Battery Tender recommendation
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
There really is no need to run a Battery Tender 24 / 7. I went to Walmart and purchased a 24 HR timer that plugs into a wall outlet. The tender plugs into that timer. There is a dial on the timer with 48 half-hour settings. You can have the tender / timer come on a couple hours in the morning, couple hrs in the evening, whatever turns your crank. I watch for the green light on the tender to let me know battery is fully charged. Only 1.5 hrs of maintaining a day is plenty enough for my set-up. That $7 timer saves a lot of wear & tear on the tender.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
(That's deep cycling)
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Jan 29, 2019 at 04:35 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
FYI, the last Schumacher battery chargers I purchased never worked as it should and ruined at least one battery.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,156
Likes: 273
From: Dunedin NZ.
Your supply is low voltage but a spike on the HV side of the network can propagate itself on the LV also, the HV/LV transformer in-between won't stop it. How far away your location is from the supply transformer and the sub station can make a difference.
We are talking about very high voltages here (in the spike) but they only last for a few milliseconds in most cases, long enough to damage electronic circuits though.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,934
Likes: 4,498
From: Virginia
Get a battery quick disconnect (it'll pay for itself the first time you have to work on the car anyway). If you drive every month, no problem! Otherwise, disconnect the battery over the winter. If it really bothers you, pull it out, and charge it on the bench (or in the car) with a proper battery charger or power supply.
I have a whole-house surge protector, but I'm still not going to plug a car into the wall.
I have a whole-house surge protector, but I'm still not going to plug a car into the wall.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,229
Likes: 656
From: Thunder Bay
I've been using the Battery Tender Jrs for many years. I have them on pretty much everything I own that doesn't get driven, ridden, started, or run on a daily basis. I probably have about a dozen of them. I had one fail about a year ago. Nothing serious, just quit working. They have probably doubled the life of my batteries.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,115
Likes: 412
From: Washington State
I have a battery tender with 4 outputs mounted to the ceiling in my garage.
2 vettes a Harley and a Lambretta scooter all get plugged in when not used for more than a week.
Works great! No issues.
I can peek into the garage and look at the status lights and see what vehicles are plugged in and fully charged!
I really like the set up!
Scott
2 vettes a Harley and a Lambretta scooter all get plugged in when not used for more than a week.
Works great! No issues.
I can peek into the garage and look at the status lights and see what vehicles are plugged in and fully charged!
I really like the set up!
Scott
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,959
Likes: 526
There really is no need to run a Battery Tender 24 / 7. I went to Walmart and purchased a 24 HR timer that plugs into a wall outlet. The tender plugs into that timer. There is a dial on the timer with 48 half-hour settings. You can have the tender / timer come on a couple hours in the morning, couple hrs in the evening, whatever turns your crank. I watch for the green light on the tender to let me know battery is fully charged. Only 1.5 hrs of maintaining a day is plenty enough for my set-up. That $7 timer saves a lot of wear & tear on the tender.
I've been saying and doing this for years. No need at all to tender a batt full time. I leave mine hooked up, but probably only juice it maybe 4-6 hours 2-3 times a week. They are making everything so darn cheap these days I wouldn't like leaving anything like one of these cheap chargers on 24 - 7.
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Drifting
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,958
Likes: 577
From: Pittsburgh PA
i actually like the idea of putting the battery tender on a timer. honestly I never thought of it but it makes sense to not have it run 24/7/365.
I use battery tender brand and schumacher brand. I've never had a battery tender brand break- have singles, a 2 bank, and a 4 bank, some are 15 years old. I had 1 schumacher break after like 4 years, but I think it was dropped.
i can say without a doubt that these tenders have paid for themselves in saving batteries. I use them not only on my cars, but on riding mowers and some of the heavy equipment we own- which sometimes sits for months at a time. I have a battery in one of my classic trucks that is 12 years old. have got almost 7 years out of lawnmower batteries- which used to be 2 or 3.
I use battery tender brand and schumacher brand. I've never had a battery tender brand break- have singles, a 2 bank, and a 4 bank, some are 15 years old. I had 1 schumacher break after like 4 years, but I think it was dropped.
i can say without a doubt that these tenders have paid for themselves in saving batteries. I use them not only on my cars, but on riding mowers and some of the heavy equipment we own- which sometimes sits for months at a time. I have a battery in one of my classic trucks that is 12 years old. have got almost 7 years out of lawnmower batteries- which used to be 2 or 3.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 813
Likes: 73
From: Bergen County, NJ
I have had a Battery Tender Plus i think and the official Corvette Ctek. I liked both but i’m currently using the Ctek MXS 5.0. It’s the best value for what you get, and is one of the latest to come out from them.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
My Deltran Tender like others goes into a monitor mode or standby mode, float mode, what ever you want to call it, when it senses the battery is fully charged. But no matter how you look at it, the trickle charger is still plugged in, still running, still "ON" even when not charging. That's why I went to Walleys for a 24 HR timer ($7)
You would be surprised how little running time it takes each day to get the green standby light on. I started at 8 hrs / day. Then 6, then 4. Now the timer is down to about an hour & a half per day. (providing I don't open the drivers door)
You would be surprised how little running time it takes each day to get the green standby light on. I started at 8 hrs / day. Then 6, then 4. Now the timer is down to about an hour & a half per day. (providing I don't open the drivers door)
Last edited by HeadsU.P.; Feb 5, 2019 at 12:18 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 14,351
Likes: 8,161
From: Napa Valley California
I've used Battery Tenders for over 40 years on boats, motorcycles and cars.
Never had any issues and I've always plugged them into a surge protector.
Before my clock quit ticking the tender would switch from standby to charging about once every couple of weeks for a few minutes then switch back to standby.
Since my clock quit, I haven't seen the tender go from standby to charging in over a year.
I also start the car and let it run or drive it at lease once a month.
Never had any issues and I've always plugged them into a surge protector.
Before my clock quit ticking the tender would switch from standby to charging about once every couple of weeks for a few minutes then switch back to standby.
Since my clock quit, I haven't seen the tender go from standby to charging in over a year.
I also start the car and let it run or drive it at lease once a month.
Last edited by OldCarBum; Feb 5, 2019 at 02:11 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 8,336
Likes: 2,810
From: Cool Northern Michigan
I've used Battery Tenders for over 40 years on boats, motorcycles and cars.
Never had any issues and I've always plugged them into a surge protector.
Before my clock quit ticking the tender would switch from standby to charging about once every couple of weeks for a few minutes then switch back to standby.
Since my clock quit, I haven't seen the tender go from standby to charging in over a year.
I also start the car and let it run or drive it at lease once a month.
Never had any issues and I've always plugged them into a surge protector.
Before my clock quit ticking the tender would switch from standby to charging about once every couple of weeks for a few minutes then switch back to standby.
Since my clock quit, I haven't seen the tender go from standby to charging in over a year.
I also start the car and let it run or drive it at lease once a month.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 147
From: S Nevada
Im using a battery minder 2012, its for agm batteries. Works good. Its a 2 amp charger, and desulphates while keepng it topped off. I have lots of electronics compared to a stock Corvette, and I may go 3 wks or more before pulling the car out. I have an odyssey battery. For a regular quick charge, agm batteries are supposed to have a maximum charge rate of less than 15v. I know my old sears 10a charger supplies almost 16v so....do your research on what you need.
