Classic cars have a unique place in American culture. Perhaps it’s because, as a general rule, we would rather own cars than rely on public transportation. Regardless, keeping a classic car in the garage comes with certain challenges. Battery maintenance is one of them. Enter the dedicated battery maintainer. It is a tool every classic car owner needs.
As classic owners know, their beloved vehicles usually are not daily drivers. They are only brought out for car shows, local events, and the occasional drive on a sunny day. That means a classic can sit undriven for weeks or months at a time. That’s not good for the car’s battery.
Why Sitting Is Bad for Batteries
Car batteries are no different from any other type of battery in the sense that they gradually discharge over time. Discharging encourages a chemical process known as sulfation. This is where lead sulfate crystals build up on the interior battery plates. It is bad because it reduces the battery’s ability to hold a charge. As sulfation increases, battery performance decreases.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to reverse sulfation once it occurs. Some high-end battery maintainers, like those from Clore Automotive’s PRO-LOGIX brand, are capable of at least a limited amount of sulfation reversal. But by and large, sulfation is permanent. One of the reasons for using a battery maintainer is to prevent sulfation.
What a Maintainer Actually Does
Battery maintainers are sometimes referred to as trickle chargers or smart chargers. The alternate name says a lot about the unit. Let’s start with the trickle charger.
A traditional trickle charger provides a continuous, low-voltage charge that guarantees a car battery never has the opportunity to discharge. It keeps delivering the charge as long as the unit is plugged in. For the record, all first-generation battery maintainers were trickle chargers.
The units did what they were supposed to do, but there was always the risk of damaging a battery due to overcharging. That risk has been all but eliminated with modern smart maintainers. A smart maintainer continuously monitors the battery state. When a battery reaches maximum charge, the unit stops sending current. It restarts when the targeted discharge level is reached.
Multi-Phase Battery Maintenance
PRO-LOGIX smart battery maintainers are built with multi-phase capabilities. Like other smart maintainers, they continually monitor battery state and adjust current accordingly. However, they can also simulate a normal load in order to slightly discharge a battery.
Multi-phase battery maintenance more accurately reflects how he car battery would be used if the vehicle were driven every day. This simulation allows for routine discharges and charges that the battery was designed to handle. Sulfation is kept to a minimum while battery life and performance are optimized.
Why Classic Car Owners Need One
Getting back to classic car owners, a modern battery maintainer represents more than just a tool for keeping a car battery charged. It is also a bridge between the past and present. Think of it this way: modern cars have computerized battery management systems. They are also loaded with devices that produce parasitic draw.
Classic cars lack these systems. Therefore, the battery in a lightly driven classic is highly susceptible to sulfation through natural discharge. Adding to the problem is the fact that replacing a battery designed for a classic isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Classic car owners often need to spend more on batteries that meet unique specifications.
A smart battery maintainer represents a good investment that can help a classic car owner take care of his beloved vehicle. It’s a worthwhile investment, given how much money owners put into their classics.