Topic: Lifespan and testing of EcoCharge SLAs

[dgale]

I imagine this has been covered one way or another here before but what is the expected lifespan of Ecocharge batteries?  I realize there are different variables that might affect this but in general I assume like all batteries you'll get a diminishing life out of each charge?  Is there a way to test this?  I suppose I could hook one up and let some gear run in my office and see how long it lasts but just curious if there is an easier way?  I have several of them of various sizes and ages and the ones I use the most are probably 8 years old...seems kind of old for a battery but so far they've never failed me.  Thoughts?

[darby]

I sold off my BP50s about a year ago and the oldest 2 were 10 years old
I took care of them by NOT floating or deep draining them
I had another BP50 that a friend gave me that was floated most of the time
and that cell stopped holding a charge for me after about a year

[dgale]

What do you mean by "floating" them?

[darby]

What do you mean by "floating" them?

when the batteries hit full charge the charger goes into "float" mode
that keeps a small amount of charge going to the cell to keep it topped off
my friend would leave his batteries plugged in like that continuously
I would unplug my batteries and store them until the next usage
and they lasted me for many years and charges without fail
I sold 2 of them to a friend who still uses them
and I know they are coming up on at least 8 years old

as far as testing them... I guess you can just plug them in like you suggested
and let them run until depleted to see how long their cycle is

[dgale]

In an ideal world, I tried to recharge them right after using them and then store them "full" until I next needed them, at which time I'd throw them back on the charger until they showed they were fully charged again.  I never left them on the charger for any extended period of time, although more often then not I spaced on recharging them right after use and just left them in whatever state they were in until I recharged them prior to their next use.  I also use them fairly infrequently and don't use them hard (i.e. used for 1-2 typical length shows every 3-4 months).  They always seem to get the job done but since I'm not using them hard at a festival or some other more extended use situation, hard to say what their longevity is compared to when I first got them...I guess it's time to plug them in and let them run...

Out of curiousity, what are folks using instead of these in this day and age?  I still use them to power things like my sbm-1, DA-P1, and D8 when I use them. 

[guysonic]

While these type batteries can still be usable >10 years, capacity is far less than when new. 

Float charge (usually the best way to keep up battery capacity) greatly depends on quality/design of the charger to be voltage accurate including ambient temperature into determining the correct float battery terminal voltage.

Tips on battery care/use on my site at: www.sonicstudios.com/batsys98.htm#tips