Battery tenders/ minders,
Who uses one ? if so what kind and what are the specs ? I don't need anything fancy just don't want to buy crap. Any opinions ?

 

I've had a "battery companion" unit (capable of 6V or 12V) in use since about 2007 and it's worked wonderfully all of these years. I had a "battery tender" unit that worked for several years and then all of a sudden stopped working properly (the red charging light stayed on all the time) so I got a new one about three years ago and it has worked well so far.

I've heard a complaint from one person that the "battery tender" eventually "boiled" that person's battery dry and ruined it, but I haven't had that problem.

Randy C.

 

Ive got a schumacher a battery tender and a yuasa all multipe years old all w no problems.

 

I've been using this one for a few years. Works great and simple. I have 3 of them, they were much cheaper a few years ago. All you need to do is hook it up and forget it. It has an led which lets you know what it is doing, turns red when battery needs charging, then blinks when it nears full charge then turns green when fully charged.

 

I bought a Schumacher 1.5 Amp charger/maintainer for the jeep and a Pulse Tech charger/maintainer for the Olds.

 

I've owned this Battery Tender Model for 11 years. It has never failed. There are many reasons why a battery charger (tender) could boil a battery which may have nothing to do w/ the battery charger itself; but, it certainly could have been the battery charger (tender), as well. Battery Tender makes several models, so you really need to compare model numbers, type of battery, etc. to be fair about it all. I have many friends who use the Battery Tender name brand and I haven't heard any complaints from any of them.

 

I've used this for years.
https://www.batterytender.com/Battery-TenderR-Plus

I usually hook it up after getting back from the race track. I have to start a cold engine about 50-60 times throughout the day...lotsa hot starts too.
After a week on the tender the battery is ready for the next visit. I've kept batteries alive for years by doing this.

-peter
And the only time one **** the bed was when I dropped it.

 

I have used the Harbor freight Cen tech ones for years. I think I have 6 right now on a 4 wheeler, Z turn mower, tractor, and 3 cars. Never had an issue with them and they are inexpensive. Some might dis the cheap HF stuff but I have had no issues.

 

I've owned a CEN-TECH dwell/tach meter for several years - no complaints.

 

Used a four-port Battery Tender for years till a hellacious storm took it out (along with the security system and the phone landline to the house). It worked well. Bought another but cars currently have no batteries installed.

I keep a small Schumacher tender on the Massey-Ferguson tractor. It too works well.

I bought a tender at Northern Tool thinking to put it on the dead Custom Cruiser wagon. I haven't yet. Prob ought to pull the clock fuse and put the tender on it. Might save charging its 2 yr old battery 1st of every month. Yup, it died right after I put a new battery in it.

 

I've been using the same Battery Tender Junior(s) (750 MA version) as 66luvr. I have three in use constantly and a fourth on the shelf that I need plug my mower into, now that mowing season is over for the year. I've had the oldest for four years now, keeping the Wife's T/A juiced up. So far no issues with any of them. If the battery is dead to begin with, you will need a more robust unit, but these are great for maintenance charging.

 

I use the standard battery tender & also have bought an Amazon splitter to use it with 2 batteries.
It works great this way & keeps multiple batteries topped off.




And also a larger output one that is connected to 3 batteries with another splitter.




I know this is not the ideal way to connect multiple batteries, but each leg is individually fused & it has worked for me for many years.
Much cheaper than the multi battery tender for $700

 

I just unhook. Last battery in the Cutlass lasted 19.75 years. 16.5 years in the Alero.

Pat

 

Anyone have an idea how much one costs to maintain a fully charged battery? I am not trying to derail the topic at hand. I live in a condo complex and the condo manager locked out all of the AC outlets to stop me and a few others from using my maintainer ("saves energy").
If possible, I'd like to show the manager the cost of operating a maintainer is similar to the cost of charging an IPod, or the other extreme three or four sixty (60) watt bulbs consumes the same power in one (1) hour as my maintainer consumes in three or four months.
Would also help if I can express the cost to operate per week or month per kwh. I realize costs per kwh varies depending on jurisdictions, but I can put in my Philadelphia kwh rate.
Moderators. I will start a new thread if needed. ...costs to operate a battery maintainer.

 

I went out and connected a DMM from the tender + to the battery + and measured 28 mA. Now keep in mind that is the current going to the battery from the tender, which is a Pulse Tech so it may have a larger average current than a non-pulsing tender. I have no way to measure how much current the tender is drawing from the wall outlet, and that may vary greatly depending upon the tender design and efficiency.

 

For the 1.5A tender
1.5A x 13.2v = 19.8 watts charger output / .7 efficiency) = 28.28 watts consumed (guestimated, but pretty realistic)

Based on it charging continuously, at full output, using it 24x7x365 it would only use $25/year at 10c per KW electric rate.
In float mode, which is likely 90% of the time, using the 25mA listed above, it is about $3 / year.

