OT backup battery question

Good grief! I'd be worried about the always open window.

The battery, assuming you keep an eye on it occasionally, I would not be worried about. I hope by trickle charger you mean a battery tender type of device that monitors and charges if needed.

My wife keeps one of these things in the bedroom with no problem.

I had one in the hall of my trailer for years. No problems with hydrogen, or acid.

The float charger from Horrid Fright "boiled"

. Christ> I have a deep discharge battery with a small slow charger I use to provide

I don't think your post is off topic at all. You can purchase one of the newer wall mounted LED emergency lights which is designed to keep a battery charged for use whenever the power goes out. I'm sure there is enough power to run a small DC fan too. What I do, is use battery backup units for computers and other electronic equipment to run lights and fans when we lose power around my home. I pick up non functioning units all the time that need new batteries or some distilled water added to the dead battery to get some more life out of them. I like to recycle and repurpose old equipment for other uses around the house or for businesses. ^_^

TDD

I've got an old comptuer UPS, been planning to wire that to a car or trolling battery for extended run. Someday, yes, for sure, someday. At present I've got a vehicle battery in the other room, just waiting for its day of use.

. Christ> I don't think your post is off topic at all. You can purchase one of the

Why don't you change to Sealed Lead-Acid batteries. In a pinch, they can be charged like a normal lead-acid, take constant charging well, and last a long time. They're the best chemistry for this application.

I have a bunch of the larger UPS units 750 watt to 1.5 kw that have external battery connections. You can get the batter plug pigtails from most suppliers selling computer backup power supplies. You can probably get an SLA garden tractor battery that has lugs for a reasonable price. ^_^

TDD

Figure hydrogen goes up to the ceiling. I agree about the harbor freight trickle charger, the current could be cut down. I was going to make some measurements, but on to do list.

Greg

I don't think so. The only think that comes to mind is how fast does the charger charge when the b attery has been used, say for 11 hours, and it's quite low. Is it still only a trickle? I think so. I think it takes 2 or 3 24-hour days for a battery to fully recharge when it's fully discharged. I did that many times with a 1 amp charger. Your trickle charger probably puts out no more than an amp (although you can measure it and be sure.)

The most importart part is that your window is open all the time. You're sure? Even in the winter? Even when it's raining? If yes, I'm 99% sure that makes it safe. (I always leave 1% on general principles.)

I think the better solution is to not rely on HF for something that needs to be quality and that you're going to use 24/7. I've used several Battery Tenders for years on boat, motorcycle batteries with no problems. Battery Tenders is the brand name.

That sounds like wisdom. Two bucks more cost, and save the $80 marine battery from early death.

Did you hear about the termite who walked into a tavern? He asked "Is the bar tender here?"

. Christ>> The float charger from Horrid Fright "boiled"

My brother was charging up two 90 or 120 AHR batteries in our boat with trickle charger. Took ,2-3 months in winter.

Greg

Hope the batteries didn't freeze, during that winter process.

I'd have been tempted to find a faster charger, rather than risk freeze damage. I had a battery one time in my unheated shed. My vehicle battery died, and so I got the one out of the shed. Find it to be frozen solid. Even after thawing indoors, it was still useless. Ought have stored it indoors.

. Christ>

a fully charged battery will not freeze.......

a discharged battery like the one in your shed will easily freeze......

batteries sitting around will self discharge easily

Those are big batteries. It should take a 1A charger well less than a week from nothing (which a L-A battery should never see) to full charge. Something was wrong.

If it froze, it was already dead (unless your shed was in Antarctica).

The batteries were not completely dead. What's not known, is the charge amps.

Greg

Or if the charger was actually working.

He was watching the voltage rise every few days, weeks, months.

Greg