Battery Tenders
- Thread starter Johnny
- Start date
Hotrod46
Member
I keep the tenders on my cars, motorcycles and yard equipment. The battery on my Kawasaki Nomad lasted 6 years(!) on a tender. I finally just changed it out since the bike was fuel injected and I didn't want to take a chance on it letting me down on the road. Sure wish I had that bike back.
I had an Optima battery in the T for about 5 years and I kept the tender on it all the time when it was stored. The battery died this year at a service station when I stopped for gas. No warning, just failed. I doubt the charger had anything to do with the failure, though. I've heard of Optima's failing that way.
My cars and bikes always have hot batteries that spin the engines over like they are new. I highly recommend the small Deltran Battery Tender brand chargers. They're about $30 depending on where you get them.
I had an Optima battery in the T for about 5 years and I kept the tender on it all the time when it was stored. The battery died this year at a service station when I stopped for gas. No warning, just failed. I doubt the charger had anything to do with the failure, though. I've heard of Optima's failing that way.
My cars and bikes always have hot batteries that spin the engines over like they are new. I highly recommend the small Deltran Battery Tender brand chargers. They're about $30 depending on where you get them.
ellis8500
Member
I have an Oddessy battery and it doesn't discharge over a few months. The only time it did was when I left an external Tach connected to the battery. I do not know anything about your electric system...but, you might have a low current load connected all the time that you don't know about. The Oddessy batteries do not have much in the way of Amp-Hour capacity. They are starting only batteries. Even a small load, a few milliamps, will drain those batteries over a few months.
To test, disconnect the battery and check the resistance with your meter probes connected [contacting] the Pos & Neg cables. Should be Zero; 0.000.
To test, disconnect the battery and check the resistance with your meter probes connected [contacting] the Pos & Neg cables. Should be Zero; 0.000.
fordsbyjay
Active Member
I had a CTEK on the Optima in my car trailer and for whatever reason it vented the top of my battery. After that I bought a Battery Tender Jr for one of my other cars. It seems to work well and is very cost effective.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123/overview/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0123/overview/
TriodeLuvr
Member
Shouldn't it read infinite (open)? Different digital meters display that in different ways, but 0.000 usually represents zero ohms, a short. A better test is to set the meter to read current (mA) and insert it in series with the positive battery lead with everything turned off. This provides a more accurate indication of what's actually happening because some electronic devices will not draw current at the lower voltage produced by an ohmmeter. They will only show their true residual current draw when connected to a higher voltage source like the battery.
Jack
Hotrod46
Member
Same thing that mine did, only I was about 90 miles from home on the way to a car show. Luckily a guy in a farm mechanic's truck was walking up to look at the car. He gave me a ride to a NAPA store to get a new battery, even offered his tools. I had a small tool kit in my trailer, though. As road break downs go, this one wasn't bad. Took less than an hour to get going again. I'm glad I used a standard battery size. One of those tiny dry cell units would have meant a tow truck ride back home.
Keeper
Active Member
I used them on both of my cars this year. When it came time to start them up, they both cranked without issue.
Cheap insurance, last year I had a battery freeze in the cold weather, of course that is not covered under warranty. I figure the $40 it cost for a tender will save me a couple hundred in the long run.
OH yeah, I have the small one. Battery Tender junior 12v
Cheap insurance, last year I had a battery freeze in the cold weather, of course that is not covered under warranty. I figure the $40 it cost for a tender will save me a couple hundred in the long run.
OH yeah, I have the small one. Battery Tender junior 12v
TriodeLuvr
Member
Wow, that must have been really cold to freeze the acid in a battery. Will a tender prevent that?
Jack
I am under the impression, dead batteries can freeze, charged batteries will not. I am cheap and use Harbor Freight maintainer chargers, $4.99 with a coupon on my lawn mower, 4 wheeler, run in stand, T bucket and all other toys. I did have an optima battery do something weird after several years. Battery is probably approaching 10 years old. It started the car fine after sitting more than a year/ with the cheap charger on it. Second starting sounded like a dying battery. I drove the car and put one of the brain chargers on it. It think it is still OK. I put quick disconnect plugs on a couple of the batteries, so no worry about alligator clip issues.
Keeper
Active Member
hahaha yeah it got damn cold that year. AND it was a "winter" battery. Was not a happy camper when they told me it froze and its not covered. (bowed the sides right out)
The battery warms when it charges, so it keeps it from freezing. At least thats what I have read.
roadmonster
Member
I connected the pigtail permanently and just plug the maintainer in when I need it. I use a 24 series (truck-size) battery with 700 cca so it's rarely needed. For less than 40 bucks, it's a good deal.
Mmm...I had the battery tenders at McDonald's and they are really good with barbeque sauce.
Up here in Minnesota (think Siberia with family restaurants), I bring my Optima Yellow-Top battery inside and put it on the little Optima 400 maintainer until Spring.
Up here in Minnesota (think Siberia with family restaurants), I bring my Optima Yellow-Top battery inside and put it on the little Optima 400 maintainer until Spring.
Indycars
Well-Known Member
I'm using a wall wort with about 3-5 ohm resistor. It's rated at 12 v/1 amp, but charges at 14.5 v and 0.25 amps when the battery is fully charged.
Got the idea here:
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=110354
Got the idea here:
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=110354
fordsbyjay
Active Member
I linked the wrong unit. I have the Tender Plus.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dtn-021-0128/overview/
fordsbyjay
Active Member
The colder it gets the more the battery capacity decreases. Once the battery is dead then it freezes.
https://rollsbattery.freshdesk.com/support/articles/5860-temperature-vs-capacity-flooded-lead-acid
