Battery charger for keeping battery alive when using a scan tool

[bob_the_builder]

As the title states, I am looking for a battery charger which I can use to keep the the car's battery alive when using a scan tool.

Specially, I was using my scanner to bleed the breaks on a Tahoe and the scanner wanted the battery on but the engine off. The battery was an older one and I could not fully bleed all four breaks before the scanner killed the battery.

This is not the first time this happened so I thought I would ask the question on this site. I have seen a number of threads about battery chargers but nothing I could find specifically talked about this application. Lots of talk about ways to jump batteries as well as charging dead batteries. Because of this forum I am not the owner of a JNC770.

By the way, the JNC770 is an awesome little jump pack. I have used it for about 6 months now and it is great. I really like the ON-OFF switch on the 770 compared to the 660.

Bob

 

[slow]

at work we have a pair of these.

Midtronics-PSC-550S-Reflash-Power-Supply
http://www.midtronics.com/shop/prod...-psc-series-power-supply-and-battery-chargers


at the core, they are just an APS-55 amp power supply. I do believe they have some extra logic added with a switch, but the base APS-55 works fine. We have the 55 amp units, 30 amps should be more than enough as well.


http://cascadeaudio.com/power_converters/power_converters.htm I sourced one off amazon used for $65 years ago, added some old jumper cables to the output and it works great for a 1/8th of the cost that we paid at work.

 

[Movover]

Honestly I would think any 2-4 amp charger would be fine. Just put it on a few min before you start and leave it connected while you are doing the work.

Edit: maybe that is not enough does the ABS motor take a lot of power?

 

[WhiffySpark]

The jnc would be fine I would think

 

[pstemari]

Yes, it's really odd that a scanner drained the battery so quickly. Something else must have been running at the same time.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[GTA Matt]

You can really use any charger for when you are just using your scanner, it's reflashing that requires the clean steady signal. You have a weak battery however. Unless the headlights and blower were on, it takes a long time to kill a battery with just a scanner hooked up.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[bob_the_builder]

Being a Canadian car, I cannot shut off the the auto day time running lights therefore I had the lights on, the scanner connected and then occasionally running the ABS pump controlled with the scan tool. I knew I had a weak battery but I thought I would have enough power to get the break bleed in. After the battery died, I put on my old 2A / 10A changer but only waited a few minutes and then tried to bleed the breaks with the charger running on the 10A mode but it did not work. I was wondering if I did not wait long enough of maybe if the 10A charger was not powerful enough.

In general is it safe to have a charger connected in 10A mode when using a scanner to view codes, etc...

For reference, this is a new model of the charger I was using:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-12-2a-automatic-battery-charger-with-75a-engine-start-0111504p.html

Bob

 

[wired]

I can shed some light on this subject, actually a lot of light. This is what I do full time. ABS pumps pulls a lot of power. While at the same time, it sound like you have a par battery at best, but still works. Depending on the length of time you have your ignition turned on, and what bi-directional controls you are using equals how fast a par battery is un-usable. I use a 3 stage battery charger, 20/40/200 or put on my Inteli Power 9100 45 amp maintainer (which came out of an RV). Both do just fine. The 2/10 automatic charger does not cut the mustard at all. If I use my 2/10 for 15 minutes or more, it pops the thermal fuse. (and there is nothing wrong with this charger)
I use the Inteli Power for almost anything that I use my scan tool with. I have 2 of them. The MODIS and the Autel Elite. According to my labscope, the Inteli Power puts out some smooth output. It has voltage regulation of 13.8 volts and up to 45 amps at that voltage. My charger does not do this. My charger, as the amperage comes down the voltage goes up according to the quality of the internals of the vehicle battery. If you use a battery charger, try to keep an eye on your voltage. keep it below 15 volts. (turn down the charger output). This is another subject though. Hope this helps.

 

[bob_the_builder]

Based on the recommendation above I was looking into power supplies and came across this model PSR-1240. I was wondering if anyone has experience with this style?
http://www.rpelectronics.com/psr-1240-switching-mode-power-supply-13-8vdc-40a.html

My Snap-on dealer was also pushing an EEBC500. I was just thinking this might be over kill to what I am looking for.

Bob

 

[kythri]

Being a Canadian car, I cannot shut off the the auto day time running lights therefore I had the lights on, the scanner connected and then occasionally running the ABS pump controlled with the scan tool.

Question, just for my own edification:

Aren't DRL's only supposed to come on when the car is in drive/reverse? Or is this something special to Canadian models?

 

[1949 caddyman]

Try putting parking brake on to keep DRL off.

 

[wkndwarrior29]

I think you are overthinking it. For programming and computer operations it's not uncommon to need to connect a charger/maintainer, at least for BMW's. I use a ctek 7002 because it is just a great all around unit which will desulphate an old battery or work on agm. They have some cheaper models as well. I've never had an issue with scan tool or computer damage.

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[gsingh]

I have the midtronics 55 Amp one at work. works well on older cars but cant keep up with W205 or W222.

I went out and bought this RV, charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0039T059U/?tag=atomicindus08-20, made some cables and clamps. Been using it for a year.

 

[Hammer1963]

I use an M18 Milwaukee battery that I plug into the accessory port with an adapter i have fabricated. It has yet to fail me.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

Sell the customer a battery?

 

[dnschmidt]

^^^^^^ Man's got a point.

 

[TT54l32v]

Im looking for something similar that can maintain while programming, jump off dead cars in the parking lot and be portable.

 

[dnschmidt]

The best solution is probably a good car battery used for this specific purpose. The reason the real deal battery sustainers cost so much is the very low amount of AC ripple the car manufacturers demand. It requires enormous amounts of filtering (think large capacitors) to remove this. If it starts as DC (as a battery does) it doesn't have this problem.

 

[kkroger]

I use my Auto Meter Tower of Power... Copper Transformer and Copper Cables.
http://www.autometer.com/wheel-charger-tower-of-power-man-70-30-4-280.html

 

[Two Speed]

Being a Canadian car, I cannot shut off the the auto day time running lights therefore I had the lights on,

What year tahoe? The earlier vehicles late 90's into the early 2000's clicking on the parking brake a click would turn off the drl's.

When they went to the big round knob, twisting it counter-clockwise (momentary switch) turns off the drls IF you are in park.

Alex.

 

[LXCam]

My snappy EEBC500 has a floating mode for exactly this reason. After burning up (well to be fair wearing them out) three high dollar big name chargers thru the years I finally broke down and found a deal on a used one. Best money I've ever spent for a charger. I've actually had a few successes bringing AGM batteries back to life with it which paid for its self after only a couple.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

or pull the relay that turns them on.

 

[48548]

This is what I have and recommend...