Snowy Battery Maintainers??

[cannuck]

This thread may not have a snowball's chance in Hell getting resolved, but let's give it the old college try:

I take the vast majority of batteries in equipment on my farm into the shop at home to stay warm and charged, but those in some fixed equipment (door opening and overhead crane winches that are all 12VDC) and quad have cheap Chinese maintainers that work extremely well. BUT: my 24V Cat (snow clearing), excavator and 12V highway tractor need support to be able to crank when cold after being parked for weeks or even months. I have some of the older gray coloured NOCOs that suffer from brittle leads at low temp, but are sealed so can sit out in the weather (TOP requirement).

I just started parking the FLD120 there, and it really needs a smart maintainer, but when I went to my local battery store, the off brand stuff was not suitable for exposure to snow or rain and the 10A 12/24V Noco the guy told me in no uncertain terms I do not want to buy. Why? The new ones have a Li Ion battery and they simply don't work when cold!!!! (So he says but I have to take that one seriously).

So: let's hear from the Northerners - what battery maintainers have decent wire, exposable to rain/snow and actually work when cold???

 

[AC-WC]

Huge fan of Battery Tender Junior. One for each tractor, one for the hot rod, one for the truck and then I have regular battery chargers I swap around the other vehicles when needed. A little pricey at $35-40 each but do NOT get the ones from HF. I had one melt on the hot rod before I went to Battery Tender.

 

[Jeepster04]

If you need a maintainer, they seem to get a lot of bad reviews, but I've had good luck with battery tender. I've used both the junior chargers like AC-WC and the 4 bank chargers. One of my Jeeps has been on the 4 bank charger since 2013, same battery.

I would not leave a maintainer out in the rain/snow...

 

[Copymutt]

Plow truck sits for months, dual batteries. A $30.00 solar maintainer has kept everything healthy for 4 yrs. Just leave the solar panel exposed to the sun.

 

[BrandonV]

No experience in your environment but I've always been very happy with BatteryMINDer.

Temperature compensation from -4°F to 122°F and they're IP65.

 

[LopezBart]

I use several Battery Tenders; I even have one on the battery that runs my CPAP. No issues with any of them.

 

[scooby074]

I use Nocos, Optimates and Cteks

 

[Earp69]

Plow truck sits for months, dual batteries. A $30.00 solar maintainer has kept everything healthy for 4 yrs. Just leave the solar panel exposed to the sun.

Yes and no. I had two of the cheap 30 dollar ones and it boiled both batteries they were on. My truck with dual batteries as well. The cheap ones have no/poor regulation and over charge. I ponied up and bought a nice $200 one for my trailer, no more overcharging.

 

[cannuck]

Yeah, the overcharging thing is quite important. Altogether, Ihave about 7 or 8 grand worth of batteries to take care of, and as I mentioned, most kept inside. The outdoor stuff is super critical as I NEED it to be able to start and find when I go to battery supply stores nobody I speak with has a clue about things such as temp rating of wiring insulation, protective measures, etc.

 

[brtsvg]

Huge fan of Battery Tender Junior. One for each tractor, one for the hot rod, one for the truck and then I have regular battery chargers I swap around the other vehicles when needed. A little pricey at $35-40 each but do NOT get the ones from HF. I had one melt on the hot rod before I went to Battery Tender.

Same here. I’ve got 2 Battery Tender Juniors and have used them for over 10 years with great results and they are still going strong for me here in Eastern Iowa. These are quality units.

 

[bwringer]

Are any of the Battery Tender brand products weatherproof?

 

[moab11]

Ctek has a low temp 12v version that works quite well and most of their chargers are rated to be outside I believe.
I permanently installed one in my last two trucks and ran the plug to the grille beside the block heater. Then when needed or leaving the truck to sit for a long time, I could just run an extension cord and the ctek charger would keep the battery topped up.

 

[VolvoRyan]

I've had CTEK's out under the hoods of fair-weather cars all winter. They do fine. I just got the low temp version. Probably overkill for southern Indiana, but whatever.

-Ryan

 

[cannuck]

Same here. I’ve got 2 Battery Tender Juniors and have used them for over 10 years with great results and they are still going strong for me here in Eastern Iowa. These are quality units.

Great for single batteries, but I need to maintain 4 group 31s at a time with one maintainer.

 

[MarkH]

Great for single batteries, but I need to maintain 4 group 31s at a time with one maintainer.

At that size we have given up on maintainers. We use the low setting on chargers and move them between the racks every week so many batteries per charger. So they cycle through about once a month. We have done that for years. At times old tech works best, we did this in the 50s and 60s and I learned it as I grew up. The majority of the batteries are stored in a just above freezing building. We heat it just enough to keep the water from freezing. High volume of batteries are not fun especially with ones of the size you almost need a farmhand loader to take them off the machine.

For the machines active during winter that we have to start at -30+ freezing your *** off temps. We have gone to getting them all in buildings. Ones not used can sit outside. We have to start about 50% of them daily so battery charge is not an issue. We have plug ins for them and knipco heaters using kerosene we put under them with a tarp and with Cenex premium #2 they spin like a summer day. Most of them are on timers so they are ready when we need them. Since these start daily we keep them in a colder building. The ones run less often are actually in a warmer building. We will put a charger on them every so many days. If an emergency machine like the tractors hooked to generators they have the chargers on timers.

With livestock, grain hauling, machine maintenance, and financial items to take care of. Winter is not a vacation down on the farm.

 

[cannuck]

At that size we have given up on maintainers. We use the low setting on chargers and move them between the racks every week so many batteries per charger.

For the machines active during winter that we have to start at -30+ freezing your *** off temps. We have gone to getting them all in buildings.

