Engine run time to keep battery charged

[bitrex]

On 02/05/2019 10:00 AM, bitrex wrote:

On 02/04/2019 04:45 PM, Tom Del Rosso wrote:
If you turn over an engine periodically to keep it charged, how long do
you run it to make up for the charge lost in starting?

In this case it's my neighbor's 87 Buick Regal while he's in the
hospital.



Here's a modern review of a 1989 Buick Century:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKYMgfjCd7E

"Boomers were in their early 40s and at the height of their power - they
understood the world, and the world turned according to their whims.
They understood computers because floppy disks were goddamn floppy, and
they knew the HIV virus was out there doing the good Lord's work."

The '87 Buick Regal is quite a different car from the Century, though.

I kinda picture a black '87 Buick Regal being the kind of car in the
late 80s or early 90s driven by a teenager in a jean jacket/vest with
AC/DC patches on it, hockey hair/"business in front party in back",
earring in the _left_ ear, smoking his Dad's Parliaments in the high
school parking lot with his 13 y/o girlfriend keeping an eye out for
some little _faggot_ to beat down for his lunch money. "Hey you. yeah,
you, you little queer. Give me your fuckin' lunch money you little bitch
boy!"

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

I have a '96 Chevy Astro van.
It's about a 1/4 mile from the house to shop.
If all I do is go back and forth, by the end of the week,
I have to put the battery on a charger to "refill it"
properly.
If I drive to Walmart, 10 miles each way, its more than
happy.
I also have a '02 Dodge Dakota.
Which ever vehicle I'm not driving has a Harbor Freight
"top off" charger on it to maintain things while they
are parked.
It's that simple.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[John-Del]

On Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at 10:44:29 AM UTC-5, Fox's Mercantile wrote:

I have a '96 Chevy Astro van.
It's about a 1/4 mile from the house to shop.
If all I do is go back and forth, by the end of the week,
I have to put the battery on a charger to "refill it"
properly.
If I drive to Walmart, 10 miles each way, its more than
happy.
I also have a '02 Dodge Dakota.
Which ever vehicle I'm not driving has a Harbor Freight
"top off" charger on it to maintain things while they
are parked.
It's that simple.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

I have a C5 Corvette which I store for the winter. If that car is not run in 5 weeks, the battery is DEAD (won't even click the starter solenoid). That is normal behavior for this particular car. When I had an early 2000s Mustang, that car could sit 5 months and start in the spring like it was run the day before. Depends on the car, but between self discharge of the battery and the particular car's parasitic loss, cars need much more than "72" seconds to keep charged.

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 2/5/19 10:05 AM, John-Del wrote:

Depends on the car, but between self discharge of the
battery and the particular car's parasitic loss, cars
need much more than "72" seconds to keep charged.

You will never be able to convince anyone who insists on
talking just to hear them selves talk.

Or those that insist on posting every really obscure
exception to what normally happens.



--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[bitrex]

On 02/05/2019 10:44 AM, Fox's Mercantile wrote:
> I have a '96 Chevy Astro van.

It's juuuuunk throw it in the garbage

 

[bitrex]

On 02/05/2019 11:05 AM, John-Del wrote:

On Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at 10:44:29 AM UTC-5, Fox's Mercantile wrote:
I have a '96 Chevy Astro van.
It's about a 1/4 mile from the house to shop.
If all I do is go back and forth, by the end of the week,
I have to put the battery on a charger to "refill it"
properly.
If I drive to Walmart, 10 miles each way, its more than
happy.
I also have a '02 Dodge Dakota.
Which ever vehicle I'm not driving has a Harbor Freight
"top off" charger on it to maintain things while they
are parked.
It's that simple.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

I have a C5 Corvette which I store for the winter. If that car is not run in 5 weeks, the battery is DEAD (won't even click the starter solenoid). That is normal behavior for this particular car. When I had an early 2000s Mustang, that car could sit 5 months and start in the spring like it was run the day before. Depends on the car, but between self discharge of the battery and the particular car's parasitic loss, cars need much more than "72" seconds to keep charged.

Throw that junk away man it's an antique

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 2/5/19 11:50 AM, bitrex wrote:

On 02/05/2019 10:44 AM, Fox's Mercantile wrote:
I have a '96 Chevy Astro van.

It's juuuuunk throw it in the garbage

I bought it used in 2000. It's been a daily driver for
past 19 years. Still going strong.



--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

On Monday, February 4, 2019 at 4:45:38 PM UTC-5, Tom Del Rosso wrote:

If you turn over an engine periodically to keep it charged, how long do
you run it to make up for the charge lost in starting?

In this case it's my neighbor's 87 Buick Regal while he's in the
hospital.


