I think I need a battery tender but am unsure what to get or should I get something different? I want to use it for two purposes. I have a few regular old style large battery chargers that I use to charge up a dead battery. I want to use the tender to top off a battery after charging so I don't over charge them with my old style chargers and want to keep batteries up in the winter, say every few weeks. I do not want batteries hooked up to a tender 24/7 because of fire danger and I can't have cords everywhere all of the time. I have only regular lead acid type batteries, mostly ones that I add water too but a few maintaince free. I am mostly 12 volt but do have a couple of 24 volt systems. 6 volt would be nice too but is not critical. My batteries range from 12 volt 360 CCA to two 12 volt 1300 CCA in series (about 100lbs each) with mostly 12 volt 850 CCA batteries making up the rest. Some batteries I can bring inside the shop for the winter and some I need to take the tender to in the outside cold. Any recommendations? Thanks!!
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Battery Tender, what to get?
- Thread starter johninct
- Start date
Givl Reggin
Banned
Schumacher SP3 (3 amps) or SP6 (6 amp version) or if you want something significantly better take a look at the CTEK Multi US 3300 chargers (http://www.SmarterCharger.com).
MemphisR32
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2014
- Messages
- 155
I run a CTEK MUS 4.3 and really like it. It also has a cold weather setting to use when it's below freezing. It handles everything from my track car to my motorcycle with separate modes for each. Cost me about $70
Bigblue&Goldie
Well-known member
I run a CTEK MUS 4.3 and really like it. It also has a cold weather setting to use when it's below freezing. It handles everything from my track car to my motorcycle with separate modes for each. Cost me about $70
I have the same one and it's been great.
shanker
Well-known member
I love my CTEK as well.....I ended up getting it from Amazon.
Get a BatterMinder. Will trickle charge & restore batteries. Mine has paid for itself many times. Many versions available.
"High-frequency pulses safely remove sulphate from battery's plates that prevent the batteries from holding a full charge"
http://www.batteryminders.com/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P23HZS/?tag=atomicindus08-20
"High-frequency pulses safely remove sulphate from battery's plates that prevent the batteries from holding a full charge"
http://www.batteryminders.com/
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P23HZS/?tag=atomicindus08-20
djb2
Well-known member
A bunch of chargers use 'pulse charging' or 'high frequency pulse charging' and make the claim that it removes plate sulphation.
That's because that's the cheap way to make a charger. Pretty much every ancient charger used a simple transformer and rectifier, producing 60Hz or 120Hz pulses. Modern chargers use switch mode power supplies, which produce 15KHz to 500KHz pulses. In other applications the pulses are filtered with a capacitor and a few other components. But a battery charger can omit the expense.
True plate conditioning, as described in the research they are mis-reporting, requires a brief discharge. Few battery chargers actually do this.
That's because that's the cheap way to make a charger. Pretty much every ancient charger used a simple transformer and rectifier, producing 60Hz or 120Hz pulses. Modern chargers use switch mode power supplies, which produce 15KHz to 500KHz pulses. In other applications the pulses are filtered with a capacitor and a few other components. But a battery charger can omit the expense.
True plate conditioning, as described in the research they are mis-reporting, requires a brief discharge. Few battery chargers actually do this.
wild cowboy
Banned
what's wrong with the original Battery Tender? - mine seem to work great for keeping the classic cars in the garage topped up automatically.
Last edited:
bob15
Well-known member
Auto Meter (12vdc), BatteryMinder (12 vdc), Battery Tender (12vdc), Schumacher (6vdc) are brands that I have for battery maintainers. All work fine for maintaining battery life. I prefer the AutoMeter because of its metal casing.
rcjoy
Well-known member
CTEK is the way to go.
Several car manufacturers (such as GM, Porsche, etc.) also sell CTEK chargers re-branded with their own name, but at a higher price.
Several car manufacturers (such as GM, Porsche, etc.) also sell CTEK chargers re-branded with their own name, but at a higher price.
kctyphoon
Banned
I think anything you buy that monitors the batteries will work. I just bought a stanley charger on clearance from lowes ( $69, reg $99) that has a float charge, auto charge, and conditioner.. It may not be the best thing out there, but what was nice is that it won't keep charging batteries that are no good.. After about 5 minutes if it knows the battery is no good it will stop trying to charge it.. Did it to both the batteries out of my old f350 and they were completely shot.. So it didn't waste hours of just throwing current at them.. I have a battery tender for my gsxr that works good (as long as I bother to plug it in)
A bunch of chargers use 'pulse charging' or 'high frequency pulse charging' and make the claim that it removes plate sulphation.
