For winter storage..?

I’ve had nothing but good experiences for years using the battery tender on all my cars , tractors , ATV’s... never an issue.
Others had issues and I’m sure will chime in.

I use a small battery charger to top off each battery over the winter. I usually hook it up for a couple of days and then move it to the next car. Seems to work just fine.

Yea

I use a solar panel battery charger. They cost less than a battery tender and cost nothing to use.

Absolutely yes.

Wait for it........

Yea

Wait for what..?

I pull the battery out and charge is every couple months.
I don't trust the chinese parts in battery chargers to short out or cause some sort of over charging problem to leave them connected long term unattended.

I like that but here in NM we can gets days when I can pull them out and drive them......

Myself, I just disconnect the battery. Been doing this for about 10 years and haven't had a problem yet. However I suspect one of the two may be on the downhill side.

I use the little DelTran waterproof battery tenders. One on my bike and one on the Bee, 24/7 year round. Soon as I pull back into the garage, I hook them up.

Same here. My Turbostart AGM red cap battery has lasted 10 yrs now doing this.

I swear by battery tenders. Been using them for over 20 years with a lot of good luck in extending my battery lives. Especially for these expensive repro batteries. Around 5 years ago my AGM yellow cap repro decided to buy the farm. My conventional tender wasn't helping it hold a charge. I put it on my regular charger to see if I could bring it back too and no luck. After I found out they weren't making the repro's anymore I did a hail mary and picked up a Pulsetech Xtreme Auto Charger after hearing a lot of good things about it. To my complete surprise it brought my battery back and it's been working great for the last 5 years. The Xtreme is a fantastic one that desulphates and there are other new ones as well that have algorithms that accomplish the same thing. I'm a believer now.

I've got 15 of the Deltran Battery Tenders going 24/7 on my vehicles, with the exception of when I drive one of course. Been doing this for at least 10 years now with zero problems. And agree with others, I believe they absolutely extend the life of batteries. I've got a several that are now over 10 years old.

Previously used them until I needed a warranty honored.
Then I went to Schumacher with built in de-sulfator function.
About the same time there was a local shop fire said to be caused by a battery tender. Also, a member here had a garage fire said to be caused by one.
Check for UL certification before buying any charger.

They've served me well, have three of them, two kinds for three cars, one mower, one MC, and one spare batt.

I switch them every couple of weeks, batteries do seem to last longer

Joe

Yea !!

How many amps youz guyz like ?

Yup...
I was the one that reported the shorted out, melted Battery Tender... Then I learned out about battery cell sulfation situation and upgraded to the Battery Minders as to clear this issue. I will never forget talking with Battery Tender support after finding the melted battery tender, they did replace it at no charge... But then called back a week later strongly urging me to return the defective unit but by then it was already bye-bye in the dumpster..
Having that type of defective product can cost them big $$ if a defective Battery Tender starts a fire..

Just my $0.02...

I use 2amp (schumaker I believe) unit on my Cummins (two batteries) and they are original to truck (built June 24, 2002!!) . . . and have other units on other cars . . .just monitor your chargers and batteries to ensure everything is ok. If you are going to go away for extend period of time, then unplug the unit for safety sake. . . one other thing for long battery life - if the caps can be taken off (even when it says "maintenance free"), take them off and ensure that you have fluid level topped up to bottom of cap well (you can see the change from flat level to "cupped' meniscus when level hits bottom of well), using distilled water. I truly am amazed at the batteries in my truck, almost 20 years !! Then again, I don't drive it in winter . . . most of the batteries in my cars are well over 10 years now, with no issues - thanks to battery maintainers. Just use smartly and safely . . .

I have three of them running right now. One is a dual output unit which I use in my 4x4 with dual batteries. I have been using Battery Tenders for decades with zero issues. T

Never had one,never needed one,run about 1/2 hr every few months through the winter,this one is over 9 yrs old !

I have used them for years, all depends on the health of your battery. They sometimes are great, sometimes a waste of money. I still use them, but they work as a crapshoot at best...

I always just disconnect the battery, cheaper and much Safer. Only charge batteries when I'm around, will never leave a battery charging overnight, as someone stated before about not trusting electronics of possibility made Chinese junk.

I started using a BT on my Ninja at the advice of the dealer. Before a battery would last 2 years tops. The last one was still good at 5 years. I keep one on my race car when it sits too.