--

Drive it around the block. It's good to have the wheels spin and the
brakes engage too.

George H.

 

[arlen holder]

On Tue, 5 Feb 2019 04:42:57 -0800 (PST), John-Del wrote:

> You don't have a clue how to answer that question.

Hi John-Del,

You prove with every post, you are an idiot (you prove it yourself).

You say I don't have a clue, & yet, at least I _comprehended_ the question!
o Not only did you (and your child buddies) not _comprehend_ the question
o All you _can_ do, is worthless chitchat (ala' the child you prove to be)

*I used to think people like you were _only_ incredibly stupid*
o But now I realize it's worse - because your brain can't comprehend facts.

*I used to think people like you were simply incessantly pulling our leg*
o But now I think it's far worse - since you appear to _believe_ what you write

Since you _are_ clearly stupid, & you prove to _remain_ ignorant...
o The only viable conclusion is you own the left-side brain of Dunning Kruger
<https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DlG0kwCXoAYC-75.jpg>

Since your brain is wired as that of the lemon-juice bank robber, John-Del,
o There is no possibly way for an adult to communicate with you.

You will _still_ believe, even in the complete absence of evidence, that
lemon juice works to hide your face from the bank surveillance cameras.

While all people are on the DK scale when it comes to cognitive skills
assessment, you, John-Del, appear to be far to the left of Mount Stupid:
<https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DrQGXxKXcAAFaVt.jpg>

I don't even need to prove this fact; you prove it yourself - in every post.
o Just watch.

NOTE: To save _others_ from your drivel, John-Del, I will not respond to
your unfathomably childish posts any further in this thread.

 

[arlen holder]

On Tue, 5 Feb 2019 05:38:48 -0800 (PST), pfjw@aol.com wrote:

> Only then will it be rendered very nearly harmless.

*Jesus Christ, pfjw proves in every post, his brain stem is that of a child!*

I don't even need to prove pfjw can _only_ write as that of a child.
o You prove it yourself _every_ time you post your childish off-topic drivel
(For example, "it", is, I'm sure, *hilariously* witty to you & your ilk.)

HINT: You clearly don't even have a clue what the OP's question is asking.
DOUBLEHINT: You certainly have no chance at _answering_ the OP's question.
TRIPLEHINT: You can't even _insult_ someone using >3rd-grade retorts

Jesus Christ, pfjw,
o You prove yourself, in _every_ post to own the brain of a mere child.

--
NOTE: To save others from having to deal with the worthless pfjw's drivel,
I will no longer respond to his always child-like posts any further in this
thread.

 

[arlen holder]

On Mon, 4 Feb 2019 21:53:08 -0800 (PST), tabbypurr@gmail.com wrote:

Best answer so far.
100A would only be delivered to a flat battery, it'll charge much slower than that.
There's also the parasitic loads to make up for, the electronics that eats power when the vehicle is off and on.

You're better off testing battery voltage and not doing anything until it drops enough to warrant charging. Leads acids don't like sitting even half discharged, keep it near full.

Since you are a logical sentient adult, you speak on-topic wisdom.
o I agree to everything you said, where I basically said the same thing.

To _directly_ answer the OP's question, we only need to replace Coulombs
o However, there is _more_ to "maintaining" the battery status than just that.

We agree.
o Adults easily agree on such things simply because they are related facts.

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 2/5/19 6:01 PM, arlen holder wrote:
His usual incoherent drivel.

Like I said,
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XfQidTbUjk>


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[John-Del]

On Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at 7:01:47 PM UTC-5, arlen holder wrote:
>>pure, unadulterated bullshit (with a metric shitload of flies..)

LOL! If you think a car can maintain it's battery with a 72 second run, you need more help than the folks here can possibly provide for you. I suggest you go away and troll another group - you know, the type of group that might fall for your crap. I suggest a moon landing hoax site. You should be a big hit there as those folks love equations that prove nothing and mean nothing. You can start with Van Allen radiation calculations. All you've done here is drop your pants to show the group your clueless ass. The secret to bullshitting is to bullshit a group that knows *less* than you do, not more than you do.

You don't have the slightest idea what's involved in battery charging and your Google searching let you down in a big way. Google was not your friend, so you're still zero for life.

None of your on-the-spectrum mathematical masturbation proves anything except that you're a complete troll and a joke.

 

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 2/5/19 9:04 PM, John-Del wrote:

None of your on-the-spectrum mathematical masturbation
proves anything except that you're a complete troll and
a joke.

*Laughs* Where's the Like button?



--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

On Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at 9:03:06 AM UTC-5, Rob wrote:

Those times are probably not long enough. Even in my small car
(4-cyl 1.6L engine) I find that after a lot of 15-minute runs the oil
temperature caps at 100C when driving a bit longer, and it requires a
45 minute drive or so before it rises to 110-120C.

