How many batteries have you had?

[Overandout]

Batteries do deteriorate fast here. Mine tend to last about 3 years.

The batteries over here are not the best quality. Usually they die every year. If it's a good one maybe 2 year, but that's all

Haven't read all this thread, but yesterday I bought an FB brand battery for my Granvia and it came with a 2 yr warranty. Not sure how easy it would be to claim on it but I wouldn't buy a battery that only gives 12 months when 24 months are available.

[Pib]

Batteries do deteriorate fast here. Mine tend to last about 3 years.

The batteries over here are not the best quality. Usually they die every year. If it's a good one maybe 2 year, but that's all

Haven't read all this thread, but yesterday I bought an FB brand battery for my Granvia and it came with a 2 yr warranty. Not sure how easy it would be to claim on it but I wouldn't buy a battery that only gives 12 months when 24 months are available.

The great majority of batteries in Thailand only come with a one year warranty. Even Boliden lowered their warranty from 18 months to 12 months approx 2 years ago....maybe they had too many failing before the 18 month point...plus, the great majority of the batteries who were their competitors only provide a 1 year warranty.

You must have bought the FB Premium Super Gold Mx Free battery which has the two year warranty. But their Conventional, Hybrid and GOLD-SMF battery series only come with a 1 year warranty.

http://www.fbbattery.com/product-mf-premium.html

[Pib]

Partial quote from the article at this Link.

In a hot climate, the harshest environment for a battery, a Johnson Controls survey of junk batteries revealed that the average life of a car battery was 37 months. In a separate North American study by Battery Council International, the average life was 48 months. In a study by Interstate Batteries, the life expectancy in extreme heat was 30 months. If your car battery is more than three years old and you live in a hot climate, then your battery is probably living on borrowed time.

[topt]

Partial quote from the article at this Link.

In a hot climate, the harshest environment for a battery, a Johnson Controls survey of junk batteries revealed that the average life of a car battery was 37 months. In a separate North American study by Battery Council International, the average life was 48 months. In a study by Interstate Batteries, the life expectancy in extreme heat was 30 months. If your car battery is more than three years old and you live in a hot climate, then your battery is probably living on borrowed time.

That's the way I feel about mine at the moment. Will be 4 years old in November but the first 2 years was often left unused and in the sun for 4 weeks at a time. Last couple of months or so showing signs of not firing up as quickly as before. From what others are saying I seem to have been quite fortunate.

[Pib]

That's the way I feel about mine at the moment. Will be 4 years old in November but the first 2 years was often left unused and in the sun for 4 weeks at a time. Last couple of months or so showing signs of not firing up as quickly as before. From what others are saying I seem to have been quite fortunate.

What kind of vehicle and engine size/type do you have? Like me, I have a Toyota Fortuner 3.0L Diesel Engine.

[topt]

My current battery is 4 years old (on a Mitsu PJS). However, for my previous car (a Honda Accord) the battery lasted only 2 years, a similar experience to my sister-in-law with her Honda City, which again lasted only a couple of years.

Can you tell us what make and type the battery on your PJS is? Thanks

[topt]

That's the way I feel about mine at the moment. Will be 4 years old in November but the first 2 years was often left unused and in the sun for 4 weeks at a time. Last couple of months or so showing signs of not firing up as quickly as before. From what others are saying I seem to have been quite fortunate.

What kind of vehicle and engine size/type do you have? Like me, I have a Toyota Fortuner 3.0L Diesel Engine.

Mitsu Triton 2.5L Diesel manual. GS wet (IE can replace the lost water) as supplied from new.

Edited June 28, 2015 by topt

[Pib]

That's the way I feel about mine at the moment. Will be 4 years old in November but the first 2 years was often left unused and in the sun for 4 weeks at a time. Last couple of months or so showing signs of not firing up as quickly as before. From what others are saying I seem to have been quite fortunate.

What kind of vehicle and engine size/type do you have? Like me, I have a Toyota Fortuner 3.0L Diesel Engine.

Mitsu Triton 2.5L Diesel manual. GS wet (IE can replace the lost water) as supplied from new.