My farm is all unbroken land - grazed by my neighbour. I have only an unheated (and unheatable) storage shelter out there, but need to be able to clear snow to get at storage of various things. Also need to be able to use highway tractor on reasonably short notice (it's batteries a proper PITA that I do NOT want to be R&R ing at -20 or less.

I have a general rule of thumb that tells me I want around 2 - 2.5 amps available to keep a group 31 happy (converting all of my 4D stuff to 31s) so 10A smart charger should do - but all rated for dry land only - at least what I have found so far

 

[Nortonscustom]

You might want to try one of the Schumacher under hood battery maintainers. Seem to hold up just fine. I have them on a couple trucks, trailers and my tractor. The tractor spends its days sitting in an open faced loafing shed half covered in snow usually. The charger just mounts to the side of the battery box.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The new ones (portable jump starters) have a Li Ion battery and they simply don't work when cold!!!!

They will work if NOT STORED in the cold. Anything above 35F and they will work fine.

If you leave it in you truck overnight, 5 minutes in front of a heater blasting hot air should be enough.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Are any of the Battery Tender brand products weatherproof?

Battery Tender Charger and Maintainer: 12V or 24V Heavy Duty Weather Resistant - Amazon $150

 

[MarkH]

My farm is all unbroken land - grazed by my neighbour. I have only an unheated (and unheatable) storage shelter out there, but need to be able to clear snow to get at storage of various things. Also need to be able to use highway tractor on reasonably short notice (it's batteries a proper PITA that I do NOT want to be R&R ing at -20 or less.

I have a general rule of thumb that tells me I want around 2 - 2.5 amps available to keep a group 31 happy (converting all of my 4D stuff to 31s) so 10A smart charger should do - but all rated for dry land only - at least what I have found so far

We do have some out of the way places where we have to park outside. We still tarp them and bring in equipment to heat them up for starting. A portable generator and/or a heater depending on the temp and machine size. We blew a few starters out before we did that. For the starters on the big equipment $500 was a cheap starter usually more. You did not want that bill more than once. Think 855, 903 and 1156 diesels.

As for the dry land I am making the assumption for in a dry area use ie not out in nature. To us that means non-irrigated land. If we have to leave a charger plugged in on the ones in the open. We just put the charger on a board, throw an old pail over it, then put a rock on top of the pail. Have not had issues in all of the years my forefathers up to the kids have been doing it. We do use about the same amps per group of 4 batteries in the charging stations.

 

[Sumboodie]

the sun.

You mean the thing that's gone for 4 months a year?

 

[cannuck]

They will work if NOT STORED in the cold. Anything above 35F and they will work fine.

If you leave it in you truck overnight, 5 minutes in front of a heater blasting hot air should be enough.

I don't recall saying anything about portable jump starters - I was speaking of low amp charger/maintainers.

 

[PCustoms]

I don't recall saying anything about portable jump starters - I was speaking of low amp charger/maintainers.

Your OP is talking about a jump starter.....

 

[PCustoms]

the 10A 12/24V Noco the guy told me in no uncertain terms I do not want to buy. Why? The new ones have a Li Ion battery and they simply don't work when cold!!!! (So he says but I have to take that one seriously).

One of you seems confused about the Noco product.

 

[cannuck]

One of you seems confused about the Noco product.

This I was told by the sales guy where I have a battery account (battery store). He definitely was NOT speaking of jumper pack, but the new generation (black cases) NOCO chargers.

 

[PCustoms]

This I was told by the sales guy where I have a battery account (battery store). He definitely was NOT speaking of jumper pack, but the new generation (black cases) NOCO chargers.

I might be out in left field, but I can't imagine a charger has an internal lithium battery. My old maintainer is sealed AFAIK, and I wanted a 2nd one.

..... scurries off to Google things

 

[theoldwizard1]

This I was told by the sales guy where I have a battery account (battery store). He definitely was NOT speaking of jumper pack, but the new generation (black cases) NOCO chargers.

Battery Tender Charger and Maintainer: 12V or 24V Heavy Duty Weather Resistant - Amazon $150

 

[PCustoms]

NOCO GENIUS2D 12V 2A Smart Onboard Battery Charger For Cars, Trucks, SUVs, RVs & Lawn Mowers – Automatic Charger, Maintainer, Trickle Charger

The NOCO GENIUS2D is a direct-mount 12V 2A onboard battery charger, maintainer, trickle charger, and desulfator for lead-acid batteries, including automotive, marine, and deep-cycle types such as flooded, gel, AGM, SLA, VRLA, and maintenance-free. Designed for under-the-hood use and compatible...

no.co

NOCO Genius GEN5X1 12V 10A 1-Bank Onboard Marine Battery Charger Maintainer – For Boats, Jet Skis, & Pontoons – Lead-Acid & Lithium Batteries

The NOCO Genius GEN5X1 is a compact and powerful 12V 5A 1-Bank onboard marine battery charger and maintainer. The GEN5X1 is designed to safely support 12-volt lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries of multiple chemistries such as flooded, gel, maintenance-free and AGM batteries, as well as multiple...

no.co

Curious what he was talking about, as I don't see a 12/24v option

 

[cannuck]

Curious what he was talking about, as I don't see a 12/24v option

can't find it on the Noco site, but it is definitely on the wall at the battery store. $185.00 Cdn. I am sick of taking Noco's apart to install wiring that doesn't shatter in our winters. I was told by Noco when I asked about that (-27C rated wire) and they said: " Oh, you just have to use it inside.

 

[AC-WC]

Are any of the Battery Tender brand products weatherproof?

I would not leave them exposed. Run the unit under the hood and keep the cord plug under there as well rain or snow makes no difference. I've done that with my truck sitting outside the barn and no issues. I use the quick disconnect and it's really safe. Prevents short circuits/sparks when the wires are loose under the hood.