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4WD Cranking Battery

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  • 4WD Cranking Battery

    Hi All,

    My (12HT) 60 series Landcruiser's cranking battery needs replacing.

    1. Any tips on disposal - can these be sold (for their lead)? Or do I just take it to a local recycler and hand it over?
    2. Any recommendations for a replacement? I'd rather buy a good battery once, than several crappy ones!
    3. Are there any "tried and true" battery restorers, or are these a bit like all the other snake oil automotive options?

    Thanks,
    Gordon.

  • #2
    Re: 4WD Cranking Battery

    Gordon, I've got a HJ60 2H and use deep cycle crank batteries on all my engines for starting, but avoid sealed batteries, unless they are glass gel. Batteries of today are hard to revive, they're designed to stop after a certain interval, unlike years ago when you could drain and clean the batteries giving them a long life, you could even lift the plates out for cleaning.

    I believe battery life depends on the gap between the bottom of the plates, the base and between the plates, the bigger the gap, the longer life as shorting normally occurs when crud builds of below and between the plates. Only use distilled water, supermarkets sell it cheap for steam irons or make your own simply, otherwise you're just introducing chemical and solid particles into the battery.

    Every month put the car on a charger over night or for a day, you have to travel many hours to charge your battery to float level. Most people are constantly driving round on batteries which never get to full charge, reducing their life dramatically. Don't give it to a recycler, they make money out of it at your expense, sell it to a scrap place if you can.

    Old batteries I use on solar electric fences until they won't hold any power over 6 volts, they hold enough charge overnight to keep the fence operating and recharge during the day. The fence uses very little power and the voltage range is pretty forgiving. You can also use old batteries on charge systems where you only need a medium to hold the power at a stable voltage for use, when you stop the charger the battery loses it's power. Sealed batteries, can't do this at all and once they falter, that's it, unless they are glass gel.

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    • #3
      Re: 4WD Cranking Battery

      You can get Inox from supercheap about 5 bucks which is a conditioner.

      I tried the product on my 9 year old battery which was fading and got some
      noticeable results but the battery only lasted another 12 months.
      The product from memory is to condition the battery halfway through its life.
      I noticed that the acid had cleared and the plates had been cleaned up of crud.

      I still use this battery on a cheap solar charger connected to a red flashing
      light attached to a fake house alarm box on my shed which is down the back yard.

      Most recyclers will gladly take it off your hands but not give you anything for it.
      I remember back around late 80's you could sell them for $2.00
      neil
      Senior Member
      Last edited by neil; 12 July 2009, 04:45 PM.

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      • #4
        Re: 4WD Cranking Battery

        So, Alga, the cockies who have electric fences where I'm organising a rogaine might love to get their paws on my battery?

        And Neil that product might be good for my next battery (the current one is now about 4 years old, and has done nearly nothing for the last 15 months (won't hold a charge, and nothing left to crank the motor)?

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        • #5
          Re: 4WD Cranking Battery

          Any battery which has been left flat for 3 months will be kaput.
          The Inox product may restore a battery which has given up, but it will not last long after that.

          Yes car alternators are set to only charge a battery to about 80% charge. If they were set to charge 100% then they would all run dry in our climate and be dead in 12months, that is except for the batteries owned by members of this forum who would remember to top them up regularly, these batteries would last longer. So yes topping them up now and then will help but the more often you top your battery up with a charger the more water you need to add.
          Johnnojack
          4WD Isuzu Jackaroo 3.1 200000km on WVO,(2020) 2 tank home built system 6 solenoids FPHE, heated filter fuel line and tank pickup for thicker oil. Mk. 9 version now and no changes planned as trouble free.
          Mercedes W201 190D 1986 model: 2 tank system, bigger fuel line from tank, no heat exchanger, electric pump for diesel 22000km so far sigpic

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