Thanks. That gives me some more warm fuzzies about the GS Mx Free battery I just bought on 21 Jun 15. This is my first time owning a GS battery after trying FB add water type batteries and Boliden Mx Free batteries....the two FB's lasted an average of 18.5 months and the two Boliden's an average of 21.5 months as mentioned in my post not to far back in this thread.

When I very recently did some load and cranking voltage tests a GS Mx Free battery which was a little over two years old an installed in one of my in-laws Isuzu Dmax 3.0L diesel truck it tested good voltage-wise, especially the critical cranking voltage test....and it's alternator voltage output matched my Fortuner's. And even before I got my last Boliden SMF battery which only lasted 15 months this time compared to the one before it which lasted 28 months several of my in-laws recommended getting a GS battery due to price and lasting power, but I ignored them at the time because I figured I would get another farang designed/made battery (i.e., the Boliden), since the Thai FB's batteries hadn't worked out to well, and since their GS battery recommendation was based on use in their small size petrol engines versus higher compression/takes-more-cranking-amps diesel engines. Time will tell.

[longstebe]

Went thru 3 batteries in 8 years on my Arl Chevy Optra 2006.

That's now gone, I now have the Mazda BT-50 but this is only 1 year old.

[Pib]

Over the last few weeks I have googled quite a bit on 12V vehicle batteries. Got a bunch of very good webpages saved. I think this following 4 part series regarding Battery Myths & Facts is very informative....a good mix of laymen and technical info. Be sure to read the four part series in sequence to get the most out of it. Later on I may provide a post with some webpages which expand on the Equalization Charge and Battery Sulfation which comes into play whether you live in a Cold, Hot, or Perfect Climate. And just to quote quote a couple of paragraphs from the articles regarding battery life in hot climates such as Thailand:

12. WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF PREMATURE BATTERY FAILURES?
Normally, premature battery failures are caused by one or more of the failures listed below. Prior to 1980, plate or grid shorts were the most common failure. Since then the manufacturers have significantly improved the reliability by using improved separators and plate alloys to reduce corrosion. Batteries that have been in use for longer periods of time will typically fail from multiple causes. All batteries will fail at some point in time.

12.1. Heat!

12.2. Heat!

12.3. Heat!

12.4. High under hood heat or overcharging causes a loss of water (which accounts for over 50% of the failures), accelerated positive grid corrosion or plate-to-strap shorts.

12.5. Sulfation from water loss, undercharging, or prolonged periods of non-use. (Please see Section 16.)

12.6. Deep discharges (such as leaving your lights on).

12.7. Misapplication or using an undersized battery that causes discharges greater than 10%.

12.8. Excessive vibration due to a loose hold down clamp.

12.9. Using tap water which can cause calcium sulfation.

12.10. Freezing due to a discharged battery.

14.9. Car batteries last longer in hot climates than in cold ones.
Car batteries last an average of two thirds as long in hot climates as cold ones.? Heat kills car batteries, especially sealed maintenance free batteries. (Please see Section 11.1.)

Car Battery Myths & Facts: Part 1

Car Battery Myths & Facts: Part 2

Car Battery Myths & Facts: Part 3

Car Battery Myths & Facts: Part 4

[tifino]

buying a 'maintenace-free' battery - BAH

I've for many years referred to them as 'throw-away' batteries.

I had this out with our local battery shop man, who pretty much agreed the manufacturers only instill just enough fluid to get bu for the warranty period. After that, they simply expect the dumb customer to go out and buy another 'throw-away'.

With a bit of skill + patience, removing the glued/fused-on Top, can be done.

Add more Distilled/DeMineralised water, and reseal the top (in my case, I used best quality silicon sealant.

The 'original mantenance-free battery in question was first installed in 2001, and died a few years later. (luckily I had never disposed of it, and after doing work on it, I used it as a backup jump-starter unit in the garage for years)

Two other batteries came and went in the same mazda, and upon the latest instance, I re-installed my above-mentioned (home-refurbished) battery, and it has given over a year's good service, and still going strong

[Ace of Pop]

BAH to You 2. Just buy a new MF ,and as TA once said if the Wnidows go Slow buy another. Who apart from young folk can be bothered faffing around these days.

