaging levels.

I've sold several of our units to GMCers.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/electrical/p28712-12-volt-accessory-power-down-timer.html

--
Bruce Hislop
ON Canada
77PB, 455 Dick P. rebuilt, DynamicEFI EBL EFI & ESC.
Hubler 1 ton front end
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/showphoto.php?photo=29001
My Staff says I never listen to them, or something like that

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
Just an additional note:
My towd, 2010 Honda Fit, battery died, would only charge 16%. OEM, I suspect. Used the small charge pack to start the Fit and get it to replacement
shop. Honda Fit has small battery form factor, 151r, and is expensive. Costs more than any other lead acid battery for the GMC. Thank goodness for
year end coupon from Advance Auto.
Fit runs better as an end result. Starts also, lol.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG
 
Tom and All,

We too towed a Honda FIT 2009 thru 2012 when we replaced it with a 2011 Honda CRV. Both great toweds with the FIT at 2500# and the CRV at slightly over 3100 The FIT was a little rice rocket with a paddle shifter auto trans or in full auto.

You are correct that the FIT’s battery was a joke. I have seen motorcycle batteries that were bigger. We had a braking system that used power from the FIT battery and the battery would run down over a days tow. We bought a unit that solved this problem for the FIT and moved it to the CRV too.

http://www.lslproducts.net/ToadChargePage.html

I bought just the unit and built the wiring harness myself. I would not tow with out it!

Just what we did, your item or solution may vary.

J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLaker
Newsletter Editor/Publisher
Tech Editor
78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
75 Avion Under Reconstruction
Michigan
On location in Tucson

>
> Just an additional note:
> My towd, 2010 Honda Fit, battery died, would only charge 16%. OEM, I suspect. Used the small charge pack to start the Fit and get it to replacement
> shop. Honda Fit has small battery form factor, 151r, and is expensive. Costs more than any other lead acid battery for the GMC. Thank goodness for
> year end coupon from Advance Auto.
> Fit runs better as an end result. Starts also, lol.
> Tom, MS II
> --
> 1975 GMC Avion
> KA4CSG
 
A lot of people are installing the 51R's in Honda Fits. It will just fit in there (with a shoe horn) up against the air cleaner in 1st and 2nd gen
Fits. In my daughter's current 3 gen (2016 Fit EX), they enlarged the battery box so a 51R fits normally even though they still come OEM with a 151R.
I have never installed a 51R myself in a Fit because Heather keeps totaling them before the batteries go bad. She had an 09 sport, an 11 sport, and
now a 16 EX.

I just put a 51R in my John Deere a few weeks ago. The also are not cheap.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
 
My US Gear Tow brakes are wired so the coach charges the towd battery.
If I were to use something like the ToadCharge I'd find a way to wire it
into the towd umbilical rather than have another thing to plug in.

Just my 2¢
Kelvin

'73 23' in Eugene, OR

> Tom and All,
>
> We too towed a Honda FIT 2009 thru 2012 when we replaced it with a 2011 Honda CRV. Both great toweds with the FIT at 2500# and the CRV at slightly over 3100 The FIT was a little rice rocket with a paddle shifter auto trans or in full auto.
>
> You are correct that the FIT’s battery was a joke. I have seen motorcycle batteries that were bigger. We had a braking system that used power from the FIT battery and the battery would run down over a days tow. We bought a unit that solved this problem for the FIT and moved it to the CRV too.
>
> http://www.lslproducts.net/ToadChargePage.html
>
> I bought just the unit and built the wiring harness myself. I would not tow with out it!
>
> Just what we did, your item or solution may vary.
>
> J.R. Wright
> GMC GreatLaker
> Newsletter Editor/Publisher
> Tech Editor
> 78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
> 75 Avion Under Reconstruction
> Michigan
> On location in Tucson
>
>

>>
>> Just an additional note:
>> My towd, 2010 Honda Fit, battery died, would only charge 16%. OEM, I suspect. Used the small charge pack to start the Fit and get it to replacement
>> shop. Honda Fit has small battery form factor, 151r, and is expensive. Costs more than any other lead acid battery for the GMC. Thank goodness for
>> year end coupon from Advance Auto.
>> Fit runs better as an end result. Starts also, lol.
>> Tom, MS II
>> --
>> 1975 GMC Avion
>> KA4CSG
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
You might go to a 7 pin coondter and use the extra for the power you need.
We have done that for several towed units so they do not need to rely on
power from it.
Always retighten the individual wires as the set screws need to be
tightened as time passes.

