Battery Tender/Trickle Charger

[jerrybob]

GM uses a side post battery because it helps keep them from draining.

Why is that? How does that help?

[Gale Hawkins]

I had a BatteryMinder since 2007 and although I liked the features it offered at the time. It apparently was smarter than the operator. I think it was possessed. I never knew if it was going to charge and maintain or reject the battery. BTW that same battery is still cranks like new a year later and I switched to the Battery Tender Plus with twice the warranty and half the price. It works just fine. I will say the customer service was good at Battery Minder place and I'd have it back in a couple of weeks but after the second time, I wanted to try something different.

BatteryMINDer Plus 12 Volt 1.3 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

Sounds like you did not have the BatteryMINDER that was pull in, connect and then forget about to keep batteries desulfated and fully charged.
I have this and the fancy module but this one is hard to beat.

Battery Tender Plus 12 Volt 1.25 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

This Battery Tender is similar.

[oldyellr]

GM uses a side post battery because it helps keep them from draining.

Why is that? How does that help?

I think that's partly true. With posts and terminals on top, there's a chance of crud accumulating across the top of the battery and creating a short circuit path. However, side posts also make for a lower profile. While I originally didn't like the design, it does seem to eliminate the corrosion mess you get with casually maintained top post batteries.

[crazyal]

BatteryMINDer Plus 12 Volt 1.3 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

Sounds like you did not have the BatteryMINDER that was pull in, connect and then forget about to keep batteries desulfated and fully charged.
I have this and the fancy module but this one is hard to beat.

Battery Tender Plus 12 Volt 1.25 Amp Battery Charger: BatteryMart.com

This Battery Tender is similar.

My problem is that sometimes I'm cheap, lol. It's like $6 for each additional battery cable so if you want to put a quick connect plug on all your vehicles/ equipment it'll get costly pretty quickly. With a dozer, backhoe, car, truck, dump truck, tractor, riding mower, utv, etc. it'd cost about $60 just for the ring terminals with the special plug. Then you might as well get at least one, if not two extension cables.

[Ted Summey]

When I started this thread, I had no idea there was so much information regarding "battery tender" devices, batteries and battery maintenance. I have since added a Battery Tender Jr. to my ATV and I have used it on my boat battery.

I have learned a great deal on this subject. In shopping for the various devices it is amazing at the price differential from store chain to store chain on the same brand of device. Even online the same device can vary $10 or more bucks.

Still looking at adding one to the lawn mower, Farmall and boat. The Battery Tender Jr. Seems to work well. Only purchased a few days ago.

[Travelover]

Do not buy an 'el cheepo' as lots of them are simply a transformer and a single diode, sure it will make DC voltage but never stops and will boil out the acid.
You need one that has circuitry to sense voltage and stop charging when battery is at 12 volts and not simply continue pumping in 14-18 volts.
Price will be a guide, also they will have 2 or 3 diodes to indicate 'charged' 'charging'.
Generally the term 'intelligent' is one clue. List $ will probably be in the $35-$50. range for a proper one.
Cheepo's will be in the $10 range. (plus a new battery)

I looked for a teardown on the HF float charger but couldn't find one. I suspect that it has at least an internal voltage regulator to hold it around 13.2 volts because you can buy these regulators retail for less than a quarter.

They look like this: 100 Pcs 78L12 to 92 LM78L12 100mA 12V Voltage Regulator | eBay

[Gale Hawkins]

I looked for a teardown on the HF float charger but couldn't find one. I suspect that it has at least an internal voltage regulator to hold it around 13.2 volts because you can buy these regulators retail for less than a quarter.

They look like this: 100 Pcs 78L12 to 92 LM78L12 100mA 12V Voltage Regulator | eBay

HF's that I have tested output about 14.6vdc when the battery is fully charged and are not to be used on highly discharged batteries. The amperage approaches zero so the higher volt does not seem to be an issue. Some solar tenders output more like 17vdc but again the amperage is so low they are not going to be gassing a battery. They have no way to get a battery hot to touch as far as I can feel.

[jerrybob]

I think that's partly true. With posts and terminals on top, there's a chance of crud accumulating across the top of the battery and creating a short circuit path. However, side posts also make for a lower profile. While I originally didn't like the design, it does seem to eliminate the corrosion mess you get with casually maintained top post batteries.

Interesting....thanks.