The horror stories I've heard were the cheapies before the microprocessor controlled ones came out.
I've got two schumachers right now at least 4 years old work perfectly.
My brother is a believer, after purchasing his fourth sea doo, the dealer told him to use a battery tender.
"It'll make your battery last longer" His comment "So why wasn't I told this for my first three 'doos?"
Now mine won't charge a low battery, battery must have a good state of charge BEFORE hooking up the tender!

I work at a tech college. We store a number of training vehicles in a pole barn for extended periods of time. Got tired of the batts going dead so we put battery tenders(not sure of exact brand) on them. Fire inspector came through and said . Told us they get lots of calls regarding those and fire risk. We took them all off(had to). On my old muscle I just disconnect the batt( don't even take it out)and reconnect in the spring when I get it back out.Been doing that for many years and I'm in WI. Cars live in an uninsulated/unheated garage and -20f happens here....current batt is over 10 years old. On my newer toy I just fire it up every month or 2....hate disconnecting the batt on new stuff....computers and all.

The Battery Tender by Deltran is a good product. But if its an old classic with zero key off draw you should be able to let it sit for months as long as your put it away with a fully charged battery.

Have used one for years with no problems

Yea for sure. My '85 Daytona has a life time warranty battery - I had replaced it (free) countless times - but only once since I started using a maintainer on it and that one was not on a maintainer for its first year or two of life. The only issue I ever had with a maintainer was using a 2 amp maintainer on my '82 Gold Wing battery - it only extended the life by one year - but when I replaced it with the same battery I read in the manual that 2 Amp is the maximum charger you should use so it was probably too high in current when it was charging before maintenance mode. I now use a 0.75 Amp maintainer (this one is actually a Battery Tender brand unit) on the bike.

My career was in two way radio and cellular telephone systems and networks. Every radio or cell site installation had lead acid back up batteries. Expected life is 20 years. The charging systems on those battery banks for years have had 3 modes - charge, float and equalize. Charge is well charge. Float is what the auto units now call a maintenance mode. Equalize is a mode someone mentioned above that can actually reverse the sulfation in the battery and help recover it. Important to note that a battery maintainer does not charge the battery in maintenance mode. Charging is a current function - even a trickle charger drives a certain level of current into the battery - once the battery is full if that continues it will over charge the battery and damage it. In charge mode the voltage will increase to continue the charge current flow. A maintenance mode is a constant voltage (float voltage) function - it floats the battery at a constant voltage with current variable as needed to maintain the float voltage.

Oh and those sites are all unmanned - and never heard of a fire blamed on the battery or charger / maintainer - but they are more expensive systems although bets they do use at least parts made in China now if not assembled there.

I've always used Battery Minders because of the de-sulfication feature.

Northern Tool is already selling them at Black Friday price.
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201

I have a Battery Tender brand charger. I've had it around 10-12 years without a problem. I usually hook it up and stay in the garage for awhile before leaving it. I never leave them on long term. I hook them up, and once I get the green light, I unplug it, place it on the floor for a day or so and put it away. In the Winter, I usually put it on each car 1-2 times. It normally takes 30 minutes or less to charge the battery. A few cars, the battery gets unhooked and a few, I leave them hooked up. I have a few cables I don't care about but, I have a few others I do, one is NOS that cost me $200 and was very hard to find. I'll replace the battery every few years instead of messing the cable up.

I use a Battery Tender plus...works fine

BEEN using them for years. no issues

I too had been using the Battery Tenders for many years without any issues.
But finding the shorted unit with the melted case was a wake-up call for me....
The Battery Tender is assembled with many internal components from China, and my basic question is why don't they design in an internal circuit breaker in case the unit shorts out.
This will shut down the unit as to prevent a possible fire..

Just my $0.02..

What kind of battery? AGM, no, you have to have a special tender.

I’ve been using Battery Tender Jrs on agms for years. They cycle correctly (go through the charge mode then go into float) just fine.

Had the 4 amp unit at Costco for $39..... bought 2. Both cars got them now!

Yea!

In the 17 years I've had my car, I've never used a charger during the winter hibernation. I do start the car every 10-14 days and run it up to normal operating temperature. I put about 5 miles on it (up and down through the auto trans gears (the rear end is up on jack stands)). If I remember correctly, I'm on my 3rd battery.