Turbo6TA

If I have a dead battery, it will take forever to charge it with one of those little 1.5 amp battery "Tender / Maintainers".

I am thinking a battery "Charger" somewhere in the 10 amp range?

Better yet, how about a 10 amp "Charger" that will switch automatically down to being a low-power "Maintainer" once the battery gets fully charged?

Confused ...

Turbo6TA

Schumacher XC10 10/6/2-Amp Battery Charger

This has a max charge of 10 amps, but goes down to only 2 amps when the battery is fully charged.

I wonder if this could be attached to the battery for extended period of times like a "Maintainer"?


$29.88 at Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumacher...arger/15140195

Don-Vette

You have a dead battery. Buy a new one, then use a maintainer and use it often.

I would not want to bring a dead battery back to life and put it in my C6.

RobLo

I have a full size charger that I use to charge a low battery or even give a jump to a dead battery but I keep a Battery Tender (2) connected all the time on both the Harley and the Vette. Been using them for years, never a problem and I'm convinced they save the battery, I have 7 years on my C6 battery and it still starts fine although I will be getting a new one this spring, a little preventative maintenance. I got 6 years on my last Harley battery and it too was fine, I got a new one just because it was time.

RoadkingC6

I have both, one is a schumacher 100/15/2 Amp charger with a fast charge to jump a dead battery, even on a fast charge i have seen it take up to 10 minutes to jump start my truck when the battery went dead, i have used the 2 amp charge to slow charge a battery overnight, but i use a sears trickle charger/ maintainer to keep on the Vette when i keep it stored for long periods of time so it shuts down when fully charged, I don't want to fry a battery even on a 2 amp rate of charge.

Davids65

I too have both. For a car that is going to sit in the garage for months at a time a maintainer is great if you had used one then you wouldn't need the charger that you need now. I have needed the charger in other cars and vans from time to time when either the battery is on the way out or if I accidently left something on over the weekend and come Monday it was dead. These are clearly two different uses and therefore I own both.

Turbo6TA

Thanks for the info .... As for my situation, I have a brand new battery in my 2011 GS, but I want to maintain it when I leave town for weeks at a time.

On the other hand, I need a higher powered Charger for when I have a dead battery in my riding lawn mower or need to charge my wife's battery in her SUV when she leaves the interior light on all night long, and have a dead battery in the morning.

I just don't want to buy both a Maintainer for my Corvette and a more powerful Charger for anytime I have a completely dead battery.

I was hoping to find something that could serve as both a powerful battery Charger, and maybe with a flip of a switch, a battery Maintainer that could be attached to a battery for very long periods of time without ever frying the battery.

mysloride

They are two different tools designed to do two different jobs.

I have not seen a combined one that I would trust, but that's just me.

The price ($30-$40) for a Maintainer is a price I am willing to pay for the piece of mind of knowing it's not going to damage anything...but again...that's just me

Davids65

I hear you and I want a Corvette I can drive in the Winter but sometimes we compromise

myfunz

A battery charger will bring back a dead battery. A tender will maintain the batteries charge (trickle charge). So basically what I'm saying is do not try to use a tender to revive a dead battery, it will not work, ask me how I know.

ICU2TV

I had purchased a solar powered battery tender and it works great for keeping the battery charged/maintained.

jwf

I have both. I keep a CTEK maintainer plugged in the console cigarette lighter socket anytime the vette is at home and I'm not driving it. The charger I use only when I have a very low or dead battery situation, which is hardly ever.

Ben101er

I use a battery tender, during the winter, but I also have a 1000 amp battery jumper/compressor combination. It is really handy if you are away from the garage and need to air a tire, as well as start a vehicle with a dead battery.

Turbo6TA

Here is a Charger / Maintainer ...

Black & Decker 0-6 amp. Supposedly will maintain the battery, but won't overcharge it since it can decrease the amps down to 0.

Of course, with only 6 amps max, I am thinking it would take about 12-14 hours to charge up a dead car battery.

$34.37 + tax from Walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/40573619




.

IrishSpuds

I got that one and am happy with it. So far I have used it to charge a dead battery in my yard tractor and bring a big Tahoe battery back from the grave (Kids messin around!). Can't remember how much it was in Home Depot. Actually mine was a little different its a 15 AMP charger with 40 Amp start. Home Depot:

IrishSpuds

Here's the link http://m.homedepot.com/p/BLACK-DECKE...5BD/205431782/

Turbo6TA

Spuds ....

I looked at that charger. Looks promising

IrishSpuds

Go for it, lot of good features and if it stinks HD have a good return policy.

biker1059

Have this from Walley World, works well. I paid $25 online.

1RB

[QUOTE=mysloride;1589101675]They are two different tools designed to do two different jobs.

I have not seen a combined one that I would trust, but that's just me.

The price ($30-$40) for a Maintainer is a price I am willing to pay for the piece of mind of knowing it's not going to damage anything...but again...that's just me[/

with mysloride.

Are you willing to trust that a Combo Charger will always switch to lower amps? If it doesn't, you risk frying the battery while installed in your ride - won't be pretty. The maintainers might fail, but the maintainers don't have high power capability.

I use the maintainer which came with my C6. But I have three maintainers that I got at various times from Harbor Freight for about $10 each. I use for tractor, mower, and Chevy garage queen. None of the maintainers have failed me in at least 5 years.

My suggestion - use a charger to charge/start, and a maintainer to keep the charge at peak levels.