Battery Tender/Trickle Charger

[duroc]

I am now convinced. It appears that the Battery Tender brand has the electronics to maintain the battery without damage. This I learned from some other reviews of the product. I'm thinking I need several of the devices - ATV, lawn mower, boat, and the Farmall (although it is a six volt it will be worth finding a float charger for it too). Batteries have gotten expensive and responsible disposal is important to me. By extending the life of the batteries I have it just seems like the right way to reduce consumption and items in the recycling stream. Plus the devices will pay for themselves in reducing my blood pressure alone

It will make sense to examine the various brands some of you TBNers have mentioned. Harbor Freight Schumacher, Deltran and others. Seems better to have several than try to manage the rotation- I do have a real job for the time being.

I appreciate all the responses!

Battery Tender (trade mark) is the only tender I would purchase. Not saying the others are not up to the task, it's just that in the 16 years I've used them I've had excellent service from them. I had a 6v tender on my 8n, so I know BT makes them too. I currently have 4 Battery Tender Plus's and couldn't be happier with the product. Keeping all the chargers/tenders the same brand means they can be swapped around as needed since all the connections and such will be the same. JMHO! YMMV!

 

[94BULLITT]

Thanks, Roger.

Your welcome.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have 4 battery tenders that I bought at Walmart to keep on my ZTR lawnmower, golf cart, truck and the battery that runs my 12 volt fuel pump. I also have used a 15 watt solar panel specifically designed for battery charging that I keep on my diesel lawnmower and it keeps the battery hot all time. I have another one that I gave to my brother in law to keep his gate opener battery charged. It has worked for over 3 years on the same battery with not other charging needed. Never had a problem with any of the batteries needing additional charge or water from over charging.

 

[3930dave]

3930Dave thanks that's good to know. Those six volt batteries are not cheap!

Anytime Ted.

Not cheap, and those 12v batteries are tough to saw in half !

(OK Safety Police, that was just an attempt at a joke, w. only part of my first coffee processed).

Rgds, D.

 

[oldballs]

My F-250 and Crown Vic both have Motorcraft batteries that will be eight years old in April. The Crown Vic is always on the Battery Tender (the wife's car) and the F-250 is on a Schumaker when in the garage. The Kubota and Case tractor alternate with a third Schumaker set up. Since the Case battery is easy to remove, it sits on the floor next to the garaged Kubota. But one of these days.........I'll be SOL if I don't get some new auto batteries.

 

[3930dave]

My F-250 and Crown Vic both have Motorcraft batteries that will be eight years old in April. The Crown Vic is always on the Battery Tender (the wife's car) and the F-250 is on a Schumaker when in the garage. The Kubota and Case tractor alternate with a third Schumaker set up. Since the Case battery is easy to remove, it sits on the floor next to the garaged Kubota. But one of these days.........I'll be SOL if I don't get some new auto batteries.

Based on my relationship with Murphy, if those were my batteries they'd all go down on the same day. Here's hoping you hide from Murphy better than I do ! :thumbsup:

Aside from cost, I like the technical challenge of maximizing the life of the batteries I own.

But, gotta admit, my neighbour has a good strategy. Once a battery has been in his vehicle 5 years, he pulls it, and installs a fresh battery. In the overall cost of operating a vehicle, the $20 or so/year that costs him is pretty low. He just passes the old-still-working battery along, sooner or later somebody he knows needs a battery.

I can't afford to do that with all my batteries, but as a strategy for your primary/must start vehicle, his approach has merit.

Rgds, D.

 

[weathda]

I made my own trickle charger out of a 500 mA wall-wart that I had laying around. Friend was throwing away his old battery charger so he gave me the cable and clamps. I keep it plugged up to my mower all winter. It's worked well.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I have been hoping to find a battery tender that would work on my golf cart. The cart has 6 - 6 volt batteries in series, and they ain't cheap! Newer carts have 8 - 6 volt batteries, and they run about $150-$200 each. I'm thinking that a tender would extend their life. I couldn't find a 6 volt Battery Tender brand, so I picked up a couple of Schumaker 6V tenders. Do you think that plugging into the golf cart would maintain them, or burn up the tender?

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I made my own trickle charger out of a 500 mA wall-wart that I had laying around. Friend was throwing away his old battery charger so he gave me the cable and clamps. I keep it plugged up to my mower all winter. It's worked well.

Battery Minder 36 Volt BM36271 | BatteryMinder 36v 3 Amp Golf Cart Battery Charger Desulphator

Works well for my golf cart.

12 Volt Smart Battery Chargers | 12v Powersports Chargers

Options for those new to battery tending technology.

Battery Minder Plus BM12v117 | Batteryminder 12v 1.3 Amp Battery Charger / Maintainer

Caught these on sale for $35 and picked up three a couple months ago and shipping was $11.80

Due to the Desulf feature I prefer Battery MINDER over Battery Tender brand but I am a gear head with a technology streak. I have the $20 brand that WM sells on the towncar. Park it for three weeks and you have a dead battery other wise.

Any battery not fully charged 100% of the time can last 2x-3x longer if it is getting several milliamps full time. Even the $6 tenders from HF seem to work per many. I think anything that will not cause a battery to even get warm may be safe. Solar options with milliamp out put even if like 17 volts seem to be just fine but they do not work 24/7 either.

 

[Farmerford]

GEM99Ultra:

I am pretty sure those 6volt golf car batteries are in series, so that the current used to drive the motor travels through each battery, one after the other.

The batteries should each be charged to the same level, otherwise the lowest charged battery will be reverse charged if you run them down to a low level. I suppose it is possible to charge all 6 batteries separately and to the same state of charge; then using them in series will not hurt anything, but to achieve the same state of charge for all 6 will require an accurate digital voltmeter, a temperature correction table, and careful attention to what is happening.