Battery Tender/Trickle Charger

[Ted Summey]

I have had some issues with keeping batteries on various equipment batteries charged. Things like the lawn mower, ATV etc have presented me with dead batteries in the last several months.

Have any of you used or have first hand experience with battery tender type devices? Are they worth the $35 plus? Or is are they a lot of hype?

[themichelob]

Hey Ted--If a battery is old and dead then no type of charger will keep it going or bring it back to life. However, if a machine is seldom used, and you want to keep the battery charged between uses, then a trickle charger/battery tender will do a good job for you. Try one from Harbor Freight for a lot less than 35 bucks, and see how it works for you. Regards, Mike

[GManBart]

At work have a number of vehicles that are rarely driven, but need to be immediately available, so they're kept in a warehouse. We use trickle chargers or tenders (at least on the important ones) and have had good luck with them. I plan to get one or two that I can rotate on the equipment I use less frequently.

[SDiver40]

I'm using a couple of the Deltran Battery Tender Waterproof 800 International 12V Chargers. Have been for a few years on mower and ATV, trailer with winch. You can mount them permanently in place and just plug up at the end of the day. JUST BE SURE NOT to start the mower / ATV before you unplug it from the AC. I have fried 2 of them from forgetting to do that.

[Ted Summey]

The dead batteries were load tested and deemed dead beyond resurrection so they were replaced. The latest one was the ATV. That one was over $100 (sealed gel type). My aim is to extend the battery life as long as possible.

I appreciate your responses!

Ted

[rrrkkk]

Deltran battery tenders are hooked to RV, (house and chassis), Boat, mower, ATV and wifes Cadillac and my old pickup. a charged battery will last a long time they tell me twice as long. You need a good charger that will "float" when battery is charged. I am not sure about the gel battery, need to check their website. Well worth the $$$.s

[duroc]

I've used "Battery Tender's" since 1997 and the only time I had trouble with one is when lightning struck a tree just outside my garage. I have a Tender on my lawnmower, ATV, motorcycle, and tractor. I keep one on the MC year round. After returning from a ride, it gets plugged in. My other batteries are only on charge during the winter months and seem to do okay with that. It's easy to fry a battery so I don't buy chargers that don't go in to a "float" mode. The Tender, IMO, is an excellent charger and the best thing (other than water) that you can do for your battery. I won't be without one.

[Bird]

This is the first year I've use one, but in November, I bought one from Sears ($29.99 plus tax) to leave it on the battery for my little ZTR. I used the ZTR Friday for the first time in 2 months; so far, so good.

[Post Carbon]

I let my scooter set for a few months without a tender, over the winter, and the battery was beyond help. New battery, and a Tender. That was 3 years ago. I don't keep it plugged in all the time, but regularly check it and I've not had a problem since. I've just started using the Tender on my tractor. It's a 12 volt Jr Automatic. Well worth it. I use the ring connector on the scooter (battery hard to get at), and the alligator clips on the tractor. They all come as one set.

[puckgrinder85]

The dead batteries were load tested and deemed dead beyond resurrection so they were replaced. The latest one was the ATV. That one was over $100 (sealed gel type). My aim is to extend the battery life as long as possible.

I appreciate your responses!

Ted

You're on the right track, definatly the way to preserve a battery is to keep it voltage up where it needs to be. I see you're in NC, I'm in WI and have plenty of toys for summer/winter and each season the batteries get swapped out either going into the toys or onto the bench. We have a 5 or 6 bank battery tender so we have them all on that at once. Its not a "charger" so dont expect them to do that. If they are quesitonable at first, charge them with a proper charger and then put them on the tender/ maintainer.