Is battery life shortened by driving once/week?

[JeffKeryk]

This ^^^^^^^^^^

I keep all of my vehicles on a Noco Genius 1 Battery Maintainer. It has a maximum output of 1 amp, but will also maintain in milliamps, as well as just monitor the condition of the battery, and add juice as needed, thereby maintaining a 100% charged battery with no worry of overcharging.

It also comes with a harness that you can hardwire right to the battery terminals, and run out the front grille.

Robot or human?

I'm glad you've had good experience with the NOCO 1A; I have not. Our RX battery bit the dust but in fairness I had the leads connected under the hood while the battery is in the boot. Our TSX new battery was drained but not dead, but this was in a shorter time. I am replacing my 1A tenders with higher output models.

 

[JHZR2]

I'm glad you've had good experience with the NOCO 1A; I have not. Our RX battery bit the dust but in fairness I had the leads connected under the hood while the battery is in the boot. Our TSX new battery was drained but not dead, but this was in a shorter time. I am replacing my 1A tenders with higher output models.

Something else is likely wrong. I even have a 1A unit servicing a dual battery setup in my 96 Dodge Ram
CTD. I wasn’t sure how it would work out but it’s doing fine.

I also have had one on my 98 S-10 literally plugged in for a year.

I much prefer 1A models for unattended use because if there is a high impedance short or other parasitic, the amount of dissipated energy will be much lower. That means less component heating, less chance for collateral damage, etc. You don’t want to do real bulk charging with them, but at the same time, that’s not the purpose of small maintenance chargers. Two tools in a toolbox.

Some chargers will go to sleep when “full”, then never wake back up. I’ve seen that with Chinese ones, even nicer ones with displays that show voltage. NOCO does “sleep”, I think to satisfy environmental regulations. But it wakes up, checks out, and then tops off the battery.

Maybe the firmware in your CA model isn’t right? I know your outcome isn’t consistent with the three that I own.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Something else is likely wrong. I even have a 1A unit servicing a dual battery setup in my 96 Dodge Ram
CTD. I wasn’t sure how it would work out but it’s doing fine.

I also have had one on my 98 S-10 literally plugged in for a year.

Some chargers will go to sleep when “full”, then never wake back up. I’ve seen that with Chinese ones, even nicer ones with displays that show voltage. NOCO does “sleep”, I think to satisfy environmental regulations. But it wakes up, checks out, and then tops off the battery.

Maybe the firmware in your CA model isn’t right? I know your outcome isn’t consistent with the three that I own.

Let's just say I am disappointed and very surprised. Both failures were with the same NOCO 1A; I have another here at our main home that I have not used. I wish I were wrong.

 

[JHZR2]

Let's just say I am disappointed and very surprised. Both failures were with the same NOCO 1A; I have another here at our main home that I have not used. I wish I were wrong.

If you got the same result with two units, I’d start to suspect something with the car’s electrical system. Even if it works “perfectly” when in use.

 

[Astro14]

Let's just say I am disappointed and very surprised. Both failures were with the same NOCO 1A; I have another here at our main home that I have not used. I wish I were wrong.

The additional resistance from “connected under the hood” would give me pause. In the case of rear mounted batteries, I connect directly to the battery even though terminals are provided under the hood for jump starting. I don’t know how a NOCO measures state of charge - or the effect of impedance on its ability to measure - but directly to the battery has worked well for me.

 

[JeffKeryk]

The additional resistance from “connected under the hood” would give me pause. In the case of rear mounted batteries, I connect directly to the battery even though terminals are provided under the hood for jump starting. I don’t know how a NOCO measures state of charge - or the effect of impedance on its ability to measure - but directly to the battery has worked well for me.

Agreed; directly connected has to be better; possibly even correct. I learned something... But the TSX, with a newer group 35 vs the stock 51R should not have drawn down.
Again, I don't get it and am disappointed. I am upsizing to a 4A or 5A tender. I will give my 1A tenders to a friend who has several Harleys; hopefully they will do the trick for him.

Maybe I should check the nut behind the wheel?

 

[puellarum]

I got an underhood trickle charger, permanently mounts to the battery, and a plug mount doodad. So I can easily plug the vehicle in (from the front fenderwell, but you can mount it wherever you want). Both items are on amazon.

Keeping batteries plugged in (my experience) makes them last longer than 5 years. . . and many batteries modernly seem to be worse quality than in the past, so it's nice to help them to last longer.