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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Battery Conditioner Question

Hi all,
it IS a rather simple question...but I really would like any comments.
I have the excellent C-Tek battery conditioner which I use to keep the battery perked up and its done a great job so far.
My question is, as my battery is a Halfords one with the screw down compartments thingies, when the conditioner is ON , should I keep the screw down thingies OPEN ( as I normally do ) or is it not necessary?
I 've googled it & also checked the C-Tek site but can't find an answer.
Sorry for being such a thickie
Cheers col
colin frowen

that all depends on whether the screw down thingies have vents or not?
Most have built in vents and as long as they are not blocked, you'll be fine leaving them in.
Best of....
MGmike
M McAndrew

Screw down thingies ???

Im assuming thats MIT engineering lingo for the water fill caps and not the hold down straps ?

:-) :-) :-)

I dont have an answer... but id be cautious about venting the nasty gas (hydrogen) indoors in confind spaces, it can make a wholup of an explosion if the space is to small, confined, and no ventialation

Smaller the space the bigger the pop

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

as per MGmike

the conditioner manufacturer won't give too much info on batteries as there are variances plus if a customer blows themselves up they'll blame the manufacturer rather than themselves

my Accumate instructions only warned of explosive gases so not to have sparks or flames near the battery and if using the crocodile clamps provided with the unit, rather than a permanently wired (and socket) supply, then to remove the battery from the car and charge in a well ventilated area

they also had to switch off and disconnect mains electric supply before connecting or disconnect the supply from the charger

all standard stuff

note, some batteries have a little vent pipe connection


Prop,
FYI, my Accumate battery conditioner/charger says it will charge a battery down to 1v
Nigel Atkins

The C Tech and Accumate don't charge at a high rate, they 'trickle' charge over a long period of time. The car itself probably puts in more charge when running. So, my point is… you leave the caps on the battery (if fitted) when the car is being used, why take them off when on a trickle charger….?

Different of course when you use a BIG full power charger that can 'boil' a battery.

Mark.
M T Boldry

Mark,
it's just a*se covering stuff when printing on a public forum, you know do as I say not as I do

and Mike did put >>as they are not blocked, you'll be fine leaving them in.<<
so nobody is disagreeing with you

this from my Accumate instructions (at least now I know where I saved them and it wasn't where I meant to -
"During the 'CHARGING' cycle (YELLOW charging LED) the battery is charged at the main constant current
output until the monitored voltage rises to 14.3V. Charging then changes automatically to ‘float’ mode, with the voltage limited at 14.3V, so that the continuously monitored current will gradually reduce.'
Nigel Atkins

Thanks Mark T.

I was thinking similar, but I could not say so with certianty and did not want to provide possiable dangerous or in accurate info.

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Prop,
did you miss this earlier -
>>Prop,
FYI, my Accumate battery conditioner/charger says it will charge a battery down to 1v<<
Nigel Atkins

Hey nigel

I did see that... it made me go, Hmmm ??

I wonder if its older or maybe tickle chargers are exempt from the new industry standards

Certianly good to know

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

I have to admit that Nigels writing style has been greatly filled with technically proficient jargon lately....I think all the years of consuming drivers manuals are really doing a job on his synaptic brain cells.
Steven Devine

any fluent passages are cut and pasted !
Nigel Atkins

Thats very arduous and proficient of you nigel

:-) :-) :-)

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Sitting on a tree stump posed as the statue of the thinker.....Amazing...cut and paste.....I would have never put it together....

Nigel your getting more humorous or I need to check in to the old folks home.....Maybe both?

Steven Devine

Steven, Prop,
Blue Jam is being repeated, your chance to catch some real dark surreal humour from a master - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03w472n
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 23/02/2014 and 26/02/2014

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