03-30-2021, 05:54 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Odessa/Midland TX
Posts: 3,711
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Odessa/Midland TX
Posts: 3,711
|
Trickle Charger every day and no more long cranking..
I wanted to update you all with this simple fix.
Yes, the battery is old nearing 5 years, however, I started using a trickle charger for past 2-3 months and I started noticing, every morning, the engine starts in just 1 second of cranking.
I find vehicles that is driven 3-6 miles a day or each way at low speeds barely getting a complete charge. Alternator is pumping 14 V.
My 92 Toyota Sprinter (aka Geo Prizm) had a never ending wiper skipping and tried everything even a new windshield. With a fully charged battery, no more wiper skips... travels like I've never seen it before since the day I bought it 14 years ago.
__________________
1990 3L Diesel Hilux LN 106; 1973 Ford Cortina XL
1992 4AFE Toyota Sprinter AE 91 (aka Geo Prizm)
1997 5vzfe 4Runner 4x4 (aka Hilux Surf)
2000 2uzfe 100 Series Land Cruiser
2021 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4x4 6-speed
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
03-30-2021, 08:30 PM
|
#2
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 3,151
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 3,151
|
Wife and I have 4 vehicles between us. Some don't get driven as much or often as they could.
So from time to time, I'll rotate a 4amp smart charger amongst them, they all Love it.
I have a SxS and 2 quads that also don't get driven but every other weekend, so each has a 1amp smart charger hooked up, they fire up instantly, no choke required even!
On one vehicle that doesn't get driven much, I connect the quick connect wire so its super fast on/off too.
__________________
2001 Limited 4WD - 346+K - SunfireRed\Thunder Cloud; - 265/75/16 Michelin A/T2s - Fat Pat's 1.5" BL - StopTech ANGLED rotors - In series 699 trans cooler, New Yota1 transmission, All new OEM suspension front to rear.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
03-31-2021, 12:45 AM
|
#3
|
|
Senior Member
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 1,418
Real Name: Keith
|
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 1,418
Real Name: Keith
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by nissanh
I find vehicles that is driven 3-6 miles a day or each way at low speeds barely getting a complete charge. Alternator is pumping 14 V.
|
I have come to the same conclusion, based on my '97 T4R using a group 34 AGM battery. The itty-bitty short trips around town don't replace the battery capacity lost from just a few starts.
__________________
97 4R SR5, 4WD/Elock, 3.4, 5spd. OME881/890 springs/OME shocks, 265/70/16 BFG AT/KO2.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
03-31-2021, 08:05 AM
|
#4
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Earth
Posts: 862
|
|
Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Earth
Posts: 862
|
Not to mention that short trips are hell on the fluids too (and thus on the components that rely on those fluids). Hope you folks are getting a longer drive in once a month or so, 50 miles at least, though you can probably get by with 30 through the summers.
__________________
'99 Limited 4x4, Millenium Silver ~ Maintenance Thread
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
03-31-2021, 10:19 AM
|
#5
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern California
Posts: 64
|
|
Member
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Northern California
Posts: 64
|
My Tacoma and ‘71 El Camino are both garaged and seldom driven, though I do start and warm them up real good a few times a month. Both have CTEK chargers hooked up 24/7, and neither hesitate to crank right up.
The El Camino has a now six year old red top Optima, which judging by hundreds of reviews nowadays, should be long dead by now, but so far I have no complaints with mine (knock on wood!). I’m curious to see how long my Optima will last under the current conditions, and whether or not it will crap out once the car is finished being restored and back on the road semi regularly?
__________________
2002 4Runner SR5 4WD 3.4L Thundercloud
2001 Tacoma Xtracab TRD 4WD 3.4L Black Sand Pearl (original owner)
1971 El Camino (second owner, purchased in ‘81)
2010 Cadillac DTS
Too many cars, but love them all!
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
03-31-2021, 02:56 PM
|
#6
|
|
Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 248
|
|
Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 248
|
Yep, same here. Have 4 cars. All get a charger. One only gets driven maybe 30 miles every 2 months.
Charger is absolutely necessary if you're not putting at least 40 miles on it for every "Cold start." This is more so the case on newer cars or those that have more electronic doodads or features.
__________________
2000 Limited V6 4WD | Factory Locker | 2nd Gen SC | NGK Spark Plug Wires | AEM Boost/AFM Gauges | Scangauge II | Sonoran Steel 1.2 Lift/Washer Reservoir | AirLift Rear Airbags/Wireless Compressor | 4XInnovations Front/Rear Bumpers | Schrockworks Skid Plates/Sliders | Warn 12k LBS Winch-Synline | LED Halo Driving Lights | LED "Satoshi Cover" Lightbar | Thermal IR Cam | BFG All-Terrain KO2 | Kenwood with Sirius/Garmin Nav and Surround-View Cam | Heated Seats | Lumbar Support | Blacked out Emblems TRD Badge | Rear Diff Breather Extension | LED Taillights | LED 6k Headlights | 120V Power Socket | Flipped Hood and Fuel Release | Rear Window Switch in Cargo Area | Custom FlipBlade Key | Warm White LEDs
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
03-31-2021, 04:11 PM
|
#7
|
|
Elite Member
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Citrus Heights, California
Age: 36
Posts: 7,337
Real Name: Jerod
|
|
Elite Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Citrus Heights, California
Age: 36
Posts: 7,337
Real Name: Jerod
|
A deep cycle battery also helps eliminate this issue, although periodic charging is still required to keep it at full capacity. Doesn't matter if it's been sitting for a week, or I've been using my 4Runner as a portable boom box all day. Fires up strong every time.
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is On
|
|
|
|