HF cheap battery tender.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,003
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
HF cheap battery tender.
Harbor Freight is having a 3 day sale from today Friday 08/10/2018 through Sunday, last time I was there they slipped coupons in for this sale, for 4.99 I decided to try the charger.
I'm testing it on my AC Delco professional battery that was new in 2013 that was in my Corvette but I replaced because Oreilly said it tested bad.
That was September 2017, used a really old crusty battery as a core and had a feeling the AC Delco was ok. (it was never installed in the car except to move it around while it wasn't registered/being driven, unhooked and removed each time)
This bad battery fires up my 396 big block in the 1965C-10, and my beater grand am I'm letting sit parked now.
I had been charging it on the lowest setting with a Century (late 1990's) battery charger and a Schumacher that seems vintage with a timer, again on low 2 amp setting.
Was going to buy a battery tender Jr but read their warranty is, you pay to ship to them and back, plus their hourly charge, so held off.
5 bucks is worth a shot, has a red light, not sure if it's supposed to turn green when done?
Lots of good reviews on this charger, I will not leave it hooked up all the time.
By the way I bought a low profile 3 ton floor jack(works great!) last week as my regular floor jack was too tall to lift with my new home made jacking pucks, I had forgotten the coupon for the free bright light, not really a flashlight but more of a rectangle, drove back that night to get free light with receipt and bought the cheaper vacuum pump (they let me use another 20% off coupon they had) so 89.99 for 72.00 vacuum pump.
About to replace a/c compressor.
Also they have a free moving blanket, with purchase but you can only get one free thing a day.
I'm thinking of buying another 4.99 battery charger tomorrow to get the free moving blanket, maybe it would work as a cushion to slide on while working under Corvette?
You have until Sunday for this sale, also got rubber yellow house cleaning gloves to change oil, my first time keeping hands oil free, changed oil last Friday.
Bought 4 funnels for .79 cents with coupon.
I'm testing it on my AC Delco professional battery that was new in 2013 that was in my Corvette but I replaced because Oreilly said it tested bad.
That was September 2017, used a really old crusty battery as a core and had a feeling the AC Delco was ok. (it was never installed in the car except to move it around while it wasn't registered/being driven, unhooked and removed each time)
This bad battery fires up my 396 big block in the 1965C-10, and my beater grand am I'm letting sit parked now.
I had been charging it on the lowest setting with a Century (late 1990's) battery charger and a Schumacher that seems vintage with a timer, again on low 2 amp setting.
Was going to buy a battery tender Jr but read their warranty is, you pay to ship to them and back, plus their hourly charge, so held off.
5 bucks is worth a shot, has a red light, not sure if it's supposed to turn green when done?
Lots of good reviews on this charger, I will not leave it hooked up all the time.
By the way I bought a low profile 3 ton floor jack(works great!) last week as my regular floor jack was too tall to lift with my new home made jacking pucks, I had forgotten the coupon for the free bright light, not really a flashlight but more of a rectangle, drove back that night to get free light with receipt and bought the cheaper vacuum pump (they let me use another 20% off coupon they had) so 89.99 for 72.00 vacuum pump.
About to replace a/c compressor.
Also they have a free moving blanket, with purchase but you can only get one free thing a day.
I'm thinking of buying another 4.99 battery charger tomorrow to get the free moving blanket, maybe it would work as a cushion to slide on while working under Corvette?
You have until Sunday for this sale, also got rubber yellow house cleaning gloves to change oil, my first time keeping hands oil free, changed oil last Friday.
Bought 4 funnels for .79 cents with coupon.
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Good luck with the charger. It may last a long time, who knows. I personally use a Battery Tender Plus on my car - been on there for almost 9 years and flawless operation.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 276
From: Wichita Falls Texas
I love Harbor Freight. I must have a hundred free flashlights laying around. That being said, I don't like their little battery tender type charger.
I purchased a couple of them a long time ago for my machine shop to keep batteries for fork lifts top offed. They failed.
That was a long time ago and I do know that Harbor freight has improved their quality on products. The chargers may be good now.
I have a little charger I bought from Northern Tool that keeps the battery topped off and de-sulfated. That's what I use on my 03 vert.
It has lights that flash or stay solid that tells you if it's working.
I used Battery Tenders for years but they got too proud of them. Bought two of the Northern Freight ones for the price of one Battery Tender.
Good luck!
I purchased a couple of them a long time ago for my machine shop to keep batteries for fork lifts top offed. They failed.
That was a long time ago and I do know that Harbor freight has improved their quality on products. The chargers may be good now.
I have a little charger I bought from Northern Tool that keeps the battery topped off and de-sulfated. That's what I use on my 03 vert.
It has lights that flash or stay solid that tells you if it's working.
I used Battery Tenders for years but they got too proud of them. Bought two of the Northern Freight ones for the price of one Battery Tender.