[MYKTHEMIN]

My Pajero Sport is now over 5 years and the battery is still OK, top up the water with distilled every week if required. My old ford ranger one lasted 12 years again topped up every week if required, they will last if you maintain them properly.

[Pib]

buying a 'maintenace-free' battery - BAH

I've for many years referred to them as 'throw-away' batteries.

I had this out with our local battery shop man, who pretty much agreed the manufacturers only instill just enough fluid to get bu for the warranty period. After that, they simply expect the dumb customer to go out and buy another 'throw-away'.

With a bit of skill + patience, removing the glued/fused-on Top, can be done.

Add more Distilled/DeMineralised water, and reseal the top (in my case, I used best quality silicon sealant.

The 'original mantenance-free battery in question was first installed in 2001, and died a few years later. (luckily I had never disposed of it, and after doing work on it, I used it as a backup jump-starter unit in the garage for years)

Two other batteries came and went in the same mazda, and upon the latest instance, I re-installed my above-mentioned (home-refurbished) battery, and it has given over a year's good service, and still going strong

Unless the electrolyte (acid & water mixture) dropped to the point it did not fully cover the active plate material (i.e, the positive and negative plates in the battery) replacing the electrolyte would result in little to no improvement in battery life. In fact, the acid does not evaporate/gas away, it's only the water in the electrolyte mixture that evaporates/gasses away...only replace the water loss to get the mixture back to the correct ratio.

Sulfation and corrosion on the battery plates is what kills a battery...and this is the natural aging process....and this natural aging process is greatly affected by temperature. In fact, a little sulfation occurs on every discharge and in the perfect world during the recharge the sulfaction is driven off the plates back into the electrolyte. But we don't live in a perfect world. Unless extra measures are taken periodically to reduce the amount of sulfation on the plates through things such as pulse desulfation and/or equalization charges to help desulfate & eliminate electrolyte stratification (i.e., acid portion of electrolyte mixture concentrates at the bottom of each cell leaving most water at the top which accelerates plate corrosion) the battery will lose X-amount of its amperage capacity...how much and how fast it loses can be affected by many things such as temperature, charging, how the battery is used, etc. And unless it has a fatal failure like an internal cell short or open, this slow loss of amp-hour capacity is part of the natural aging process of the battery and the battery will slowly die...but it reaches a point where the slow death accelerates rapidly and then one morning it just won't crank your vehicle any more...it tries but just can't.

A 12V/100AH battery gets turned in a lower capacity battery like maybe a 12V, 25AH battery....putting a voltmeter across its terminals with no load should still give you approx 12.6V but the amp-hour capacity will have been greatly reduced...that battery which use to be able to crank your V8 engine may now only be able to crank a 4 cylinder engine...or maybe not even that 4 cylinder. And if using it in cold weather, it's amp-hour capacity is really lowered on those cold days when trying to start the vehicle.

What I expect really helped to partially revive your battery/extend its life to some reduce amperage capacity was the significant extra charging you probably did after unnecessarily cutting the battery top off and replacing the electrolyte which basically did some desulflation of the battery. If the sulfation was "soft" sulfation crystals then most of the sulflation was probably removed; but if it's hard sulfation crystals no amount of overcharging, pulse desulfation, replacing of electrolyte will have any effect. Time for a new battery unless maybe using the battery in some low amperage need scenario.

[Pib]

My Pajero Sport is now over 5 years and the battery is still OK, top up the water with distilled every week if required. My old ford ranger one lasted 12 years again topped up every week if required, they will last if you maintain them properly.

May I ask what part of world & country that ford ranger was used in?

[melvinmelvin]

Have two GS 95 Ah batteries, sealed wet

After more than 3 years they are still in very good shape.

[Pib]

Have two GS 95 Ah batteries, sealed wet

After more than 3 years they are still in very good shape.

That makes me feel better since I just bought my first GS battery very recently for my Toyota Fortuner 3L diesel.

May I ask what vehicle, engine size, engine type (petrol or diesel), and location the batteries are being used in? Thanks.

