Harbor Freight Battery Tender
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
Harbor Freight Battery Tender
The Harbor Freight battery tender is much less expensive that the Battery Tender Plus or the CTEK. Although I am a big fan of Harbor Freight, I find some of their items to be terrific and some, such as pneumatic air fittings, to be of very low quality. My concern is whether or not their battery tender is good enough to keep the battery properly charged and will turn down or off at the right time to prevent battery damage. Saving money on a battery tender and have it ultimately destroy the battery seems counterproductive.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,599
Likes: 962
From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
I had a post on battery tender info. The most popular one seems to be the Battery Tender Plus, but there were also a lot of those the use the $10 Harbor Freight battery tender and have not had any issues. I just order one, for $ 16.98 (includes the shipping) I guess you can go wrong.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,419
Likes: 6
From: Arroyo Grande CA
I've had mine for about 6 years. Its been flawless. I hook it up with the battery in the Vette, all connections intact.
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals...2999/42292.PDF
http://www.harborfreight.com/manuals...2999/42292.PDF
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 66
From: Middletown CT
I bought mine with one of their coupons for S3.99 They seem to work fine.
They look to be a knockoff of this one which I've had for many years.
http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/gues...t-charger.html
They look to be a knockoff of this one which I've had for many years.
http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/gues...t-charger.html
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 221
Likes: 1
From: Gurnee IL
They look to be a knockoff of this one which I've had for many years.
http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/gues...t-charger.html
http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/gues...t-charger.html
Also the float chargers they sell are fine, but do note that by design they are for keeping an already charged battery topped off not charging it, so in short they are for storage not charging, that is the whole concept of float chargers...
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Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
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From: Palmdale, Ca----- 2009 Cyber Gray 4LT A6 F55 452 RWHP 422 RWTQ- RIP 1998 C5 734 RWHP & 585 RWTQ-----
The Harbor Freight battery tender is much less expensive that the Battery Tender Plus or the CTEK. Although I am a big fan of Harbor Freight, I find some of their items to be terrific and some, such as pneumatic air fittings, to be of very low quality. My concern is whether or not their battery tender is good enough to keep the battery properly charged and will turn down or off at the right time to prevent battery damage. Saving money on a battery tender and have it ultimately destroy the battery seems counterproductive.
Thanks,Matt
Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 651
Likes: 33
From: North Port Florida
I've used their float charger on one of my motorcycles. Worked well but quit after less than a year. I found a better one at Walmart for around twenty dollars and I have several of those that have been working for two plus yrs. Just my $.02. Good luck!!!
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,100
Likes: 17
From: Somers, CT and Clermont, FL
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I have 3 of them that I use on my Corvette, Boat, and Garden Tractor batteries during the off season. They're all at least 5 or 6 years old, and they all still work great.
You can't find a better bargain on a battery float charger, than these from Harbor Freight.
You can't find a better bargain on a battery float charger, than these from Harbor Freight.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
5th season for my '01 on the Harbor Freight Battery tender
3rd season for my wife's '04 on a second one
2nd season for my '08 after using it for 4 seasons on my '88..
Why spend more unecessarily
3rd season for my wife's '04 on a second one
2nd season for my '08 after using it for 4 seasons on my '88..
Why spend more unecessarily
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
Does the battery tender remain on the battery all the time when the car is stored or does it have to be turned off and removed once the battery is topped off? Also, do the battery caps have to be removed to prevent explosions?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 4,419
Likes: 6
From: Arroyo Grande CA
Battery caps remain on.