Hello!
I own 3 vehicles, and find that my household is driving them over short distances (< 5 miles) for the most part. This, I read, is bad for the battery, because the alternator does not get enough run time to recharge the lead-acid batteries in my cars during the 5 to 10-minute drives we usually drive them for. The COVID-19 pandemic was especially harsh, since on top of the short trips, we were driving them less frequently.
The group 51R battery of my Accord died during this usage pattern. Even after I replaced it with a brand new battery, I see that it usually reads out at 12.1V to 12.3V, which seems low given that most articles say the full battery should be 12.6V or higher. I've been reading that lead-acid batteries will live longer if "topped up" frequently, and am thinking of charging them with an external charger once a month
I just acquired a smart charger for batteries of many chemistries: lead-acid, AGM, LiFePO4 and Lithium. My cars have 2 lead-acid batteries, and 1 AGM. My questions are...
1) Is topping them up a good idea, say once a month? Or do you recommend more or less frequently?
2) Is topping up a good practice for the AGM battery as well? (I will of course set the charger to the correct chemistry setting, not sure what it does.)
3) The charger can do 3 current speeds: 5A, 10A and 20A. Is it better (less stress on the battery) to charge it at the lowest 5A speed?
4) Is it OK to charge the batteries withOUT disconnecting them from the car? Of course I won't try to start the engine or put any high electric load on during charging, but I'd prefer to keep the battery connected to avoid locking up the stereo, losing time settings, etc.
If my questions have been answered by some FAQ or article, please point me to it. Thanks in advance!