[Pib]

Here's a good overview of battery desulphation and equalization in layman's terms....lots of pictures...big print.

Equalization & Desulfation of Battery.pdf

[melvinmelvin]

Have two GS 95 Ah batteries, sealed wet

After more than 3 years they are still in very good shape.

That makes me feel better since I just bought my first GS battery very recently for my Toyota Fortuner 3L diesel.

May I ask what vehicle, engine size, engine type (petrol or diesel), and location the batteries are being used in? Thanks.

Location; Nonthaburi, just north of BKK.

Engine; Toyota 1UZ-FE, 4000 cc V8 petrol

Vehicle, hmm, they are actually in my boat, very fast racer

[Pib]

Have two GS 95 Ah batteries, sealed wet

After more than 3 years they are still in very good shape.

That makes me feel better since I just bought my first GS battery very recently for my Toyota Fortuner 3L diesel.

May I ask what vehicle, engine size, engine type (petrol or diesel), and location the batteries are being used in? Thanks.

Location; Nonthaburi, just north of BKK.

Engine; Toyota 1UZ-FE, 4000 cc V8 petrol

Vehicle, hmm, they are actually in my boat, very fast racer

Thanks....I'm just south of you in western Bangkok. With the batteries being in a boat I expect they get to operate in a little cooler environment than a hot auto engine compartment. I'm assuming they are starter batteries vs deep cycle batteries. But if they are deep cycle batteries they generally last longer than starter batteries when kept properly charged.

[melvinmelvin]

Have two GS 95 Ah batteries, sealed wet

After more than 3 years they are still in very good shape.

That makes me feel better since I just bought my first GS battery very recently for my Toyota Fortuner 3L diesel.

May I ask what vehicle, engine size, engine type (petrol or diesel), and location the batteries are being used in? Thanks.

Location; Nonthaburi, just north of BKK.

Engine; Toyota 1UZ-FE, 4000 cc V8 petrol

Vehicle, hmm, they are actually in my boat, very fast racer

Thanks....I'm just south of you in western Bangkok. With the batteries being in a boat I expect they get to operate in a little cooler environment than a hot auto engine compartment. I'm assuming they are starter batteries vs deep cycle batteries. But if they are deep cycle batteries they generally last longer than starter batteries when kept properly charged.

ordinary car start batteries

cooler environment?, well, they are in plastic boxes that are subject to sunshine

but I try to take good care of them, keeping them topped up as often as possible, trickle charge over (most) night(s) etc,

have separate charger for each battery (but alas only 1 alternator)

Edited July 14, 2015 by melvinmelvin

[MYKTHEMIN]

My Pajero Sport is now over 5 years and the battery is still OK, top up the water with distilled every week if required. My old ford ranger one lasted 12 years again topped up every week if required, they will last if you maintain them properly.

May I ask what part of world & country that ford ranger was used in?

Thailand of course, it is Thai visa???????? Loei province.

[Pib]

ordinary car start batteries

cooler environment?, well, they are in plastic boxes that are subject to sunshine

but I try to take good care of them, keeping them topped up as often as possible, trickle charge over (most) night(s) etc,

have separate charger for each battery (but alas only 1 alternator)

But I expect the temperature they experience is no where near the temperature experienced in an auto engine compartment nor for the length of time.

Over the last month or so I've done a lot of research/googling on batteries combined with some actually voltage and temperature measurements. I have a digiital indoor and outdoor themometer which has the long wire probe for the outside temperature measurement. I secured the outside temp probe on the battery, ran the probe wire back to inside my vehicle where I could easily monitor the temperature. All I can say it gets "hot" in an engine compartment and stays hot long after you have come back home and parked it in the shade of your home carport. Heck, I've even got a digital voltmeter hooked into a dash power outlet so I can also monitor the alternator voltage. Yea, my Fortuner is a rolling battery research vehicle right now.

