Which conditioner for powervamp gel battery

[Alan Bowler]

I have a powervamp gel battery, which keeps its charge well. But lack of use is starting to cause problems.

I had a ctek, but its failed.

Get another ctek, or it there something better suited for gel batteries? Might be good to get something that would charge a regular car battery as well, just in case.

[Jonathan Kay]

I don't think there's anything better than CTEKs, but I've also had good experiences with Optimates and Accumates.

Most (? all) Powervamp batteries in 7s aren't "gel" type they're "AGM".

Might be good to get something that would charge a regular car battery as well, just in case.

Yes, what's the biggest battery you'd like it to work on?

But lack of use is starting to cause problems.

You can predict failure before it happens by checking the minimum voltage during cranking.

Jonathan

[Mark Durrant]

AB

​YHM

[Simon.Rogers]

Just unplug it !

 

[Alan Bowler]

Simon says: "Just unplug it !"

You mean turn the CTEK off-and-on-again?
I work in IT, I've tried that a few times...

Or you mean don't use it?
Or you mean disconnect the battery? (done that, FIA switch)

Seems the mode button failing is fairly common on Cteks. I'll poke it with a screwdiriver and a soldering iron.

AB

[Simon.Rogers]

I meant the battery.  Don't trust the FIA switch. Drop the earth connection off the battery and it will be fine for months.

[Golf Juliet Tango]

Certainly isolate the battery every time you park up. On my 21, the electrics drain a battery within five days.

Self-discharge takes a couple of months.

[Alan Bowler]

FIA switch is wired properly (i.e not by me)

Problem is it IS months!

[Simon.Rogers]

So just drop the earth leads the FIA will still leak current.

No circuit = no loss.

[Jonathan Kay]

Thanks to revilla's detective work we now know that there's considerable variation in drain at rest.

But with a 7 with a Powervamp battery that lives in a garage with mains power I connect mine to a CTEK MXS 5.0 charger in AGM mode through the "cigar lighter" socket in front of the passenger with the charger screwed to the ceiling so that the wire drops straight down. I find that much more convenient than removing the bonnet and a battery clamp.

Jonathan

[Golf Juliet Tango]

No earth/no circuit is fine for a month or two but self-discharge still takes place (guess how I know) and in excess of a couple of months even a gel battery will have no power left (no fuel pump noise is a dead giveaway).

[Mark w]

Ive got an AGM battery and i cannot leave it disconnected due to the tracker on the car sending me warning messages .

I just use the standard Banner conditioner / charger that i used with the previous lead acid battery . I leave it plugged in 24/7 and never had an issue ( 3.5 years now ) 

Ive also got a CTEK but it didn't seem to like the AGM so i  keep that for the other "toy " which has a standard lead acid battery .

If the CTEK works with your gel battery i would get another one of those , they seem to be regarded as one of the best and there are deals to be had from time to time. 

[Drumster]

I've had the same battery conditioner pretty much ever since I purchased my 7 in 1999, (I think I purchased at the Classic Car Show at Ally Pally in 2000)

It is an Airflow and it is suitable for SLA and Gel batteries. Never had any problems in 17 years. It kept each of my 2 Banners alive for 6 years each, an Ultramax NP18-12 for 5 and recently I use it on the Ultramax NPG20-12 (Gel).

The unit itself has been permanently plugged in and on stand by for all those years and although I have a BMS which cuts all power (incl. immobiliser) I just plug it into the car once every 6 weeks as a precaution to prevent battery drain, but to be honest I've yet to witness any significant drain over 2/3 months