Battery Tender Junior Question...
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Instructor
Joined: Jun 2012
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From: FL
Battery Tender Junior Question...
I recently installed a new Optima Yellow Top in my 2000 C5 convertible and also hard wired a Battery Tender Junior.
(Note: the comments below were also present when I was using the alligator clips and not hard wired).
-The steady RED light is supposed to turn GREEN when the battery is fully charged. Despite charging all night/day, I've never seen the GREEN come on. Always steady RED. (I know the battery is fully charged since on one occasion, I parked the car after a two hour day-time run for all night charging in the garage).
-The Battery Tender Junior seems quite hot. Much hotter than "warm".
Any thoughts on both?
Thanks, Bob/Bradenton
(Note: the comments below were also present when I was using the alligator clips and not hard wired).
-The steady RED light is supposed to turn GREEN when the battery is fully charged. Despite charging all night/day, I've never seen the GREEN come on. Always steady RED. (I know the battery is fully charged since on one occasion, I parked the car after a two hour day-time run for all night charging in the garage).
-The Battery Tender Junior seems quite hot. Much hotter than "warm".
Any thoughts on both?
Thanks, Bob/Bradenton
Team Owner
Joined: May 2000
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From: Plantation Florida USAF(Retired) 1966-1990
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St. Jude Donor '05 thru '26
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I use the Jr, and when I hook it up within hour it turns green.
Has the hot to the touch, just checked mine, and would say it's very warm but not hot.
Hope it helps, you might have bad unit.
Has the hot to the touch, just checked mine, and would say it's very warm but not hot.
Hope it helps, you might have bad unit.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 159
Likes: 32
From: FL
For the first time, of course after I did my post, the Battery Tender Junior displayed the green, all charged light. So, it's apparently working fine. Just a tad nervous with a new gizmo attached to my nice pristine C5.
Regarding the high temperature I mentioned, I just measured it and it was 125 F right at the plug-in blades and about 105 in other areas. Not as hot as it felt.
Thanks for the comments, as always.
Bob/Bradenton
PS: Since the car is in a tight garage with no access to the battery side of the car, and I couldn't use the alligator clips due to the location, I cut off the stock ring terminals on the Tender and just used the stripped wire mushed between the battery lugs and the battery. The stock Tender rings have a too small diameter for the C5 battery lug bolts.
Regarding the high temperature I mentioned, I just measured it and it was 125 F right at the plug-in blades and about 105 in other areas. Not as hot as it felt.
Thanks for the comments, as always.
Bob/Bradenton
PS: Since the car is in a tight garage with no access to the battery side of the car, and I couldn't use the alligator clips due to the location, I cut off the stock ring terminals on the Tender and just used the stripped wire mushed between the battery lugs and the battery. The stock Tender rings have a too small diameter for the C5 battery lug bolts.
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From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
You could have attached the positive ring terminal to the "B" post just to the outside of the fuse box (pull the lid to get to it). Then attach the negative ring terminal to a good ground source. That way you can easily disconnect the tender when it's not needed.
The Yellow Top is also used as a deep-cycle battery and I think that's why it takes longer for the green "charged" light to appear. The Junior only charges at the rate of .75A per hour. Their instruction booklet says it can take days to fully charge a deep-cycle battery.
When I don't attach my Tender Junior to my C5 for a few weeks, the red light stays on for a day or so then I get the flashing red light for about 6 hours before it goes to a steady green. The C5 electrical system will always have a small current drain so it could take longer to charge a connected battery compared to a battery sitting on a bench.
The Yellow Top is also used as a deep-cycle battery and I think that's why it takes longer for the green "charged" light to appear. The Junior only charges at the rate of .75A per hour. Their instruction booklet says it can take days to fully charge a deep-cycle battery.
When I don't attach my Tender Junior to my C5 for a few weeks, the red light stays on for a day or so then I get the flashing red light for about 6 hours before it goes to a steady green. The C5 electrical system will always have a small current drain so it could take longer to charge a connected battery compared to a battery sitting on a bench.