For the last few days with the temperature being 90 to 95F outside my driving around over here in western Bangkok which is a combination of stop and go, slower driving with some higher speed highway driving the temperature in the engine compartment has varied from approx 120-144F (49-62C) after the SUV has fully warmed up. And the other day after parking the car for they day in the covered/shaded carport I wanted to see how long it took for that approx 140F temperature to drop to below 100F. It took approx 8 hours. After doing my runs for the day, I parked it back in my carport at 12:15pm and it was around 8:30pm before the temperate got down to 99F....this was keeping the engine hood closed...parking it normally. And I expect once I do some central Bangkok city driving where I'll hit a ton of stoplights I expect the temperature will approach 150F/66C. For the Celsius fans out there, since my digital thermometer only reads Fahrenheit and since I'm too lazy to convert the temp to Celsius, that's why I'm giving most my results in Fahrenheit.

Having 140F temperature in an auto engine compartment is not surprising in tropical heat...it's the norm. Before doing this test I figure the temperature in the temperature would be around that point but I also figure after I parked the car the temperature would drop off quickly but it don't....that heat is pretty well trapped in the engine compartment without opening the hood. I thought that my 30 to 60 minutes of driving the car on a typical day that the heat would be much above 100F except for those 30 to 60 minutes and an hour so after parking the SUV....but no, I found out the heat don't cool down fast at all. So basically the battery in the vehicle has been experiencing 100F+ temperature for around 9 hours of day (ie., the driving plus cool down periods). Batteries don't like heat...sustained heat is a battery killer...really shortens their lifespan.

Now that I know you GS batteries are probably experiencing lower heat than experienced in an auto compartment I feel a little less optimistic about how long my new GS battery may last....I just hope it lasts longer the 4 I've had so far in my SUV over the last 6 years, 8 months. But the GS battery I just installed is exactly the same GS battery in an in-laws Isuzu 3.0L diesel pickup truck (my Toyota Fortuer is a 3.0L diesel also), his charging system voltage matches mine, and this battery has made it to 2 years, 1 month so far and some load and no-load test indicate it's still in good shape....but he drives his vehicle not even half as much as I do my vehicle so the GS battery has experienced a lot less sustained heat.

Continue to take good care of those batteries as you've been doing...keeping them fully charged between uses and giving them the extended (over night) trickle charges (a.k.a., float charge) to help keep the battery internal cells equalized and help prevent sulfation is the right thing to do. Thanks for your crossfeed and the next time I see a loud boat going done the canal right behind my house I'll probably think wonder if that is melvinmelin and how is his GS batteries doing.

[Pib]

My Pajero Sport is now over 5 years and the battery is still OK, top up the water with distilled every week if required. My old ford ranger one lasted 12 years again topped up every week if required, they will last if you maintain them properly.

May I ask what part of world & country that ford ranger was used in?

Thailand of course, it is Thai visa???????? Loei province.

OK, north, central Thailand. Probably a little cooler year round than down here in Bangkok. But 5 years of battery life in a tropical area is very good....and 12 years is almost unbelievable for a lead-acid battery used in an auto.

What brand (i.e., GS, FB, Boliden, etc) battery is in your Pajero Sport? And do you remember what brand of battery lasted 12 years in your Ford Ranger---that's the brand of battery I want to buy. Cheers.

[melvinmelvin]

ordinary car start batteries

cooler environment?, well, they are in plastic boxes that are subject to sunshine

but I try to take good care of them, keeping them topped up as often as possible, trickle charge over (most) night(s) etc,

have separate charger for each battery (but alas only 1 alternator)

But I expect the temperature they experience is no where near the temperature experienced in an auto engine compartment nor for the length of time.

Over the last month or so I've done a lot of research/googling on batteries combined with some actually voltage and temperature measurements. I have a digiital indoor and outdoor themometer which has the long wire probe for the outside temperature measurement. I secured the outside temp probe on the battery, ran the probe wire back to inside my vehicle where I could easily monitor the temperature. All I can say it gets "hot" in an engine compartment and stays hot long after you have come back home and parked it in the shade of your home carport. Heck, I've even got a digital voltmeter hooked into a dash power outlet so I can also monitor the alternator voltage. Yea, my Fortuner is a rolling battery research vehicle right now.

