Battery Tender

[Petrol and Powder]

I use the SAE plug on the right. It's fairly universal and used with Battery Tender and BatteryMinder brands, so additional cords, pigtails, etc are easy to find. The SAE style is also used on many 12v accessories like pumps or sprayers. I'm not familiar with the one on the left, but I can see that it would be easy to use.

The round style plug is used on BMW motorcycles and some other applications. One of the advantages is that you can install a socket that accepts that plug and you don't need a loose pigtail then. I used one for a battery tender on an old motorcycle and it did double duty for a power source for heated gloves.

If I can find a spot on the dash of my tractor to install one of the those sockets, I'll likely go with that round style just for convenience.

 

[dickfoster]

I hear you reference the Generac internal charger. The problem is the internal charger, which is basically a battery tender itself, doesn't charge the battery anymore but it does seem to confuse an external charger. I suspect the diodes that prevent that back feeding may actually be defective. I don't know for sure because it's just not worth my time to trouble shoot that control board and not worth the money to replace it.

I installed a battery disconnect and I just open it when I charge the battery. Everything works as it should and it's a cheap solution for now. I installed the generator myself about 15 years ago and I'll likely try to get a few more years out of it before I replace it.

I have a schematic and could help you figure out how to disable the internal charger if you want and would be comfortable enough to dig into it. That is if your generator is anything like mine. A quick look shows the internal charger as a separate unit and pulling fuse F2 just might do the trick for ya. With a little finesse you could likely even replace the internal charger with the charger you have and have it work like it came from the factory. From a quick look at the schematic it's a 110V unit and a transformer steps the 220V that should be feeding the generator from your electrical service down to 110V for the charger. In fact check your F2 and make sure that's not your problem. It should be a 5A cartridge fuse in a fuse holder on your control panel.

 

[Petrol and Powder]

Thanks, I have the manual and it includes the schematic. The fuse is fine. I'm not sure it's the same unit because the charging circuit on mine appears to be part of the control board for the automatic operation. It is fed from the house current that is used to sense a power failure but it doesn't appear to be a separate unit. Honestly I haven't had the panel open in over a year and I may be relying on bad memory but I don't recall seeing a simple way to substitute a new charger. I do appreciate the offer.

 

[dickfoster]

Thanks, I have the manual and it includes the schematic. The fuse is fine. I'm not sure it's the same unit because the charging circuit on mine appears to be part of the control board for the automatic operation. It is fed from the house current that is used to sense a power failure but it doesn't appear to be a separate unit. Honestly I haven't had the panel open in over a year and I may be relying on bad memory but I don't recall seeing a simple way to substitute a new charger. I do appreciate the offer.

If only I could get a look at your unit.

 

[RNeumann]

Is anyone else laughing?

Mahindra owners have way more fun!

 

[Petrol and Powder]

Well at least he didn't say package......

 

[Ford850]

The round style plug is used on BMW motorcycles and some other applications. One of the advantages is that you can install a socket that accepts that plug and you don't need a loose pigtail then. I used one for a battery tender on an old motorcycle and it did double duty for a power source for heated gloves.

If I can find a spot on the dash of my tractor to install one of the those sockets, I'll likely go with that round style just for convenience.

You can get sockets for the SAE style too. Here's a good weather proof style Amazon.com: OptiMATE CABLE O-2, Weatherproof SAE socket, front panel mount: Automotive
Paul Short has a good video on it here Kubota BX25D Bulkhead Connector - YouTube

 

[Petrol and Powder]

Yea, but if I use the round style I can use my heated motorcycle gloves on the tractor :thumbsup:

And besides, I already have most of the components needed for that setup.

 

[Ford850]

Yea, but if I use the round style I can use my heated motorcycle gloves on the tractor :thumbsup:

And besides, I already have most of the components needed for that setup.

Good deal. I was just posting those links in case it was of interest to you or others. Lots of good solutions out there.

 

[dickfoster]

Is anyone else laughing?

Mahindra owners have way more fun!

Only the gay ones.

 

[RNeumann]

Meaning "light hearted and care free"? Like I said- having more fun.
:^)

 

[Petrol and Powder]

Just finished the install. Used the round style socket and mounted it on the left side of the instrument cluster. Worked out well.

Thanks to all for the info.

 

[check]

Was thinking about getting one for my Kubota BX25.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I have the pigtails on my tractor, I use a BatteryMinder which is a smart charger/maintainer, and plug it in to each battery about once a month or so. I leave it on each one for 1 - 3 days just to keep things topped off when not in use, or after starting an engine to move something and not running it long enough for a good charge.

That is what I do also. Only one battery that the Battery Tender stays on all the time and that is the one for my 15GPM 12 volt fuel pump which is permanently attached.
Only use a good smart charge battery tender, some of the cheap ones (think HF)continually charge at 1.5 amps and will eventually overcharge and burn up your battery if left on continuously BTDT.

 

[The Deerslayer]

That is what I do also. Only one battery that the Battery Tender stays on all the time and that is the one for my 15GPM 12 volt fuel pump which is permanently attached.
Only use a good smart charge battery tender, some of the cheap ones (think HF)continually charge at 1.5 amps and will eventually overcharge and burn up your battery if left on continuously BTDT.

Thanks for passing along. Has anyone confirmed and/or had experience that the HF ones continually charge? Been using one on my Kubota as well as on the lawn tractor, but only for this past season.

 

[check]

Was thinking about getting one for my Kubota BX25.

Howver, my tractor always starts right away, even as cold as - 30°C. And it's 8 years old. On Thursday night it was -25°C, and the next morning all I did was plug the tractor in for a couple hours with the block heater, and it started on the first turn.

 

[RNeumann]

Thanks for passing along. Has anyone confirmed and/or had experience that the HF ones continually charge? Been using one on my Kubota as well as on the lawn tractor, but only for this past season.

I can confirm you want a "smart" charger that maintains proper state of charge rather than just throw amps at the battery continually.

 

[txndncowboy]

You can't trust any of them 100%. I had a Battery Tender Junior, supposedly one of the better ones, fail on me as well. But in this case it never gave the proper indication it was in float mode even after I made sure the battery it was on was fully charged. I had another tender and it immediately went into float mode. I cut the cord off that sucker right up as close as i could so I wouldn't by accident use it again. Even though I through it in the trash I just had this feeling if I saw it in the there I'd pull it back out and wonder why it was there. This getting old thing stinks.:laughing:

 

[Paul Thornton]

I use the SAE connector and just hang it out from under the hood. If you drive away without unplugging it, it just pulls apart without damaging anything. ( Guess how I know. ). I have been using a BatteryMinder for several years.

 

[Petrol and Powder]

I use the SAE connector and just hang it out from under the hood. If you drive away without unplugging it, it just pulls apart without damaging anything. ( Guess how I know. ). I have been using a BatteryMinder for several years.

I thought about placing the connector in a rear facing position so that it would automatically un-couple if I drove off but that would have made the socket unusable for other functions. Instead I opted to place it where it was very obvious and the wire would be on the left side forcing me to climb over it if I neglected to unplug it first.