Battery tender options
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 61
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From: Myrtle Beach South Carolina
Battery tender options
I have heard that you can use your cigarette lighter to hook up a battery tender . Is there a problem doing this? Does battery tender offer the cable for this?
Is the Jr model really all I need to keep my battery at full charge?
Is the Jr model really all I need to keep my battery at full charge?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,835
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From: Columbia SC
Quality battery chargers and maintenance type tenders use 120 volts AC. Hooking up an inverter to convert 12 V DC to 120 VAC is not the way to go unless you have NO AC available. Plus doing that will drain the battery from whatever other source you are using.
PS: Recommend a Battery Minder over the Battery Tender. It has a desulfurization mode to better maintain the battery.
PS: Recommend a Battery Minder over the Battery Tender. It has a desulfurization mode to better maintain the battery.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Hershey PA
I also use the CTek-3300 with the lighter adaptaer and it has worked flawlessly for the past several years. The cable can be run under either door and the door closed without hurting the cable.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Guntersville Alabama
Quality battery chargers and maintenance type tenders use 120 volts AC. Hooking up an inverter to convert 12 V DC to 120 VAC is not the way to go unless you have NO AC available. Plus doing that will drain the battery from whatever other source you are using.
PS: Recommend a Battery Minder over the Battery Tender. It has a desulfurization mode to better maintain the battery.
PS: Recommend a Battery Minder over the Battery Tender. It has a desulfurization mode to better maintain the battery.
dadaroo, I believe you have gotten this a little wrong. The battery tender is using the cigarette lighter as its connection to the battery. It replaces the alligator clips are any other direct connection to the battery. No inverter needed...
Roland
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Haven't tried the cig lighter connection method. I use a battery tender plus and just connect it straight to the battery terminals. Has worked great for many years.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: RI
Yes, you can use the cigarette lighter plug for charging but its not the best connection you can make.
A plug has several shortcomings. Take one apart sometime and you'll see that the internal wire is very thin, not real suitable for large amperage. The side pieces that carry the ground current are pushed out with weak springs as is the center pole for the positive current. The point of contact for both the side pieces and the center pole are small. Any oxidation or trapped junk will lessen the current carrying capacity of them.
These plugs are known for making intermittent contact, unlike clips or ring terminals that are also available for chargers.
So, it's possible to use this plug and not experience problems, but it's not as foolproof as your other choices.
dan k.
A plug has several shortcomings. Take one apart sometime and you'll see that the internal wire is very thin, not real suitable for large amperage. The side pieces that carry the ground current are pushed out with weak springs as is the center pole for the positive current. The point of contact for both the side pieces and the center pole are small. Any oxidation or trapped junk will lessen the current carrying capacity of them.
These plugs are known for making intermittent contact, unlike clips or ring terminals that are also available for chargers.
So, it's possible to use this plug and not experience problems, but it's not as foolproof as your other choices.
dan k.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Visalia CA
I have my Battery Tender hooked up to the auxiliary power supply outlet inside the center console. Battery Tender sells the extension cord you will need. Mine has worked perfectly for over seven years.
Racer
Joined: May 2013
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From: Hugo MN
I use the C-Tek 3300 with the cigarette lighter adapter whenever I won't be driving the car for more than a week. Have been doing this for 2 years and have never had a problem. To me it's so much more convenient than opening/closing the hood all the time.
During the winter however I remove the negative cable from the battery as I'm not comfortable with leaving it on, under cover, for that amount of time!
During the winter however I remove the negative cable from the battery as I'm not comfortable with leaving it on, under cover, for that amount of time!
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In winter I also unhook the negative cable but keep the Ctek hooked up all the time.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2011
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From: Columbia SC
I agree, I was not thinking about wanting to put power into his car but to extract it from another one. Just a senior moment.
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From: Mt, Home AR
I went to the local home depot and found a black and decker battery maintainer for 20 bucks. It comes with alligator clips, and a piece that you can connect to your battery, so it's a one piece "plug in and charge it up" process. You will have to go through the arduous process of "popping" the hood, but for 20 bucks, you cant lose.
P.S. It took a day and a half to reach full charge on a 1 year old battery, driven once a week, on average.
P.S. It took a day and a half to reach full charge on a 1 year old battery, driven once a week, on average.