Originally Posted By: Kibitoshin
I did a bit of research when I bought this battery and didn't know what I was getting into needing special chargers, charge temps, Ah, etc. Reading all that stuff is telling me this battery ain't for the average joe who just needs to start his truck or run a couple amps for a car stereo. But I like to post my findings and get input from experts.
I stated the 77F temperature as Ideal charge voltages are temperature dependent, and most all manufacturer recommendations are for 77F or 80F. the battery need not be brought to this specific temperature for charging. Ideal and acceptable, can be pretty far apart, but manufacturer recommendations have to delegate some values.
The Odyssey battery is an Awesome Lead acid battery, but there are some peculiarities required when one is seeking to attain the maximum lifespan from them.
No Lead acid battery is immune from chronic undercharging or from hot average temperatures. How long any battery lasts is highly dependent on those two variables. As vehicle regulators play a huge part in how closely the battery is returned to 100% charged and at what rate, much of the battery's treatment lays outside the driver's ability to influence.
The marketers cannot also maximize profits when the performance claims/benefits have a giant Asterisk next to each performance claim, then the reasons listed that XYZ variables must be achieved for these claims to be remotely true.
I've not encountered a battery salesmen who knew much about their product. They tend to just espouse the marketing literature and claims with no real understanding. They are not going to say anything outside the literature, which was looked over by lawyers. The Engineers who would understand the variables are not allowed to speak.
To get your Odyssey 'reconditioned' is all about the high amp recharge. That comes down to a 50% depletion, and the proper charging source applying high amps to 14.7v and holding that voltage until the battery is full. The crime is that so few off the shelf chargers can do this.
Deplete to 50%, apply 25+ amps to 14.7v, hold 14.7v for 4 more hours. A off the shelf charger might be 25 amps, it might even seek 14.7v, but it will not hold it for 4 hours. It might be able to be restarted and tricked into holding 14.7v until amps taper to 0.34.
Ask your interstate dealer to describe exactly how they will perform their 'reconditioning' and what their charger will do. Beware of sales speak.
All they might be doing is hooking it up to charger X until green LED flashes. Is charger X any better than what you can buy? Who knows. The good programmable temperature compensated chargers in the 40+ amp range that can also perform Equalizations, are in the 500+ dollar range.
My modified 40 amp adjustable voltage power supply was 120$ taxed and delivered, and has hundreds of hours at maximum output, and thousands of hours holding batteries at float voltages powering DC loads.
