Battery tender?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,330
Likes: 61
From: Nantucket MA
Battery tender?
I am in the middle of buying Mein Blower's C6 and have been doing a lot of research about the C6's. It seems like the drain the battery after sitting for some time which causes a whole host of other issues. I live on an island where we do not have a chevy dealer here. The neerest one is a 2.5 hour boat ride away, and they seem to be mentally challenged there to boot.
I will only drive the car on my days off when the roads are dry so it might sit for a week, to up to two weeks without being used. I really want to avoid the battery issues. I am very knolagable about cars (I built my last car from the ground up) but don't know a whole lot about these vettes yet.
What are people doing as far as battery tenders and chargers?
I will only drive the car on my days off when the roads are dry so it might sit for a week, to up to two weeks without being used. I really want to avoid the battery issues. I am very knolagable about cars (I built my last car from the ground up) but don't know a whole lot about these vettes yet.
What are people doing as far as battery tenders and chargers?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,786
Likes: 49
From: Sun Devil Country
Deltran Battery Tender Plus. 
And several opinions on the best one can be seen here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ry-tender.html
And several opinions on the best one can be seen here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ry-tender.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 2
From: Bergen County, NJ Sarasota, FL
I've been using Battery Butlers and the Harbor Freight equivalent unit for five years with excellent results. My wife's Miata sometimes sits for six months at a time and the battery just tested almost like new.
CF Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,313
Likes: 25
From: Tucson Arizona
"What are people doing as far as battery tenders and chargers?"
Nothing! I don't use a battery tender or charger on my 2005 and it sometimes sits idle for extended periods. I've never had a battery or starting problem. I like being prepared and a battery charger is a good thing to have for general purposes but I wouldn't worry about a problem I don't have. Unless you have to hibernate your car for the entire winter season I wouldn't run out and buy a battery tender. I'd wait and see what happens. Chances are your car will be fine without the need for life support. If you discover you need a battery tender then go buy one.
Nothing! I don't use a battery tender or charger on my 2005 and it sometimes sits idle for extended periods. I've never had a battery or starting problem. I like being prepared and a battery charger is a good thing to have for general purposes but I wouldn't worry about a problem I don't have. Unless you have to hibernate your car for the entire winter season I wouldn't run out and buy a battery tender. I'd wait and see what happens. Chances are your car will be fine without the need for life support. If you discover you need a battery tender then go buy one.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,671
Likes: 0
From: Mukwonago wisconsin
I have two kinds. Battery tender plus, works great, 4 years old. I also have a couple Maintainers from sears. They have the connectors you can plug into your cigarette lighter or accessory outlet inside the console if you don't want to hook them up to the battery. You want the style with the float-mode monitoring.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 3,260
Likes: 202
From: St.Louis MO
Cruise-In I Veteran
Cruise-In II Veteran
I have two Wal-Mart (Schumacher) battery tenders, and they have served me well for many years. One's on my vette, and one's on my Lotus Seven, which having no top, is parked for 4 months at a time.
The vette is not the only car that has a drain while parked. The manuals on both my 2010 Vette and my 2007 Tahoe say that the battery should be disconnected for storage of a month or more.
The vette is not the only car that has a drain while parked. The manuals on both my 2010 Vette and my 2007 Tahoe say that the battery should be disconnected for storage of a month or more.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 513
Likes: 0
Deltran Battery Tender Plus.
And several opinions on the best one can be seen here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ry-tender.html
And several opinions on the best one can be seen here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ry-tender.html
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 354
Likes: 27
From: NE Florida
My Shumaker is attached by 2 small lock bolts on the 2 small factory battery screws facing forward on the Vettes battery. When I pull into the garage, I pop the hood and simply plug it in. I located the unit next to the overhead garage door motor and the cable drops right into place. The included battery cable was intended to access deeply installed motortcycle batteries, works like a charm and only takes a moment. The cable has a rubber cover to protect the contacts when unplugged.
I've had one hard wired to the battery on my BMW bike for years. I ran the attachment cable leads to the rear luggage compartment. Great for a quick jump on the road if ever needed, too.
I've had one hard wired to the battery on my BMW bike for years. I ran the attachment cable leads to the rear luggage compartment. Great for a quick jump on the road if ever needed, too.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
From: Northwood NH
If you let your car sit for any length of time and have worries just purchase a Battery Tender and hard wire it.
My tender cable is tucked away in the C6, just plug and play, two minutes.
My Harley, C6, and Honda Generator are all on their own Tender units.
When I need any of the above I have no worries no matter how long they sit.
Go for a trickle charger like the Tender and you will keep your battery's healthy and good to go for several years plus!
My tender cable is tucked away in the C6, just plug and play, two minutes.
My Harley, C6, and Honda Generator are all on their own Tender units.
When I need any of the above I have no worries no matter how long they sit.
Go for a trickle charger like the Tender and you will keep your battery's healthy and good to go for several years plus!
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 59
Likes: 1
From: McLeansville North Carolina
Deltyran Battery Tender on C6 and two Harleys. Best place I've found to buy them:
http://www.pacificbattery.com/charger.html
http://www.pacificbattery.com/charger.html
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,093
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From: Oklahoma City
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17,'19,'22
The Ctek is the only one I would use and currently use on my Vette
http://www.shop.jwmotoring.com/categ...?categoryId=43
http://www.shop.jwmotoring.com/categ...?categoryId=43
