Yes. As long as the float voltage is not too high, and is temperature compensated.....To get the most life out of our batteries, should I just leave both chargers connected to our vehicles so they maintain the full change when not being driven?..
Yes. As long as the float voltage is not too high, and is temperature compensated.....To get the most life out of our batteries, should I just leave both chargers connected to our vehicles so they maintain the full change when not being driven?..
@gathermewool nailed it. the OP doesn't drive the vehicles enough to keep the batteries sufficiently charged. ask me how I know this (3 new batteries in 4 yrs on a rarely driven brand new minivan). so yeah I now keep it on a charger whenever it's not being driven. and my other vehicles too... and lawn tractors, standby generator, sump pump power supplies, barn freezer power supply, etc... 24/7 float charging.This info is crucial and 100% affects the advice given. Hook up the chargers and /thread.
I leave my Schumacher 1.5 amp plugged into my Harley for weeks/months on end. It always starts easy and the agm batteries seem to last between 5 to 7 years. My wife retired 2 weeks ago and I’m considering putting her Lexus ES 350 on a Schumacher 1.5 amp charger as well, but with all the electronics on her car, I’m a little hesitant to do it.
Not completely accurate statement. I've learned it depends on the algorithm. For maintenance, it varies. Some chargers stop charging and let the voltage drop to some set point, then charge the battery back up, as you describe. Most charge up to a voltage of between 13.2vt and 13.8vt and hold it there (float), at a very low amperage. There is a third type, that charge up to the 13.2vt to 13.8vt, hold for 30 minutes, then cycle off for 30 min, then cycle back on for 30 min and will repeat this.Depends on what it connected to. Older style analog might be OK but not ideal.
Newer maintainers (or chargers with a maintain mode) don't continuously charge. They're more like how lithium-ion batteries get charged, which is charge up until it's full, and then monitor and do periodic top off charges when the voltage drops below a certain level. You don't really want a "trickle charge". That really isn't that good for the battery. But a proper maintenance cycle will keep the battery near the top of the charge range by doing short charges without overcharging.