My 1.5 amp / 12 volt battery charger kept cutting out after about 5 mins of charging my car battery. I would hear some small click and then it would cut out. I figured the thing was shot and after reading a little off the internet I determined that it was this PEPI J thermal switch. In any event, I bypassed the switch and it charged alright.
My question - Is it safe to bypass it and charge or could I ruin the battery?
FTR, my understanding of electronics is minimal and basic.
Thanks for any and all help guys and btw, my terc is still running strong.
Basic Electronics help?
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- Top Notch Member
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- My tercel:: 1984 Tercel Hatchback
- Location: SW Florida
Basic Electronics help?
Terkey Hatchback
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- Highest Ranking Member
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- My tercel:: '86 SR5 4WD, 5AFE, lifted rear, 195/70/14 tires
- Location: Seattle, WA
Re: Basic Electronics help?
I doubt bypassing that will hurt the battery unless the charger itself blows up from overheating... The switch is probably bad and was shutting off at a temperature that was too low, or there's a problem with the charger and the switch was acting correctly.... In any case, bypassing the switch just means you won't have any thermal protection in your charger.
Re: Basic Electronics help?
Its really unlikely that a 1.5 amp charger will ruin a battery, but without the thermal switch, its possible that you could start a fire. More likely that the circuit breaker on the circuit that you are using will protect you though.
I'd spend the $20 and get a new charger, they are handy to have around.
I'd spend the $20 and get a new charger, they are handy to have around.
- Petros
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- My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: Basic Electronics help?
The voltage regulatory controls the amount of charge. If that goes bad it will keep charging a full charged battery, usually causing it to boil off all the liquid in the cells (you usauuly an smell it boiling off). That will ruin the battery.
I suspect that is a safety device to protect the battery if the regulator fails. Take your changes, but it seems a cheap enough part to replace, try a wrecking yard.
I suspect that is a safety device to protect the battery if the regulator fails. Take your changes, but it seems a cheap enough part to replace, try a wrecking yard.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)