For the last few days with the temperature being 90 to 95F outside my driving around over here in western Bangkok which is a combination of stop and go, slower driving with some higher speed highway driving the temperature in the engine compartment has varied from approx 120-144F (49-62C) after the SUV has fully warmed up. And the other day after parking the car for they day in the covered/shaded carport I wanted to see how long it took for that approx 140F temperature to drop to below 100F. It took approx 8 hours. After doing my runs for the day, I parked it back in my carport at 12:15pm and it was around 8:30pm before the temperate got down to 99F....this was keeping the engine hood closed...parking it normally. And I expect once I do some central Bangkok city driving where I'll hit a ton of stoplights I expect the temperature will approach 150F/66C. For the Celsius fans out there, since my digital thermometer only reads Fahrenheit and since I'm too lazy to convert the temp to Celsius, that's why I'm giving most my results in Fahrenheit.

Having 140F temperature in an auto engine compartment is not surprising in tropical heat...it's the norm. Before doing this test I figure the temperature in the temperature would be around that point but I also figure after I parked the car the temperature would drop off quickly but it don't....that heat is pretty well trapped in the engine compartment without opening the hood. I thought that my 30 to 60 minutes of driving the car on a typical day that the heat would be much above 100F except for those 30 to 60 minutes and an hour so after parking the SUV....but no, I found out the heat don't cool down fast at all. So basically the battery in the vehicle has been experiencing 100F+ temperature for around 9 hours of day (ie., the driving plus cool down periods). Batteries don't like heat...sustained heat is a battery killer...really shortens their lifespan.

Now that I know you GS batteries are probably experiencing lower heat than experienced in an auto compartment I feel a little less optimistic about how long my new GS battery may last....I just hope it lasts longer the 4 I've had so far in my SUV over the last 6 years, 8 months. But the GS battery I just installed is exactly the same GS battery in an in-laws Isuzu 3.0L diesel pickup truck (my Toyota Fortuer is a 3.0L diesel also), his charging system voltage matches mine, and this battery has made it to 2 years, 1 month so far and some load and no-load test indicate it's still in good shape....but he drives his vehicle not even half as much as I do my vehicle so the GS battery has experienced a lot less sustained heat.

Continue to take good care of those batteries as you've been doing...keeping them fully charged between uses and giving them the extended (over night) trickle charges (a.k.a., float charge) to help keep the battery internal cells equalized and help prevent sulfation is the right thing to do. Thanks for your crossfeed and the next time I see a loud boat going done the canal right behind my house I'll probably think wonder if that is melvinmelin and how is his GS batteries doing.

If you're along Bangkok Noi it just might be me, I go down Bangkok Noi to Pin Klao now and then

What I'd reallly like to have is one more alternator on the engine (small is OK), tricky to find space for fitting one though.

Why?

I use one battery for instruments and starting the engine, the other battery for bilge pumps and lights.

Say I park the boat in the early evening with batteries topped up and do not connect the chargers (1 for each battery).

Typical situation next morning in heavy rain season; start battery still topped up, utility battery down quite a lot (pumps running a lot when it rains and blows heavily).

Starting the engine, it starts very easy, I just look sternly at it and it starts, start battery topped up again in 10-15 minutes.

While it takes hours to bring the utility battery up.

I am pretty sure that the start battery will boil while the utility battery is being charged. Boiling a battery for hours is no good.

Charging regulators cannot really handle this. Regulators are ok as long as the batteries are at approximately the same Ah left level.

(btw, the pdf file on lead and sulphur was/is pretty good, thanks)

[Pib]

You are running into the same problem a lot of people comment about in various blogs...people who have a second battery on their utility vehicle or boat with that second battery being used to power wrenches, pumps, etc., but that battery and the other battery used for starting being charged by only one alternator....and of course that one alternator is only running when the engine is running which may not run long enough to recharge the second battery.

