Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - List of "typical" electrical loads in a modern car

orange4boy · 07-06-2009, 07:38 PM

I think you may have quoted the CCA or the cold cranking amps not the AH of your battery. 55AH is possible for a starting battery but 550AH is in the range of industrial storage batteries.

Assuming your alternator is working properly and a 55AH battery, (think 55amps for one hour in ideal circumstances) an approximate guess would be less than an hour but more than 1/2 hour. That's one hell of a coast.

Now, If you are coasting a lot you may end up with a charge deficit which means that your battery is not fully recharging after many coast/start cycles. this will shorten the life of your battery from the hardening of sulfate crystals still on the plates due to incomplete charging. (they have not gone into solution) This will hurt your FE because your alternator is working overtime to charge your battery but it may never take the charge.

The solution to this is to hook up a battery charger to it when you get home. Some people have a solar trickle charger to keep their batteries topped up.

Most new car warrantee issues are battery problems for just this reason.

07-06-2009, 07:38 PM	#11 (permalink)
orange4boy Master EcoModder Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: The Wet Coast, Kanuckistan. Posts: 1,275 The Golden Egg - '93 Toyota Previa DX 90 day: 31.91 mpg (US) Chewie - '03 Toyota Prius 90 day: 57 mpg (US) The Spaceship - '00 Honda Insight Thanks: 100 Thanked 306 Times in 178 Posts	I think you may have quoted the CCA or the cold cranking amps not the AH of your battery. 55AH is possible for a starting battery but 550AH is in the range of industrial storage batteries. Assuming your alternator is working properly and a 55AH battery, (think 55amps for one hour in ideal circumstances) an approximate guess would be less than an hour but more than 1/2 hour. That's one hell of a coast. Now, If you are coasting a lot you may end up with a charge deficit which means that your battery is not fully recharging after many coast/start cycles. this will shorten the life of your battery from the hardening of sulfate crystals still on the plates due to incomplete charging. (they have not gone into solution) This will hurt your FE because your alternator is working overtime to charge your battery but it may never take the charge. The solution to this is to hook up a battery charger to it when you get home. Some people have a solar trickle charger to keep their batteries topped up. Most new car warrantee issues are battery problems for just this reason. __________________ Vortex generators are old tech. My new and improved vortex alternators are unstoppable. "It’s easy to explain how rockets work but explaining the aerodynamics of a wing takes a rocket scientist.