Battery maintenance

[canadakubota]

Hello TBN members'
I am wondering your opinions regarding battery blankets.
I am considering installing one on my Kubota B2620.
I have a 1999 Kodiak ATV with the original battery. The ATV has approx 4550 kms. I also use the battery to start a portable 6500 watt generator.
Each winter when not operating the ATV or generator, I bring the battery inside a heated shop, connect to a 1 amp charger for a day and store on a dry rubber mat.
Battery blanket?
Just a lucky ATV battery?
Thank you in advance for any input/suggestions.

 

[Opti-Mist]

Well, my tractor battery is 11 - 12 years old. I just make sure the water level is right and, if it will be left unused for more than a month, I put a float charger on it to maintain the charge. Cold does not harm a battery, it discharges slower than in warm temperatures. The best advice is to make sure the battery is fully charged.

 

[crbr]

Hello TBN members'
I am wondering your opinions regarding battery blankets.
I am considering installing one on my Kubota B2620.
I have a 1999 Kodiak ATV with the original battery. The ATV has approx 4550 kms. I also use the battery to start a portable 6500 watt generator.
Each winter when not operating the ATV or generator, I bring the battery inside a heated shop, connect to a 1 amp charger for a day and store on a dry rubber mat.
Battery blanket?
Just a lucky ATV battery?
Thank you in advance for any input/suggestions.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/owning-operating/189488-battey-tenders-do-they-discharge.html

.

 

[RalphVa]

I tried various things on the battery for my generator. The thing that works is a battery tender. It's outside now with a cover over the generator and the battery tender connected to the battery.

It used to be basically outside, but with the breakfast room as a cover above it. I figured this was not safe; so, its now moved to behind the carriage house. Had to have a new generator feed line, etc. to relocate it. The tender was used for about 5 years in the old location.

Ralph

 

[JJZ 109]

Rather than start another thread, the title of this one works nicely, though maybe not along the same line as the original post.
I have a JLG T350 boom lift. Hydraulics powered by 4 6 volt batteries. I've removed them for the winter and brought them into my attached garage. I plan on keeping them up with a battery tender. Is there a need to loosen the battery caps?
All other batteries that I use the tender on (2 Harleys and a Mustang GT) are sealed so it isn't an issue. These are the first batteries with removable caps that I've had in many a year.

 

[JJZ 109]

No, for the current involved, the built-in vents are sufficient.

Very good. Thanks for the info. Only problem now is one tender and 7 batteries!
I guess I could just move it to a different battery every day of the week. :laughing:

 

[crbr]

Very good. Thanks for the info. Only problem now is one tender and 7 batteries!
I guess I could just move it to a different battery every day of the week. :laughing:

I use 7 different singles throughout the garage. Or you can buy a 4-banger to share.

 

[JJZ 109]

I use 7 different singles throughout the garage. Or you can buy a 4-banger to share.

Definitely going to buy at least one more, possibly 2.

 

[silvertramp]

I just rotate my battery tender amongst 3 bikes, 1 tractor, 1 plow truck. The bikes & tractor only get charged a few times a winter. The plow truck before every snow as it's a hard starting POS.
I got 7 years out of an OEM bike battery that way. Battery never left the bike. Bike is/was stored in unheated shed. It doesn't take a whole lot to maintain a battery IMHO.

 

[JJZ 109]

Too much of a pain running extension cords or pushing two bikes (up on rolling motorcycle jacks) to the power.
The boom lift batteries (4) will stay in one spot with a dedicated tender. I think I'll just remove the bike and car batteries and line them up on a work bench and alternate every couple of days with a second tender. Looks like the local NAPA will get back some store credit that they owe me today!

 

[Gary Fowler]

I check my boat batteries about every 3 months by hooking the charger to them. Most of the time they show fully charged and that is without a tender. We dont have subzero temps here but it seems to work ok like that. Without any electronics draining the battery, they should stay charged a long time.

 

[MikeInMaine]

Well, my tractor battery is 11 - 12 years old. I just make sure the water level is right and, if it will be left unused for more than a month, I put a float charger on it to maintain the charge. Cold does not harm a battery, it discharges slower than in warm temperatures. The best advice is to make sure the battery is fully charged.

Keeping the battery charged is very good advice. A battery "tender" or "maintainer" usually means it has some more advanced circuitry that adjusts the small charge to the state of the battery. A "trickle" charger usually means it keeps charging at a trickle, no matter what the state of the battery.

If you decide to use a battery blanket, a good accessory would be a plug-in thermostat such as the DuroStat. It is waterproof for outdoor use, will handle 2,000 watts, and you can adjust the temperature setting. Otherwise, the blanket will be heating 24/7, and your electric bill will be higher than it needs to be.

 

[JJZ 109]

Only problem with that is with us retired folks, we forget what day of the week it is.

So I said the heck with it and picked up a 6/12 volt tender yesterday to dedicate to the (4) six volt batteries of the boom lift.
The bike/Mustang/mower batteries will be lined up on a bench for the other tender.
Someday I'll get to be a retiree! :thumbsup:

 

[pat32rf]

Cold weather won't hurt a battery IF ITS FULLY CHARGED. If not it can freeze. Which WILL hurt it.
Sitting on a cement floor won't hurt a battery, but acid leakage WILL hurt the floor.....and a battery up off the floor will warm up faster if you are heating the room/shop
Cold temperature WILL reduce the output of a battery.
I have my battery heater on the same cord as my block heaters, plus its next to the radiator, so a warm rad = a warm battery