Like you mentioned, the first battery/the one to start the engine gets recharged quickly because although a lot of amps get pulled for a few seconds to start the engine that few seconds of high discharge can be recharged in just a few minutes by the alternator. But that second battery which has had more amperage pulled due to operation over an extended time and discharged to a lower level will require longer to fully recharge...possibly much longer. But the charge/voltage level feedback from the first/starter battery to the alternator could cause the alternator voltage to go lower which is going to make the recharge time a lot longer for the second battery. Or, the lower charge level of the second battery actually forces the alternator to put out a higher voltage/charge for a longer time....a longer time that actually is overcharging the first/starter battery which can cause it to boil/gas/heat up. While an occassional overcharge like done during a period equalization charge extends battery life too frequent of an overcharge can be damaging to the battery.

And then you have the issue with modern day vehicles having computer controller engines/emission systems which may be hooked into your alternator also like my 2009 Toyota Fortuner. Around 2000 computer controlled engines started becoming common and by around 2006 it became very, very common...maybe call it the norm. From my much younger days when checking my alternator output voltage the maintenance manuals would say look for a voltage of around 14.4V right after starting your vehicle as it's replacing the engine start discharge....and usually the specs may have given a wide range of like 13.2 to 14.8V although real world alternator output with a good battery would remain within a tighter range like maybe 13.4 to 14.4V. Even one area in the Hilux/Fortuner Mx Manaul I have has a check were they say 13.2 to 14.8V is acceptable, but in another area they say the voltage should be within the 13.2 to 14V range for an alternator also receiving input from the engine computer. On my Fortuner which does have a engine computer controlled alternator the voltage does indeed stay between 13.2 to 14V depending on driving speed, engine temperature and gosh knows what other parameters such as barometric pressure, emissions, etc., are also being evaluated.

One of the key reasons to controlling alternator output to 14V max is to reduce alternator drag on the engine....as the alternator must put out a higher voltage/amps the voltage/amp feedback to the alternator must be increased which increases the magnetic field of the alternator which makes it a little hard to turn which requires a little more horsepower from your engine which uses more fuel...etc...etc....etc. Now an alternator will only place about a about 2-4 horsepower drag with a large amp/charge output (less when just trickle/float charging) on your engine but with typical, mass market vehicles now day only putting out around 100 to 150 horsepower (like my 162HP Fortuner 3.0L diesel). A 4HP drag on a 162HP engine represents 2.5%. If the alternator max output voltage is limited to 14V vs the approx 14.4V from earlier days then engine drag from the alternator can be reduced increasing fuel mileage and probably emissions also...sure we are probably only talking a few percent in increased fuel mileage but a few percent here and there in how efficient an engine operates can add up to a very noticeable amount.

I doubt you have any control of your boat alternator unless maybe your boat engine does have engine/mission computer controls. If not knowing, one way that can be an indicator is looking at the number of wires connecting to your alternator. All of them will have the one large, finger diameter output cable but a computer controlled alternator should have 4 additional bundled wires vs 3 additional bundled wires hooking into an alternator connector which is feedback circuit to the alternator to help control its output. That 4th wire in the bundle is assisting the voltage regulator within the alternator to control the alternators output...in earlier days only the voltage regulator built into the alternator did on the control...now the regulator must jointly work with the engine computer to control the alternator output. Of course every vehicle is different as to if it has it's engine controlled by a computer (the great majority do now days) and how much involvement that engine computer may have with the alternator.

But the old days where only the alternator controlling its output are fading fast...and with that comes new alternator voltage levels compared to years ago....voltage levels that do not charge batteries as fast and to as high of a level as before. While this increases mileage/reduces emission by a small amount it also can have an impact on a batteries lifespan due to lower voltage charge levels which can increase sulfation and battery never getting a "topping" charge up to around 14.4V which support cell equalization...instead the battery only gets charged to around 13.8V which can cause unequal charge levels between the six 2.1V cells that make up a 12V battery which lower battery lifespan (actually a 12V battery is really a 12.6V battery).

Ah, getting to technical now...confusing myself...but how batteries are charged in current day vehicles can be greatly different from olden days when engines were not computer controlled. Preaching to the choir I know. Cheers.

[MYKTHEMIN]

My Pajero Sport is now over 5 years and the battery is still OK, top up the water with distilled every week if required. My old ford ranger one lasted 12 years again topped up every week if required, they will last if you maintain them properly.

