Trickle Chargers?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,604
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Trickle Chargers?
Need a little education/advice on these.
Not driving my LT4 as much as I used to...car sits for a week or more before driving again. Battery is strong and car starts every time but eventually I'm sure I'll head out there and she won't start - dead battery. Other than just startin' her up periodically and goin' for a short cruise, which may be all I need to do, I'm thinking that a trickle charger may be the best solution.
Not too familar w/ these... Pros? Cons? Where to buy? What brand? etc...
Thx in advance,
Jeff
Not driving my LT4 as much as I used to...car sits for a week or more before driving again. Battery is strong and car starts every time but eventually I'm sure I'll head out there and she won't start - dead battery. Other than just startin' her up periodically and goin' for a short cruise, which may be all I need to do, I'm thinking that a trickle charger may be the best solution.
Not too familar w/ these... Pros? Cons? Where to buy? What brand? etc...
Thx in advance,
Jeff
Last edited by JEFNLSA; Jun 18, 2008 at 12:14 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
A battery tender is a better choice. Battery tenders continuously measure the battery voltage to determine state of charge and charge the battery with low current when the battery loses about 10% charge and then shut off. Trickle chargers charge the battery continuously with low current. Continuous charging will keep the battery up but continuous charging isn't required and the amount of current is determined by the company that made the charger.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,604
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,604
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, Arizona
A battery tender is a better choice. Battery tenders continuously measure the battery voltage to determine state of charge and charge the battery with low current when the battery loses about 10% charge and then shut off. Trickle chargers charge the battery continuously with low current. Continuous charging will keep the battery up but continuous charging isn't required and the amount of current is determined by the company that made the charger.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,095
Likes: 40
From: Columbia Missouri
Battery Tenders
Hey Jeff,
My LT4 also takes long "naps" between drives. Within the last year, I purchased one of the CTEC chargers that were advertised here on the Forum. I am very pleased with the results and I would recommend the product. I "searched" the topic and the original ad is about half way down the page. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Scott
My LT4 also takes long "naps" between drives. Within the last year, I purchased one of the CTEC chargers that were advertised here on the Forum. I am very pleased with the results and I would recommend the product. I "searched" the topic and the original ad is about half way down the page. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Scott
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Toronto(Don Mills) Ontario
Get a 'Battery Tender'-type of automatic charger, not a straight trickle charger - which can have their uses, but not, IMO, for long-periods of battery maintenance. Battery Tender is a Brand Name, I believe, but there are similar battery maintainers from other makers/outlets. Cheers!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,604
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Hey Jeff,
My LT4 also takes long "naps" between drives. Within the last year, I purchased one of the CTEC chargers that were advertised here on the Forum. I am very pleased with the results and I would recommend the product. I "searched" the topic and the original ad is about half way down the page. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Scott
My LT4 also takes long "naps" between drives. Within the last year, I purchased one of the CTEC chargers that were advertised here on the Forum. I am very pleased with the results and I would recommend the product. I "searched" the topic and the original ad is about half way down the page. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.
Scott
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,604
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Get a 'Battery Tender'-type of automatic charger, not a straight trickle charger - which can have their uses, but not, IMO, for long-periods of battery maintenance. Battery Tender is a Brand Name, I believe, but there are similar battery maintainers from other makers/outlets. Cheers!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,874
Likes: 0
From: Littleton CO
This brings up a question.
Short version:
I recently had a battery replaced under warranty... How likely is it that my tender (or my typical use of it) contributed to its early demise?
Long version:
Upon buying a new battery a couple years ago, I got a tender as well to use during the winter (it doesn't seem required in the summer). Since there are some opportunities to drive the Vette in the winter, it wasn't constantly connected. I would use it when I knew roads would be bad for a while or if I noticed that it had been more than a few days since the last outing. Things were fine until a couple of months ago when the battery suddenly couldn't hold a charge and the tender couldn't keep up. As far as I know, the battery never had to be fully charged from a low voltage, but I guess it is possible.
Did I screw something up, or was the bad battery just bad luck?
Short version:
I recently had a battery replaced under warranty... How likely is it that my tender (or my typical use of it) contributed to its early demise?
Long version:
Upon buying a new battery a couple years ago, I got a tender as well to use during the winter (it doesn't seem required in the summer). Since there are some opportunities to drive the Vette in the winter, it wasn't constantly connected. I would use it when I knew roads would be bad for a while or if I noticed that it had been more than a few days since the last outing. Things were fine until a couple of months ago when the battery suddenly couldn't hold a charge and the tender couldn't keep up. As far as I know, the battery never had to be fully charged from a low voltage, but I guess it is possible.
Did I screw something up, or was the bad battery just bad luck?
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 222
Likes: 0
From: Toronto(Don Mills) Ontario
This brings up a question.
Short version:
I recently had a battery replaced under warranty... How likely is it that my tender (or my typical use of it) contributed to its early demise?
Long version:
Upon buying a new battery a couple years ago, I got a tender as well to use during the winter (it doesn't seem required in the summer). Since there are some opportunities to drive the Vette in the winter, it wasn't constantly connected. I would use it when I knew roads would be bad for a while or if I noticed that it had been more than a few days since the last outing. Things were fine until a couple of months ago when the battery suddenly couldn't hold a charge and the tender couldn't keep up. As far as I know, the battery never had to be fully charged from a low voltage, but I guess it is possible.
Did I screw something up, or was the bad battery just bad luck?
Short version:
I recently had a battery replaced under warranty... How likely is it that my tender (or my typical use of it) contributed to its early demise?
Long version:
Upon buying a new battery a couple years ago, I got a tender as well to use during the winter (it doesn't seem required in the summer). Since there are some opportunities to drive the Vette in the winter, it wasn't constantly connected. I would use it when I knew roads would be bad for a while or if I noticed that it had been more than a few days since the last outing. Things were fine until a couple of months ago when the battery suddenly couldn't hold a charge and the tender couldn't keep up. As far as I know, the battery never had to be fully charged from a low voltage, but I guess it is possible.
Did I screw something up, or was the bad battery just bad luck?
My guess would be bad battery/luck, barring other relevant issues. These new 'maintenance free'-type batteries, even when relatively new, seem to be more fragile than older types. As far as I know, the Battery Tender brand is a good product?!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,705
Likes: 30
From: Chesapeake Beach Maryland
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
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From: Charlotte NC
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Lead acid batteries sitting discharged for long periods have a lot of lead sulphate on their plates that essentially makes the amp-hour capacity much lower due to the plates being covered (lead sulphate is an insulator). Lead sulphate normally forms during discharge and it is soft. If you charge the battery shortly after discharging, the lead sulphate converts to lead and sulfuric acid. Sitting long periods (4+ wks), the lead sulphate becomes hard and will not convert upon charging and you then have a motorcycle sized battery.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 375
Likes: 18
From: Lawrenceville Georgia
This will be the best $50 you will ever spend for your Vette! After many years of charging batteries I bought a "tender" several months ago. Could not understand why I waited so long.
Joel
Joel
