Oil & Fuel Battery Tender Success Story?

[the old grind]

Bike got first dibs on the B-M that came today. It's temp sensor can be unplugged and could be extended to reach a batt with the right cord match-up but it 'hangs' close to the unit, so is just 'ambient' OOB. btw, great instructions after the usual few pages of 'do not put finger into wall socket', 'wear hard hat', 'do not use in bathtub', etc.

Dixon or T-M will get the A-M tomorrow when/if it arrives. One will soon go onto the big Ford with its two 'jumbos' and OEM high-cap charging isolator, since it sits the longest at a time. I might 'makes the rounds' for a day each (13 batts) and within a week decide which of them needs one on longer/sooner.

Of course, all batteries are kept in a conveniently 'cool' place at present. (teens out there :laughing

 

[pinetree10]

I bought my JD 2720 new in early 2013 and stored it in an unheated detached garage ever since. I only use the tractor during the spring, summer, and fall months. The original battery finally went dead a few weeks ago with just over 100 hours on the machine. I bought a small battery tender a few years ago but I've never hooked it up. I guess I just wanted to see how long the original battery would last. I don't know if I would have squeezed more time out of that original battery if I had used the tender for all those winters but I think 5 1/2 years is pretty good for a battery to last in a tractor that is used for such a relatively small amount of time.

 

[fried1765]

I bought my JD 2720 new in early 2013 and stored it in an unheated detached garage ever since. I only use the tractor during the spring, summer, and fall months. The original battery finally went dead a few weeks ago with just over 100 hours on the machine. I bought a small battery tender a few years ago but I've never hooked it up. I guess I just wanted to see how long the original battery would last. I don't know if I would have squeezed more time out of that original battery if I had used the tender for all those winters but I think 5 1/2 years is pretty good for a battery to last in a tractor that is used for such a relatively small amount of time.

I can honestly tell you that your battery would very likely have lasted longer than 5-1/2 years with most any sort of "smart" charger attached.
I am a true believer, having 15 of them.
Not all are the Battery tender brand, I actually prefer two other brands.

 

[DK35vince]

I can honestly tell you that your battery would very likely have lasted longer than 5-1/2 years with most any sort of "smart" charger attached.
I am a true believer, having 15 of them.
Not all are the Battery tender brand, I actually prefer two other brands.

My original tractor battery lasted 11 years.
My motorcycle original battery went 9 years (still working OK when I replaced it, but getting slightly weaker)
My first pick up truck battery lasted 10 years, current battery has been in there 12 years and still going strong.
None of them have ever had a battery tender on them.

 

[dragoneggs]

I bought my JD 2720 new in early 2013 and stored it in an unheated detached garage ever since. I only use the tractor during the spring, summer, and fall months. The original battery finally went dead a few weeks ago with just over 100 hours on the machine. I bought a small battery tender a few years ago but I've never hooked it up. I guess I just wanted to see how long the original battery would last. I don't know if I would have squeezed more time out of that original battery if I had used the tender for all those winters but I think 5 1/2 years is pretty good for a battery to last in a tractor that is used for such a relatively small amount of time.

I can honestly tell you that your battery would very likely have lasted longer than 5-1/2 years with most any sort of "smart" charger attached.
I am a true believer, having 15 of them.
Not all are the Battery tender brand, I actually prefer two other brands.

I'm another big fan of battery tenders. I have them on my tractor, my generator, my zero turn, my outboard motor battery, etc. Can't remember when the last time I bought a replacement battery. If I let my wife's car sit for more than a week I try to put a tender on that too.

 

[pinetree10]

The brand I bought is Schumacher. I guess the debate goes on. Maybe I'll start using it every winter and get back to you if/when the battery lasts longer than 5 1/2 years.

 

[fried1765]

The brand I bought is Schumacher. I guess the debate goes on. Maybe I'll start using it every winter and get back to you if/when the battery lasts longer than 5 1/2 years.

I like the "NOCO Genius" or the "Battery Minder", but they are both more expensive than the Schumacher.

 

[RayfromTX]

What is the thinking on how long sitting idle is ok without hooking up the tender. Should weekend warriors take the time to hook them up for 5 days of idle time. I've always figured it didn't matter much unless I was going to let it sit for more than 2-3 weeks.

 

[Diggin It]

Reading first page and last ... all seem to be the same, some like, some don't.

I have them on both cars since I only drive once or twice a month usually. And I alternate cars, so one could sit two or three months without being started. There is always some kind of draw on a car to keep memories in BCMs and so on. I found that there was enough that they would go dead too often. Added an on-board Schumacher to one car over 10 years ago. Still working. Added HF on board units to the other car and the generator. One died, the other is still going after several years. Got one of the newer smart style float charger/tenders from HF for the shed with the yard machines. Though I wouldn't recommend it, I tied it to a buss block and took leads off to three machines. Keeps them all charged.

Guess I need to get another one for the SCUT though.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have two cars that I seldom drive but have the insurance "drivewise" module on them. It will kill the battery in a couple of weeks if the car isn't driven, therefore I keep a Schumacher battery tender on both of them. I didn't realize the Drivewise module pulled so much power till after it killed 2 batteries so dead that I couldn't charge them. I don't keep chargers on my tractors, they don't have any electronics robbing energy from the battery. My Kubota original battery lasted 9 years before I replaced it because it was getting very weak for cold day starts.
Battery tenders are good for stuff that has slow drain electronics but I don't find them needed for most tractors, lawnmowers etc.
I will occasionally top up the charge on my un-used winter time equipment (about every month or two) just to keep them in top shape but I wont put on a battery minder.
I used one of the HF battery tenders (ONE TIME) and it burned up my boat battery from overcharging, hence, I no longer buy them and don't recommend anyone use the cheap HF units.