Hi gurus,

My 1984 240 Estate had a clapped out battery a few months ago and ended up getting the RACT to bail me out with a new one (would have shopped around and fitted it myself normally but short on time). Fast forward to a week ago and I pulled up at a servo to tank up and car was a non-start, called the RACT again and after a bit of poking around discovered that the earth lead ring terminal had split and dropped off the alternator. Managed to get the ring to close up enough to reattach and jump started the car. All good, but the battery had discharged quite heavily and I'm not doing enough driving at the moment to get it up to speed..

Long story short I've borrowed an old school Arlec battery charger from a neighbour https://www.arlec.com.au/wp-content/files/BC228.pdf and just wanted to check on the procedure for my situation. It's a RACT branded battery around 640 CCA and sealed/calcium style. What would you guys recommend in terms of settings times etc?

Try a slow charge, 12-24 hours and see if that works

I don't think it's too critical. I'd disconnect the positive lead from the battery, hook up the charger, turn it on. Look at the meter needle: if it slams to over 4A, turn it off and take the battery to a battery shop /auto electrician to charge. They've got special chargers. If it's under 4A leave it at least overnight, preferably 24 hours. It should be fine by then.

    jrhendo

    I don't think it's too critical. I'd disconnect the positive lead from the battery, hook up the charger, turn it on. Look at the meter needle: if it slams to over 4A, turn it off and take the battery to a battery shop /auto electrician to charge. They've got special chargers. If it's under 4A leave it at least overnight, preferably 24 hours. It should be fine by then.

    4 amps is very minimal at best so don't he alarmed its a lead acid battery your not going to do it any harm. HI is fine and i read the manual Hi is 4.5 amps low is 1amp lets call it a 10 amp charger at MAX out put I doubt it is tho.

    Charge on hi till the needle on the amp meter comes down to 1 or 2 amps or lower then turn to low and let it do it thing for a few more hours.

    "Hi-Boost Charge Rate: To revitalise a flat battery quickly, set the charge rate to Hi. Once the ammeter reads 2.5 AMPS and providing the battery is in reasonable condition there should be sufficient charge to start the vehicle. Maximum charging time - 24 hours."

    Think like this lets say if the 240 has an 80amp alternator and was trying to change that battery up i would bet there would be at least 60amps going into the battery.

    You don't need to take it to an auto electrician you will be fine bus as for RACT batterys I would replace it with a better one if you intend on keeping the car if there like our RAC batteries here in WA they are rubbish I have replaced so many failed ones that were under a year old in customers cars there just not good quality.

      Thanks LLoydy for the detailed response, sorry for the delayed reply, auto electrics has always been a bit like black magic to me and although poverty has forced me to do repairs (dry solder joins and bad earths on instrument panel and relays for example) I tend to head for an auto electrician for more complicated stuff rather than do any damage. On the battery quality front, I think that the RACT has opted for high quality replacements having had a good run with them over the years, in a small place like Tas they'd be mad not to.

      The RACT guy ran a test on the charging after the jump start and said that it was only showing 12.8V across the terminals with the car running and that I should take it somewhere and get them to put it on a charger as it seemed quite a low rate of charge.

      This is the actual charger, not the one shown in manual but apart from being long in the tooth (couldn't find the manual onine any,more) is pretty much a doppelganger for it. It says 2.5 Cont. Rating on the front and the meter is different but hopefully it'll do the trick, I'll follow your instructions and report back....

      You can't check the charge rate of a car with a flat battery. RACT Should know this lol. Charge the battery put it back in the car and test in the car.

      You most like will need a multi meter to check the correct charge rate 13.5-14.5v is what the range the car needs to charge in.(check when engine idling and check at 2500 rpm).

      Although when the battery is flat the alternator will be trying to put out maximum current so the voltage will be lower that's most likely why you got 12.8v after you had to jump started the car but the alternator could be putting 60amps ( or what ever size Amp alt the 240 has ) into the battery.

      You can't do any damage with that charger its to small. If you do smell rotten eggs from the battery turn it down to low but I doubt you will.

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