Good luck!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 30,613
Likes: 4,619
From: Bonita Springs, Florida
Same here, I have been using a Battery Tender Plus for over 8 years with no issues. I used the Sears Craftsman Battery tender previously but after the second one failed I switched to a Battery Tender Plus.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 5,037
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From: Rotonda West, FL 2015 Z51 M7 3LT
Oldtimer
But, to each their own
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 798
From: Fort Myers Beach Florida
I own about half a dozen Harbor freight battery tenders. I used them on golf cart batteries and noticed the units get a bit warm when in use. I bought a better quality tender for my vert. The only problem I had with the Chinese tenders is I found the clips are cheap and a few rusted away from battery acid corrosion.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 343
From: Shell Point (Crawfordville) Florida
I have had one of those HF $5 trickle chargers on the battery in my Chevy Surbuban for more than 5 years and I drive that car very infrequently and the battery is always at full charge. Except for when I drive it, maybe once every month or two, that charger has been plugged in continuously and has never been any kind of a problem and has not failed.
And like I keep saying here, everyone has some of those 120v-12v adapters for all kinds of small equipment hanging around, and they work very well also as a trickle charger to keep a battery topped up, but don;t expect any of these things to recharge a dead battery, they only put out 0.5-1.5 A, which is enough to replace the daily decay of a sitting battery.
And like I keep saying here, everyone has some of those 120v-12v adapters for all kinds of small equipment hanging around, and they work very well also as a trickle charger to keep a battery topped up, but don;t expect any of these things to recharge a dead battery, they only put out 0.5-1.5 A, which is enough to replace the daily decay of a sitting battery.
Last edited by mrlmd; Aug 11, 2018 at 10:32 AM.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,003
Likes: 386
From: Chandler AZ
I had planned on buying the Battery Tender brand, but read that the new ones fail often now, the Jr and bigger version.
Lots of reviews from people that were always happy with that brand, but the new ones are Chinese made and quality went down, page after page the new ones fail quickly.
Anyways the battery is now at 13.2 volts(what it says it will charge to), still has a red light on, guess no green light.
It was 12.3 volts before putting this on, this is on my battery for my 1965 Chevy pickup, the battery is not in the pickup as it's currently parked, no A/C in it, yet.
Lots of reviews from people that were always happy with that brand, but the new ones are Chinese made and quality went down, page after page the new ones fail quickly.
Anyways the battery is now at 13.2 volts(what it says it will charge to), still has a red light on, guess no green light.
It was 12.3 volts before putting this on, this is on my battery for my 1965 Chevy pickup, the battery is not in the pickup as it's currently parked, no A/C in it, yet.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 343
From: Shell Point (Crawfordville) Florida
These are not smart chargers, they do not taper their current depending on the bettery's state, they just put out a constant current which is enough to keep to keep the battery topped up but not enough to ever overcharge it, so you can keep them plugged in forever. The only thing you have to do periodically is to check the electrolyte level in the battery, which is something you need to do with or without it being connected to a trickle charger, every 4-6 months or so.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 249
Likes: 49
From: Westcliffe CO
I run 3 BT Jrs on three vehicles and one HF on my generator battery - for now. I will replace the HF for a BT if the HF quits, just trying one out and have had it about a year. It just has a red light, never changes.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
While not every Harbor Freight product is worth while, it's amazing how unfiltered their customer ratings are. If a product is really hit or miss, the ratings will reflect it. Many a product with a 2 star rating.
Racer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 300
Likes: 34
From: Bella Vista, AR
I use the CTEK Mus 4.3 on my Optima Red Top. Battery is 3+ years old, going strong. Harbor Freight is good for inexpensive made in China stuff, like their low profile car jacks. Not sure I'd attach anything HF to my Vette's electronics.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 477
Likes: 110
From: Leland NC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 5,037
Likes: 846
From: Rotonda West, FL 2015 Z51 M7 3LT
Oldtimer
I've only ever used the BT Plus. Have used them for a LOT of years on everything from small motorcycle batteries to mammoth motorhome cells. They've been flawless. I trust 'em so that what I use. Don't really need it much for the Vette since we moved but I have 'em for when we go on vacation or boogie out due to hurricanes. 
Racer
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 452
Likes: 159
From: Port Charlotte Florida
alt spike
Had to put the AE in storage for a couple of months. When I went to retrieve veh the battery was almost dead. Was just enough charge left to start engine. When started the charging system sent a current spike burning out the abs module. My friends at ABSFixer are repairing the module.
To maintain the battery charge, I picked a Schumacher battery maintainer at Walmart. 750 mah output with a green led for charging, red when backwards, and off when fully charged. A very long cord with colored alligator clips to connect.
Works great, well worth the 10 bucks!
To maintain the battery charge, I picked a Schumacher battery maintainer at Walmart. 750 mah output with a green led for charging, red when backwards, and off when fully charged. A very long cord with colored alligator clips to connect.
Works great, well worth the 10 bucks!