That's because that's the cheap way to make a charger. Pretty much every ancient charger used a simple transformer and rectifier, producing 60Hz or 120Hz pulses. Modern chargers use switch mode power supplies, which produce 15KHz to 500KHz pulses. In other applications the pulses are filtered with a capacitor and a few other components. But a battery charger can omit the expense.
True plate conditioning, as described in the research they are mis-reporting, requires a brief discharge. Few battery chargers actually do this.
I have a couple Schumacher trickle chargers that I use to maintain my batteries for years. I use them because they work and they are inexpensive. They also work for both 12v & 6v. I have a old International Harvester tractor that has a 6v battery.
A few years ago I had a car battery that would not hold much of a charge even after a few weeks on the Schumacher charger. I bought a BatteryMinder to see if it would desulfate this battery as advertized. It worked and I still use that battery. It also restored other batteries for myself and friends. I don't know the Hertz rate of the different chargers but I know that the BatteryMinder saved me from buying a few new batteries.
pepi
Well-known member
what's wrong with the original Battery Tender? - mine seem to work great for keeping the classic cars in the garage topped up automatically.
I will tell ya what's wrong with a Battery Tender ......... not a damn thing. The worst thing about them, only one LED, no gee wiz LEDs.
One of mine was purchased in 73, got 2 others both keep the HotRods toped off. Charged totally dead batteries more than a few times. 70 bucks - 300 bucks for a glorified Battery Tender ........... Better love it & and I hope the customer got kissed.
As to causing a fire cause it is plugged in 24 x7 ... news flash that cell phone or laptop does that with a much greater frequency then a Battery Tender,
Cheers,
Just got a Noco genius g1100 battery charger. Needed a pulse charger that worked both 6v & 12v. 6V for the battery of my old International Harvester tractor battery. Also has a cold mode for the winter. Hope it pulses alittle different than the BatteryMinder maybe between the two I'll get more sulphation off batteries.
Sk8Crash69
Well-known member
My vote is for the original Battery Tender, I have had it for about 7 years now and never once had a problem and it has kept the optima red top in my Chevelle in top shape for just as long.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
I love my Battery Tender Jr.
For true long term storage (many months) connect you battery maintainer to a cheap mechanical lamp timer set to only run the charger about 1 hr/day. Not to save electricity, but to keep your battery longer.
When you do use the battery, flip the timer to on. That should give you 12-24 hours of charging before going back to the 1 hr/day cycle.
For true long term storage (many months) connect you battery maintainer to a cheap mechanical lamp timer set to only run the charger about 1 hr/day. Not to save electricity, but to keep your battery longer.
When you do use the battery, flip the timer to on. That should give you 12-24 hours of charging before going back to the 1 hr/day cycle.
hitecredneck
Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2014
- Messages
- 9
had a battery tender that caught on fire. now using ctek only!
IndyGarage
Well-known member
I have about a dozen battery tenders - some original, some of the juniors.
I've had a couple problems with the juniors - first I had a couple of them die on me - not sure why. Second and more important - they don't seem to be able to maintain AGM batteries.
The original Battery tenders have never let me down.
I have a couple battery minders - the big one and the small one(like battery tender junior) they charge fine, but I've never gotten any improvement from batteries with them., and I've tried. I think that feature is hype.
I have a coupld of Schumachers - they work fine but I don't see any improvement over battery tender.
I have a couple of harbor freights, and they work fine also.
My favorite is the original battery tender. The only one I would avoid is battery tender junior.
I've had a couple problems with the juniors - first I had a couple of them die on me - not sure why. Second and more important - they don't seem to be able to maintain AGM batteries.
The original Battery tenders have never let me down.
I have a couple battery minders - the big one and the small one(like battery tender junior) they charge fine, but I've never gotten any improvement from batteries with them., and I've tried. I think that feature is hype.
I have a coupld of Schumachers - they work fine but I don't see any improvement over battery tender.
I have a couple of harbor freights, and they work fine also.
My favorite is the original battery tender. The only one I would avoid is battery tender junior.