> My US Gear Tow brakes are wired so the coach charges the towd battery. If
> I were to use something like the ToadCharge I'd find a way to wire it into
> the towd umbilical rather than have another thing to plug in.
>
> Just my 2¢
> Kelvin
>
> '73 23' in Eugene, OR
>
>

>
>> Tom and All,
>>
>> We too towed a Honda FIT 2009 thru 2012 when we replaced it with a 2011
>> Honda CRV. Both great toweds with the FIT at 2500# and the CRV at slightly
>> over 3100 The FIT was a little rice rocket with a paddle shifter auto
>> trans or in full auto.
>>
>> You are correct that the FIT’s battery was a joke. I have seen
>> motorcycle batteries that were bigger. We had a braking system that used
>> power from the FIT battery and the battery would run down over a days tow.
>> We bought a unit that solved this problem for the FIT and moved it to the
>> CRV too.
>>
>> http://www.lslproducts.net/ToadChargePage.html
>>
>> I bought just the unit and built the wiring harness myself. I would not
>> tow with out it!
>>
>> Just what we did, your item or solution may vary.
>>
>> J.R. Wright
>> GMC GreatLaker
>> Newsletter Editor/Publisher
>> Tech Editor
>> 78 Buskirk 30' Stretch
>> 75 Avion Under Reconstruction
>> Michigan
>> On location in Tucson
>>
>>

>>>
>>> Just an additional note:
>>> My towd, 2010 Honda Fit, battery died, would only charge 16%. OEM, I
>>> suspect. Used the small charge pack to start the Fit and get it to
>>> replacement
>>> shop. Honda Fit has small battery form factor, 151r, and is expensive.
>>> Costs more than any other lead acid battery for the GMC. Thank goodness for
>>> year end coupon from Advance Auto.
>>> Fit runs better as an end result. Starts also, lol.
>>> Tom, MS II
>>> --
>>> 1975 GMC Avion
>>> KA4CSG
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502
 
Matt et al,

All the responses were helpful. Thread Spread is the norm and I expected it.

Bottom line using all the information presented it might be handy on the
house circuit, but not the start battery. I read one blurb that noted its
current limit was 270 CCA.

Regards,
Rob M.
The Pedantic Mechanic
USAussie - Downunder
AUS '75 Avion - The Blue Streak TZE365V100428
USA '75 Avion - Double Trouble TZE365V100426
USA '77 Kingsley - TZE 267V100808


-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Matt
Colie
Sent: Saturday, December 31, 2016 2:44 AM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Battery Saver

To Rob:
Executive summary for Rob.
I have never used one. I have seen such a device in service and repaired it
when it failed. The owner loved it and would not be without it.

Now....
This thread is a great example of "Thread Spread" and I hope others caught
that. This is not a criticism of any specific individual but more an
example of what can happen any place at any time.
Rob started asking about a device that disconnects a battery when it is
depleted to preserve enough power to start a main engine.
=>Kelvin responded by showing us a little high drain battery pack that can
be used to boost up a system.
=>Don Jeffers suggested the use of a line powered battery maintainer.
=>Tom suggested a manual battery disconnect.
=>Mac said it sounds like a good idea.
=>JohnL came a long with a lot of good observations.

All this can possibly be helpful, but nobody has answered Rob's question.

I will try.
I ran into such a device years ago while doing work on an owner's sloop. He
had put it in because between the wife and kiddies, someone was always
leaving a light on when they were anchored out (boondocking). They would
get back to the boat after dark and have no power and no way to fire the
main engine (only one engine and one house/engine battery). He declared
that this fixed the issue, but the device had failed. He had been very
happy
with the installation prior to that. This device had a manual reset and all
kinds of cautionary labels.

For this owner I quoted a major system re-work so he had a house battery and
system and a main engine start battery and it was difficult to cross the
two - kind of like a GMC in factory trim. He wanted the separator to be
replaced in the main engine start system, so he should never again have to
choose between rowing ashore to borrow a battery and cables or trying the
hand crank the little diesel to life. Both were getting very old.

Back to the story at hand. The device had a voltage sampling circuit that
would fire a winding on a magnetic latching contactor (relay). That
contactor had failed. I spent way too much time locating a replacement
part(but he was a good client). I locate one replacement device, but it was
not capable at little diesel starting load. With the original repaired and
re-installed, he was again a happy client. (The kind I like a lot.)

Rob et al,
I hope this answers the questions. If not please try to tell me what I
missed.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
'73 Glacier 23 - Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brake with Applied Control Arms
Now with both true Keyless and remote entry
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

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