 

That condo manager is a dick. People are probably trying to mine Bitcoin in their garage with free condo electricity.

 

This.
CTEKs are the best on the market. Period.
Condo related problems are self inflicted.

 

I use a NOCO Genius 2 amp and love it.

 

Black and decker makes one, under $20. I put it on like once a month, or a day before I take a car out so the alternator doesn’t have to catch up so much, but don’t leave on all winter.
homo depot has the B&D.
I buy the 3’ extension at the swaps. Then you can wire it so you don’t have to pop the hood and put clips on the battery. Easy.

 

My experience with CTEK is that they suck. Had one for a couple of years; never did get it to work right. I gave it away to a friend who eventually donated it to the landfill.

 

Self inflicted?? I subscribed to this thread for assistance, not condemnation.

 

That's strange. I just got one with a reconditioning feature, and it works incredibly well. It even restored a trashed mower battery. I ran the AGM in the 442 down to 9v when it chucked the alternator belt, and the CTEK fixed that as well.

 

It wasn't condemnation. Most anything you buy has its power requirements either with it, on it, or available online. No condo = no problemo, though.

 

Just my experience -- may have got a bad one, but they wouldn't make it right so they don't get a second chance and I'll badmouth them whenever I get the opportunity. I'll just struggle along with my Battery Tenders.

 

Nothing but good luck with ctek and battery tender brands. Used on bike for the last 15 years.

 

I have a Schumacher 1.5 Amp charger/maintainer for my 4-4-2. I also have a Schumacher solar powered maintainer for my Ford truck that sits out in the driveway 95% of the time. I have 2 Optimate .750mA charger/maintainers on my motorcycles. All work like a charm!

 

This may be a silly question but is it recommended or is it necessary to pull the battery cables off of the terminals when using a float charger?

 

No it is not necessary to disconnect the cables.... although it never hurts as an added measure of safety.
Old car, old wiring ... you can't be too safe.

I use a combination of battery disconnect terminals on all my cars, with the Battery Tender adapter connected directly to the battery.
On my newer vehicles... those with more electronics & EFI, etc., I generally leave the batteries connected to minimize the relearn cycles from a battery disconnection.
Also, these newer cars tend to kill a battery rather quickly if not used frequently. My 06 Chevy Tk will drain a battery in just over a month if not driven.

 

We have had three different sizes Ctek chargers for many years to both cars , tractors and bikes.
No problems at all.

 

I pull one cable if it’s a long term stg. Even the battery in my lawn tractor is like 7 years old.
you can buy a thread in lead post, that’s what I use for the side posts

 

What is the purpose of a threaded lead post, and are they available for top battery posts?

 

They're sometimes called "charging posts". These thread into side terminal batteries to give charger clips something to hook to with battery out of the car. Not really needed on top post batteries.

I've found threading a bolt into a side terminal works as well as the charging post.

If you decide to do a semi-permanent installation using the tender's ring terminal leads, those install easily under the battery cable nuts. I generally like to make the (-) connection away from the battery itself if the leads are long enough. Since most Oldsmobiles have a small gauge ground wire running from (-) terminal to sheetmetal that's easy enough. Connect it to the screw attaching the lead to the fender. Or where the (-) cable bolts to the block.

 

Another CTEK props here. I'm using one on my AGM in the 87.

Also use the Battery Tender Jr.'s on two of the vehicles in the house garage. Great little maintenance chargers at a reasonable price.

 

I have used Battery Tenders for several years, the large standard units with no problems until one night I walked into the garage to the smell of electrical type fire and one of the Battery Tenders was so hot I could not touch it. That unit was about 5 years old, the other 2 units were 6 and 8 years old and have never been a problem. I now never leave the cars hooked up when I am out of town.

 

they are to make a post on a side post. If you take one terminal off in the winter it gives you a place to clamp on the tender.
I find the lead posts at the swap meets cheap. It’s tight between the cable and the inner fender, ( on my car) be careful not to use a long bolt and make contact.you can blow your battery up.

 

After lots of research and a quick ck of the wallet here is what I settled on, thanks for all the input. I decided on this because of positive reviews and what I thought was a decent price and I was thinking the internal fan to keep the unit and processor cool was a good idea.
Here is my report on its operation so far, when I hooked it up it read battery voltage at 12.1 volts and immediately recognized my battery as a 12 volt auto battery and started charging, per instructions if it recognizes a battery that is not repairable it will illuminate the abnormal led
that never happened, however after reaching full charge the maint required light came on and it automatically went in to repair mode this actually took approx 12 hours, after the repair mode was complete it automatically went in to float trickle mode. I have driven the car several times since
and when I hook it back up now it does a short charge and returns to float mode with no maint required light coming on. I don't know much about the pulse technology behind the repair (desulphation) mode but it apparently works because the battery has not entered repair mode since the initial repair cycle. I guess time will tell

 

Nice. Thanks for the update, Solly.

 

I have used 2 Battery Tender Juniors on my cars for the last 11 years without issue.