Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
BATTERIES: HEAVY DUTY when the battery is pulled down to the minimum voltage needed to crank your engine. When the battery voltage reaches that point, the accessories shut down and you know it's time to fire up the engine and leave it running until you finish the job. AUXILIARY BATTERIES If you want to run heavy accessory loads, or medium loads for long periods of time, you can add an auxiliary battery system: one or more deep-cycle batteries separated from your cranking battery by a battery isolator or automatic charging relay. Battery isolators completely separate your cranking battery from your auxiliary batteries when the engine isn't running and the ignition key is off. Your accessories can run the auxiliary batteries down as far as necessary while your cranking battery stays charged. Then, when you fire up the engine, the two battery circuits are joined and your alternator recharges all the batteries simultaneously. Automatic charging relays (ACRs) are sort of like smart battery isolators. They sense the battery voltage in both the cranking and auxiliary circuits and only combine the two for charging when the voltage of the cranking battery's circuit rises to about 13 volts and stays there for a couple of minutes. Typically, this only happens when your engine is running and your alternator is charging the cranking battery. When the cranking circuit drops below about 12.75 volts for around 30 seconds the relay senses that you've shut off the engine and it opens, isolating the circuits so your accessories can't draw the cranking battery down. Some ACRs have an under-voltage lockout feature that prevents your cranking battery from being combined with an auxiliary battery circuit that has dangerously low voltage. Batteries tend to seek the same level when combined and a completely dead auxiliary bat- BATTERY PRODUCT SHOWCASE Exide Edge Exide AGM Flat Plate batteries are the first and only absorbed glass mat (AGM) products that feature SureLife. Advanced graphite additive in the plates helps maximize energy capacity over the lifetime of the battery by reducing lead-sulphate particle size. Flat plate AGM batteries have six sets of plates with glass-mat separator containing the electrolyte arranged in a straight line inside the battery (like slices of a loaf of bread). Because the plates are compressed in rows, the battery has more capacity. Exide Edge design provides more protection against battery failure, helping vehicles stay strong and perform like new. Warranty: 48-month free replacement. www.exide.com; (678) 566-9000. Interstate MT7 AGM If the best battery is the one you never have to think about, the Interstate MT7 AGM reigns supreme. Built for both cranking and deep-cycle applications, the MT7 AGM boasts four times the deep-cycling performance of conventional AGM batteries, has double the expected lifespan and is backed by a 4-year, free-replacement warranty. Designed for today's vehicles with lots of electrical accessories and with today's drivers using lots of plug-in devices, this absorbed glass-mat (AGM) battery feeds power-hungry vehicles while serving up powerful engine starts. www.interstatebatteries.com; (800) 541-8419. tery circuit could drag your cranking battery down too low to crank your engine or keep it running. This feature also prevents combining your cranking battery with an auxiliary circuit that is shorted or otherwise faulty. You truck's electrical system includes expensive components that can be damaged when fed the wrong number of volts! BUSTING BATTERY MYTHS • Never store batteries on concrete. Kimbrough says it was true 50-60 years ago when battery cases were made of hard rubber but it's no longer a worry with today's Polypropylene plastic cases. • Water that's safe to drink is okay for batteries. The experts were divided on this topic; while manufacturers still recommend replenishing cells with distilled or de-ionized water only, Kimbrough said that good drinking water will work in a pinch. Jana suggested that tap water is never recommended and sticking with distilled or de-ionized water is your safest course. • Add aspirin to each cell when a battery quits working. Kimbrough says all you get is a slight chemical reaction that doesn't help. Aspirin cures headaches, not bad batteries. If the battery is bad, replace it. • You need to fully discharge a deep-cycle battery occasionally. Not true says Kimbrough. Never discharge a deep-cycle battery below 50%. • Lead-acid batteries retain a memory. Another dud. A lead-acid battery can neither create nor retain a discharge/charge memory. Painless Battery Isolator Painless Performance Products' 500amp Heavy Duty Digital Power Manager (DPM) is a solid-state, dual-battery combiner that automatically engages an auxiliary battery when it senses a large enough load on the vehicle's main battery. Includes momentary push-button "jump start" switch to boost cranking battery without using jumper cables. DPM automatically disconnects the auxiliary battery from charging until the main battery is fully charged then charges/maintains the auxiliary battery. www.painlesswiring.com; (817) 244-6212 The big advantage of a separate auxiliary battery system is the ability to wire additional batteries in parallel for a virtually unlimited supply of accessory power. This is done using dual battery trays and an isolator. Make sure the OE alternator can handle the additional load. If not, you may need to upgrade to high-output alternator. Auxiliarybatteries may have to be mounted in the truck's bed, a toolbox, or safely mounted under the frame. Installing them in securely-anchored marine battery boxes contains any electrolyte spillage, provides safe ventilation and keeps an insulating layer of plastic between the batteries' posts and your truck's metal body. Upgrading your truck's battery or adding an auxiliary battery system can be real timesaver while eliminating those battery-related panic attacks. 10 PROPICKUP Big Book 2013 ProPickup_2013BB_Batteries.indd 10 8/6/13 9:31 AM