15 minutes at 1,000 rpm sitting still (using only the radiator fan if needed) is substantially different from moving down the road. Not to suggest that you are wrong. Every engine is different, and the goal is to drive all the moisture products-of-combustion out of the engine oil and exhaust system.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

On Wednesday, 6 February 2019 12:49:18 UTC, pf...@aol.com wrote:

On Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at 9:03:06 AM UTC-5, Rob wrote:

Those times are probably not long enough. Even in my small car
(4-cyl 1.6L engine) I find that after a lot of 15-minute runs the oil
temperature caps at 100C when driving a bit longer, and it requires a
45 minute drive or so before it rises to 110-120C.

15 minutes at 1,000 rpm sitting still (using only the radiator fan if needed) is substantially different from moving down the road. Not to suggest that you are wrong. Every engine is different, and the goal is to drive all the moisture products-of-combustion out of the engine oil and exhaust system.

is it? Why would the OP need to do that every 2 weeks?

A 1987 car will have fairly low parasitic loads. It should be fine sat there for a month.


NT

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 8:11:58 AM UTC-5, tabb...@gmail.com wrote:

is it? Why would the OP need to do that every 2 weeks?

A 1987 car will have fairly low parasitic loads. It should be fine sat there for a month.

Not sure where the OP and that Buick might be, but we just had a week of below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other things.

Every two weeks is good practice.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

 

On Wednesday, 6 February 2019 15:13:14 UTC, pf...@aol.com wrote:

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 8:11:58 AM UTC-5, tabby wrote:

is it? Why would the OP need to do that every 2 weeks?

A 1987 car will have fairly low parasitic loads. It should be fine sat there for a month.


Not sure where the OP and that Buick might be, but we just had a week of below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other things.

Every two weeks is good practice.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

If it's below freezing the air is bone dry & any water from combustion frozen solid. Regardless of temperature cars do not need running every 2 weeks unless electrically faulty.


NT

 

[John-Del]

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 11:09:24 AM UTC-5, tabb...@gmail.com wrote:

On Wednesday, 6 February 2019 15:13:14 UTC, pf...@aol.com wrote:
On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 8:11:58 AM UTC-5, tabby wrote:

is it? Why would the OP need to do that every 2 weeks?

A 1987 car will have fairly low parasitic loads. It should be fine sat there for a month.


Not sure where the OP and that Buick might be, but we just had a week of below-10F weather, not good for batteries, engine oil or other things.

Every two weeks is good practice.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

If it's below freezing the air is bone dry & any water from combustion frozen solid.

Why does every little thing need to be challenged to absolutes in this NG? I've never seen so much mental dick-wagging on a "professional" group.

Is the car going to explode if started and run every two weeks? It might be overkill, but old cars in particular should be exercised often. Even the seals in the engine, transmission, rear end, and hydraulic systems are happier when kept lubricated by routine. Solenoids and vacuum actuators can stick from sitting long periods. And here's another reason: cars stored out of doors around where I live become fodder for squirrels and chipmunks when sitting in the same spot. I friend stored a low mileage Acura at my house (interior fire) while he located another from Copart to use as a donor. 6 months later, he went to drive the car out of my property and found the transmission harness eaten right down to the casting.

So... OP: start the Buick every two or three weeks, let it idle for a good half hour or so to get it good and hot if you can't drive it. If you can, take that old Buick for a good half hour drive - fedora and cigar optional....

 

[pfjw@aol.com]

On Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 11:09:24 AM UTC-5, tabb...@gmail.com wrote:

If it's below freezing the air is bone dry & any water from combustion frozen solid. Regardless of temperature cars do not need running every 2 weeks unless electrically faulty.

Water in the air is not the issue, and never was. Water from products-of-combustion are the issue.

Ideally, the battery would be float-charged with an actual "smart" charger. Most of the Chinese Junque chargers these days run a continuous charge into the battery - AKA a "trickle" charger. Not hardly the same thing. A trickle charge will either:

a) Destroy the battery by charging faster than the self-discharge rate.
b) Allow the battery to run flat by charging slower than the self-discharge rate.
c) Miraculously match the self-discharge rate... odds of this?

A Float Charger will activate at some point when the battery charge drops below the trigger level, charge to a specific set-point, and then shut off until the next cycle.

Failing the availability of a float charger, and, especially in extreme (hot or cold) weather conditions, "about every two weeks" is a good rule-of-thumb. One never quite knows the actual condition of the battery, charging system, parasitic loads and so forth, so 'designing to the specific need' may not be ideal. And more than a month or so starts getting into the risk of seals drying out - especially in 30+ year old engines.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA