Battery

[vt_maverick]

Sounds like a really good idea. Where would someone pick up one of these mythical devices?

[circmand]

Optima Yellow top works great in Protons

VT, a battery buddy is an electronic device that is installed in series with the positive lead on the battery. If the voltage drops too low, the battery buddy isolates the battery from the electrical system (shuts down). Theoretically it shuts off with just enough juice left to restart the vehicle. You have to actually pop the hood and push a button on the battery buddy to start the car if it's been tripped.

Instead of this a trickle charger would be better

[Riff Raff]

VT, a battery buddy is an electronic device that is installed in series with the positive lead on the battery. If the voltage drops too low, the battery buddy isolates the battery from the electrical system (shuts down). Theoretically it shuts off with just enough juice left to restart the vehicle.

I have the watercraft/marine version "Battery Buddy" in my ski-boat. It has saved my bacon on countless occasions, and you definately don't want to be out on the open water with a dead battery!!! Most vehicles have things that always draw power; namely the clock on the stereo is the biggest culprit. The "Battery Buddy" is best for vehicles that are operated infrequently (like a boat); situations where it may be hard to get an actual jump from another vehicle (like a boat), or isolated locations such as a boat marina without a nearby electrical outlet (like a boat).

For cars that are driven daily, the "Battery Buddy" is really not necessary. Stored cars (garage queens) should always have a high quality Battery "Maintainer" plugged into an electrical outlet at all times anyway, thereby keeping the battery at full charge capacity. Every vehicle in my detached 8-car capacity 1800SF garage/shop has a high quality Battery "Maintainer" plugged into it (always ready to go).

As far as battery brands, I've always used Sears DieHard's over the past 30+ years in all of my many vehicles (cars & boats) with great success. There is always a Sears (& now K-Mart) nearby, and their build quality, high CCA rating and battery warranty on the entire DieHard line is the best in the industry. I've never used Optima due to their very expensive price. The Sears DieHard (also @ K-Mart) gets my vote everytime for ease of purchase availabilty, high build quality, great monetary value, high CCA rating, and the best warranty in the business.

[nfpgasmask]

I put in a Red Top Optima after advice on the board. The battery didn't even last the warrenty. I think it lasted only 35 months. I got it at Sears and the guy told me they started having a lot of complaints with Optima. He said the quality controll wasn't the same as it has been a few years ago. I don't think they even sell it anymore. Anyway, Sears honored the warrenty, and I put in a Diehard Platinum in it's place. That was over two years ago and haven't had any problems yet.
Peace.
Tom

Tom, I hope that your experience was with an isolated batch of bad batteries. The RedTop in my VX came out of my Xterra so that battery is going on 5 years for me. I just put a new Optima in my Trooper. I hope it doesn't crap out.

Bart

[vt_maverick]

I have the watercraft/marine version "Battery Buddy" in my ski-boat. It has saved my bacon on countless occasions, and you definately don't want to be out on the open water with a dead battery!!! Most vehicles have things that always draw power; namely the clock on the stereo is the biggest culprit. The "Battery Buddy" is best for vehicles that are operated infrequently (like a boat); situations where it may be hard to get an actual jump from another vehicle (like a boat), or isolated locations such as a boat marina without a nearby electrical outlet (like a boat).

Or when you're say, out on a deserted beach in a national park, miles away from the nearest car, gas station, etc., and the minimum tow fee is $250.

[nfpgasmask]

Or when you're say, out on a deserted beach in a national park, miles away from the nearest car, gas station, etc., and the minimum tow fee is $250.

Well, that is always my fear. I am building up my Trooper to be my hard-core expedition vehicle. After I am done, she is going to be pretty stout. The last thing I want is to get stranded 60 miles from the nearest paved road because of a dead battery. I guess I should always park near a hill so I can do a push start if I get stuck.

Bart

[tom4bren]

VT,

Try here:

http://batterybuddy.com/

Looks like they've discontinued the 'battery buddy' so that they can introduce the 'battery brain' for more $$$ (but still less than $70 so that's not too bad).

The only experience I've had with them was when we installed some surveillance equipment on some Suburbans for the Boarder Patrol years ago. We didn't want them to use the equipment for hours on end without the engine running and then not be able to start the Burb for the final chase.

[pbkid]

Well, that is always my fear. I am building up my Trooper to be my hard-core expedition vehicle. After I am done, she is going to be pretty stout. The last thing I want is to get stranded 60 miles from the nearest paved road because of a dead battery. I guess I should always park near a hill so I can do a push start if I get stuck.

Bart

you should invest in one of those jumper boxes (im not sure what they are called but they store enough charge to jump a vehicle and are relatively small) if your really planning on using the trooper for long expeditions like that.

[circmand]

you should invest in one of those jumper boxes (im not sure what they are called but they store enough charge to jump a vehicle and are relatively small) if your really planning on using the trooper for long expeditions like that.

$29.95 at Pepboys but you needed to keep it charged as well. I do not see why you could not create a one way circuit that would allow a running motor to charge up a battery. Then have a switch that you could hit that if your car would not start would reverse the flow so the always charged battery could then jump the car.

[pbkid]

$29.95 at Pepboys but you needed to keep it charged as well. I do not see why you could not create a one way circuit that would allow a running motor to charge up a battery. Then have a switch that you could hit that if your car would not start would reverse the flow so the always charged battery could then jump the car.

sure, but then you would need a very large diode/very expensive battery isolator

same idea that they use for high end car audio, 2 batteries. but they dont cross signals, otherwise they would drain each other.

[vt_maverick]

$29.95 at Pepboys but you needed to keep it charged as well.

That's my major problem with the chargers, I'm too forgetful to make sure it's charged all the time. The battery brain/buddy isn't a replacement for a charger, but it should at least help to avoid the drain situation, which in my experience is what caused all of my battery flatlines.

Want to eventually have both, but chargers can be big $$$ if you want a really good one.

[Marlin]

There is no button to push on the battery buddy. It has a solenoid that disconnects the battery somewhere around 13V terminal voltage. If you push the brake pedal or flash the brights, it reconnects the battery. No wiring required, just connect it in series with the battery's positive cable. For those with lots of accessories, they all have some small amount of leakage current, amps, monitors, GPS and so on. My expy sits for 5-6 days at a time, so it needs a battery buddy. But as said before, having a dead battery in BFE National Park would not be a good thing. It also could save your battery's life. Running a lead-acid battery to dead reduces its life dramatically.
I will break down the benefits of one battery vs another when I get home from work(I teach all this stuff at school, so I can make it understandable.)

[tom4bren]

There is no button to push on the battery buddy. It has a solenoid that disconnects the battery somewhere around 13V terminal voltage. If you push the brake pedal or flash the brights, it reconnects the battery. No wiring required, just connect it in series with the battery's positive cable.

I told ya it was years ago since I had any experience with a battery buddy. Back in the day when cars had wooden wheels ... ya had to pop the hood & push a button.

[Riff Raff]

I told ya it was years ago since I had any experience with a battery buddy. Back in the day when cars had wooden wheels ... ya had to pop the hood & push a button.

Tom--- Don't feel bad. I was in the second wave of Covered Wagons behind your main lead caravan with the Lewis & Clark expedition. Yes, my vintage (circa 1994) marine/watercraft "Battery Buddy" on my ski-boat has an actual "button" (circuit breaker) that has to be physically re-set by pushing down on the re-set button. It's kinda' a pain in the neck to remove the engine cowling cover, but the peace of mind is always worth it when you re-try the starter and it fires right up. Plus, I always love the look on my friends faces when they say "Oh Boy, now we're really stranded without a prayer." I just smile and say "Not so fast boys with your judgement, just give me a quick moment and we'll be on our way".

[tom4bren]

Riff Raff,

Rekin it's up to us to keep these 'know it all' snot nosed kids in line. They still ain't figgered it out that old & sneeky beats young & energetic EVERY time.