May I ask what part of world & country that ford ranger was used in?

Thailand of course, it is Thai visa???????? Loei province.

OK, north, central Thailand. Probably a little cooler year round than down here in Bangkok. But 5 years of battery life in a tropical area is very good....and 12 years is almost unbelievable for a lead-acid battery used in an auto.

What brand (i.e., GS, FB, Boliden, etc) battery is in your Pajero Sport? And do you remember what brand of battery lasted 12 years in your Ford Ranger---that's the brand of battery I want to buy. Cheers.

Both batteries are/were GS, OE equipment on the Pajero and the Ranger, never a problem, I also pressure wash the engine compartments every month and that will never harm a battery and never do that ridiculous thing of leaving the bonnet open to let it cool down how stupid?Just keep the distilled water up to the marks on a very regular basis and grease the terminals with spray grease, all my vehicles are used nearly every day. Yes it is a little cooler here than BK but only 2/3 degrees. The secret is regular maintenance.

[Pib]

Thanks. Another endorsement of GS batteries. I also noticed today during a shopping run a bunch of tuk-tuks...around a half dozen. Everyone of them had GS batteries...the regular kind that you need to keep topped with distilled water vs the mx free kind. Don't know if all of them having GS batteries was due to cost, lifespan, or maybe both.

[melvinmelvin]

My engine is computer controlled, has an ECU with a rather massive number of wires.

The ECU is controlling the fuel injectors and airflow mix among other things. Thankfully the alternator is not controlled by the ECU.

And thankfully I don't have VVT.

Early on I installed a maritime product, a so called DVSR, dual voltage sensitive relay, for sorting out charging of 2 banks with one alternator.

I was quite happy with that, until , , , , ,

Later, when I installed 2 reasonably advanced battery meters, one for each battery, so I could see in detail what was happening, the happiness quickly evaporated.

I spent hours in the boat just looking at the battery meters, I was not happy with what I saw.

Now I am looking for a small alternator to take care of the start battery and will use the original alternator for the utility battery.

[Pib]

In my recent posts I hit on how high temperature impacts a battery's lifespan and as mentioned in a few of my posts over the last few days I've been doing some temperature measurements of my battery's case/exterior in my Fortuner, both while driving and when the SUV is parked after a day's work. I'll give some more detailed crossfeed on that after I do some more observations. But one thing that is repeated over and over in battery info is batteries do not like high temperature...it degrades their lifespan.

Battery ratings such as amperage Reserve Capacity like the 85AH GS battery now in my Fortuner and the GS 95AH batteries melvinmelvin has in his boat are based on a temperature of 25C/77F. But of course many times usually batteries have to live & operate at temperates much high than 25C/77F...like 140-160F in an auto engine compartment in stop & go/city driving...your highway driving is probably going to get that engine compartment temperature down to around 120F/49C which is still approaching the temperature limit for "charging" a battery....many battery websites will say not to charge a battery when the temp is above 122F/50C. I saw on the GS website where they just say their batteries can operate reliably up to 140F/60C.

Keep in mind that is the "internal battery/electrolyte" temperature. If the battery's surrounding environment (like the engine compartment temperature) is 140F/60C that does not necessarily mean your battery's internal temperature is 140F/60C...not sure how long the battery would have to operate/soak in that temperature for it to reach that temperature internally....and how much the battery is charging also affects it's temperature.

But regarding the battery's capacity to pump out X-amount of amps and the battery's life span at various temperatures I think below chart gives a good overview. Notice the 25C/77F is the reference point...getting away from that reference point amperage capacity decreases the colder the battery gets and increases the hotter it gets. And notice how the battery's life span is almost linear with temperature....the colder it is the longer it will last....the hotter it is the less its life span. For approx ever 15C/27F increase in temperature the battery's lifespan is decreased by 50%. I expect that's why batteries sold in the tropics usually have a signficantly shorter warranty period that batteries sold in cooler parts of the world.

Yeap, batteries don't like heat. Please note although below chart is talking a 2.1V cell, a 12V battery is nothing more that 6 such cells connected in series to give you 12.6 volts although we routinely refer to it just as a 12V battery.