Hawker battery questions.

[tbar123]

I have 4 of the Hawker HASP-FT batteries in my M923. I noticed that they are now 11 years old from the date of manufacture. Reading the Tm from Hawker it states that these batteries have 54 month service life.I also tested the voltage of all 4 batteries and are within 1 volt of each other, The lowest 11.75 and the highest at 12.5 volts. So my questions are.

1) Should these batts be replaced due to age?

2) How do I charge them while being connected? I don't have a slave receptacle charger, and really don't want to remove each 88lb battery to charge individually.

3)If I should replace them , what should I replace them with?

4) If they are still good, How much time do I have left before I should replace them?

As always thanks for any and all advice!

 

[porkysplace]

• [h=6]Two battery questions[/h] By tequilaiam in forum CUCV
  
  Replies: 12 Last Post: 07-24-2014, 08:16
  
  
• [h=6]Hawker 6TAGM battery[/h] By 68impalass in forum CUCV
  
  Replies: 7 Last Post: 09-20-2012, 10:28
  
  
• [h=6]Hawker / Armasafe AGM Battery Info[/h] By emmado22 in forum Electrical
  
  Replies: 29 Last Post: 07-16-2011, 17:43
  
  
• [h=6]Hawker AGM Battery Charging info[/h] By emmado22 in forum Electrical
  
  Replies: 2 Last Post: 11-06-2008, 14:55
  
  
• [h=6]Hawker batteries?[/h] By snowplow in forum The Deuc
  

 

[gimpyrobb]

Charge them individually and then test with a carbon-pyle tester. Sounds like they are fine to me.

 

[tbar123]

Thanks gents, From what I read these are supposed to charge at a high amp/volt setting for 3 days.

 

[swbradley1]

A. Does the truck start okay? If so do a normal PM for a sealed battery.
B. You don't have to pull a battery to charge it by itself. You could just disconnect it in the truck and charge it.


The truck in my pickup is the original. 11 years and 13 days since I bought it. If a battery works I don't mess with it.

 

[swbradley1]

To charge my 4 Gimpy brought over a slave cable plug and we hook the truck up to the big charger.

 

[tbar123]

No the truck turns over for about 4 seconds then quits. Second attempt is about 1-3 seconds of cranking. I think this is my cold start problem. The only battery charger I have access to is a large roll around and won't fit in the truck, and since I put the singles on it's to tall for the cables to reach. It is also parked outside.

 

[swbradley1]

Solution for the too high is put it on blocks. Solution for outside is a tarp. I had to do the same thing for a couple years on my backhoe before Gimpy made me fix the alternator. Haven't had to do that in quite a while now.

Or just get two or 4 group 31 blemish batteries at Interstate or Walmart and put your new block heater on it.

 

[gimpyrobb]

You don't even need to remove the terminals to charge them. 12v is 12v. That is what the voltage is at each battery between its terminals.

DO NOT HOOK UP TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN ITS TERMINALS.

Often a dead cell will act like what is happening. A battery can look like it is good, till a load is put on. That is why you need a carbon-pyle tester.

If 2 of your batteries test good, I wouldn't hesitate to run just 2. Hawker makes good batteries.

 

[74M35A2]

Those batteries are shot. Most batteries will live about 5 years. The open circuit voltage (OCV) you reported they are dead as they sit. 12.0V is heavily discharged, in the range of 80-90%. 12.8V is a full charged lead acid battery.

The only true test of battery health is a load test. You can do this right on the truck using the starter. You don't need any type of external load tester, but those are OK to use also. Measure voltage across the battery terminals while cranking (prohibit engine from starting). If voltage drops below 10V for any battery, it is not delivering it's rated power anymore.

But, just looking at their age and your OCV, they are dead as they sit. Check the second image down in this link, it gives a reference to battery OCV vs SOC (State of Charge) relationship:

http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/how_to_measure_state_of_charge

Even if they would start the truck, there is no reserve in them at all. If you were do grab an air pocket of fuel and needed extended cranking, they would not be up for it at all. A 923 is a lot of vehicle to have sitting somewhere unable to move, and standard group 31's (semi truck batteries) are only $100 each brand new. Go with 2 or 4 of those, and you won't open the seat for another 5 years at least. Try to avoid Exide if possible.

 

[Jeepsinker]

Every time I try to charge hawker batteries the way they suggest, they end up boiling in short order. I'm no fan of battery explosions.

 

[tbar123]

I think that is what's happening the voltage is there just not the CCA and the batts don't have enough behind them anymore. After all they have lasted 11 years. Sucks it wasn't 11 years with me!!!! But I will try to charge them this weekend and see what happens. But I do realize the end is near and batteries are on my shopping list.

 

[gimpyrobb]

There is a place here in Cincy that sells 4D and 8D batteries cheap. Not sure how you would set them in place though...

 

[tbar123]

I'm not a fan of anything exploding around me. I am a complete idiot as far as batteries and many more things if you ask people that know me, but What should I look for in a battery? What should I expect to pay so I can start saving?

 

[tbar123]

Gimpy; What is a 4D and 8D battery? Difference? Like I said i'm a complete idiot when it comes to batteries!

 

[porkysplace]

Gimpy; What is a 4D and 8D battery? Difference? Like I said i'm a complete idiot when it comes to batteries!

A 4D is half the size of a 8D. google is your friend.

 

[gimpyrobb]

They are the size of 2 6tl batteries in one! You would only use 2 of them and use up the same space as 4 of the 6TL.

 

[tbar123]

Google is not my friend Google hates me ,everything I search for comes back with crap that is not close to what I typed in!

 

[porkysplace]

[h=3]List of Common Battery Case Sizes | BCI Group Numbers[/h]www.batterystuff.com/kb/tools/bci-battery-group-sizes.html

 

[swbradley1]

8D is a good sized battery (big) and I had to put one in my backhoe without the nice little handholds on it. Going in wasn't so bad, getting the old one out of the tight space was.