I'll be using a floating charger this winter

[ragkar]

One of the things that I learned from living in the Chicago area with its minus twenty degree winters is that the battery is about the weakest link in starting. So I'm going to adopt a procedure of floating battery charging like I did then.
A 'trickle' charger uses a bit higher voltage and current and will tend to boil out the water from your battery when used for a long time (months). A floating charger uses 12.5v with minimum current to prevent this boiling.
The one that I'm going to use is this one Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
The box stresses that it is not a trickle charger.
I plan to clip the leads to the battery and tie wrap the rest under the hood (at least for the season) with the AC plug dangling out of the hood. Then I can just plug in (and remove) an extension cord to get it operating. That's a lot more convenient than brushing 6-18 inches of snow off the hood, removing everything and buttoning up before I snow plow.

 

[RalphVa]

I use a 5 watt solar panel to keep the 12v battery charged on my electric fence batter.

If I lived in Chicago, I'd be inclined to move the panel from my garden to my tractor garage and place where it faces south. Connect it up to the tractor battery. It won't work at night, of course, but will give keep the battery up during the daytime.

You can buy the 5 watt solar panel at TSC. It's used to keep the battery charged on their "Mule Gate". They're also available from various vendors of solar equipment.

For the nighttime, I'd be inclined to buy a battery warmer available at Canadian Tire. You can probably find them on line.

Ralph

 

[jmfox]

A floating charger uses 12.5v with minimum current to prevent this boiling.

Actually 12.5v is too low for a float charger. It should be 13.5 to 13.8v. The Harbor Freight charger use to have a variable resistor to adjust this, but the recent ones do not and typically are too low. Take your float charger back to Harbor Freight and swap it for one that falls between 13.5 and 13.8v.

jmf

 

[shaley]

HF now sells this Auto-off version.
Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices
I assume it is a copy of the Schumacher which sells for $35 and it works great.
SE-1-12S - 1.5 amp Battery Charger
I thought I'd give the HF version a try because I like the plug style.
West marine sells single, duel and triple bank versions for boats but the electronics are the same.

 

[SkunkWerX]

The other part of the equation when cranking a cold engine is oil temperature.
The engine oil gets thick, like sludge, making it tougher to turn over your engine.
If you use a block heater (magnetic, dipstick, or radiator hose mounted) you will keep your oil from thickening in the cold, and it will start much, much easier.

When there is a prediction of snow, let's say overnight (where I'll need a quick start in the morning) , I put my trickle charger and magnetic block heater on a timer, to come on about 4am. When I get there at 6am, battery is up, and block is warm enough for a quick start.

Here's a magnetic block heater similar to mine, on Amazon, and it's free shipping.
Amazon.com: Kats 1153 200 Watt Magnetic Heater: Automotive

With a block heater, you will find your need for battery charging is a lot less.

The poor-man's version is a 100 watt lightbulb, placed directly under the oil pan with an aluminum foil shroud around it, like a funnel, so the heat goes up.
Many an old timer used hot lightbulbs as oil pan heaters and in their well houses to keep pipes from freezing.

 

[jmfox]

Float chargers will not charge a battery. They can only keep a charged battery at the proper level. The other options you suggest are not float chargers. They can charge a battery and keep them at the proper level by switching off and on. Probably okay but they are less graceful and will use more amperage when they are charging.

jmf

 

[MrJimi]

I have 6 of the true battery tenders and I love them with the 10 year warranty, see them here
Jim

 

[ragkar]

Actually 12.5v is too low for a float charger. It should be 13.5 to 13.8v.

jmf

When I said 12.5v I was quoting from the packing box. The measured open circuit voltage of my unit is 13.7vdc.

An advantage and disadvantage of a trickle heater is that it causes the battery to stay warmish.

Skunkwerx The block heater that you referenced is 12x9x9. That's kinda big. Where would you put it on the engine? Do you have to remove it before driving off?

An alternative that I didn't mention is a battery heater. As I recall, this is a plate about 3"x8" that self adhesives to the battery with a short AC cord that you tie off somewhere convenient. You leave it on permanently and power it up when necessary. I got mine from Whitney.

I'm using a solar panel on the dashboard of my truck but I don't know if it works! It has a led that indicates voltage but it doesn't work in the dark. And in the bright sunlight, you can't tell if the led is illuminated! But I keep it there because it can't hurt.

 

[SnowRidge]

When I said 12.5v I was quoting from the packing box. The measured open circuit voltage of my unit is 13.7vdc.

Then that is the highest possible float voltage. To find out what the actual float voltage is, put it on a fully charged battery and measure the terminal voltage periodically, until it stabilzes. My guess, around 13.2 - 13.4 volts.

 

[Builder]

Anyone use the little Schumacher units from WalMart? They were about $20 bucks.