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Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: dIc dOc Deity !] #2844059
11/09/20 03:12 PM
11/09/20 03:12 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,435
So Cal
Sinitro Offline
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So Cal
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... wink

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: Sinitro] #2844091
11/09/20 04:07 PM
11/09/20 04:07 PM
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,914
Calgary, Alberta Canada
a12rag Offline
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Calgary, Alberta Canada
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 . . .

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: a12rag] #2844161
11/09/20 05:41 PM
11/09/20 05:41 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 876
Arizona
PolyDart Offline
super stock
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Posts: 876
Arizona
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

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: PolyDart] #2844181
11/09/20 06:21 PM
11/09/20 06:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,436
Blair County,PA
62maxwgn Offline
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Posts: 9,436
Blair County,PA
Never had one,never needed one,run about 1/2 hr every few months through the winter,this one is over 9 yrs old ! shruggy

Picture 624.jpg
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: 62maxwgn] #2844187
11/09/20 06:43 PM
11/09/20 06:43 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 43,458
Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy
Rhinodart Offline
Rhinotruck
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Rhinotruck

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Posts: 43,458
Round Lake Beach, Illinoisy
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... twocents


The funny thing about science is that if you change one miniscule parameter you change the entire outcome to the way you want it.

JB Rhinehart, Realist

A-Body's RULE!
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: Rhinodart] #2844673
11/10/20 09:42 PM
11/10/20 09:42 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 172
katakan
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lilred Offline
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katakan
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.

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: lilred] #2844680
11/10/20 09:59 PM
11/10/20 09:59 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,149
Park Forest, IL
slantzilla Offline
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Park Forest, IL
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.


"Everybody funny, now you funny too."
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: slantzilla] #2844686
11/10/20 10:13 PM
11/10/20 10:13 PM
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 259
n.c.
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geo. Offline
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n.c.
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!

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: geo.] #2844693
11/10/20 10:36 PM
11/10/20 10:36 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,935
WI
Dcuda69 Offline
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Posts: 4,935
WI
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 tsk. 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.

Last edited by Dcuda69; 11/10/20 10:59 PM.
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: Dcuda69] #2845093
11/11/20 09:25 PM
11/11/20 09:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,194
Omaha Ne
T
TJP Offline
I Live Here
TJP  Offline
I Live Here
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,194
Omaha Ne
Originally Posted by Dcuda69
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 tsk. 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.


up iagree

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: TJP] #2845216
11/12/20 09:41 AM
11/12/20 09:41 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,005
Tulsa OK
Bad340fish Offline
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Tulsa OK
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.


68 Barracuda Formula S 340
87 "Chrysler" Conquest
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: Bad340fish] #2847026
11/16/20 01:27 PM
11/16/20 01:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,930
Odessa, Tx.
cudarex Offline
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Odessa, Tx.
Have used one for years with no problems

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: cudarex] #2847165
11/16/20 05:48 PM
11/16/20 05:48 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 7
Ontario, Canada
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moparroy Offline
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Ontario, Canada
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.

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: Sinitro] #2847222
11/16/20 07:04 PM
11/16/20 07:04 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,269
Slantytown
DUFFMAN Offline
Ask And Ye Shall Receive
DUFFMAN  Offline
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Posts: 11,269
Slantytown
Originally Posted by Sinitro
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... wink


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

Last edited by DUFFMAN; 11/16/20 07:05 PM.

No longer taking $h!t from anyone!
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: DUFFMAN] #2847269
11/16/20 08:59 PM
11/16/20 08:59 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 888
Oh
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parksr5 Offline
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Oh
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.

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: parksr5] #2849334
11/21/20 12:17 AM
11/21/20 12:17 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,283
Land 'O Lakes
RoadRunnerLuva Offline
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Land 'O Lakes
I use a Battery Tender plus...works fine


Plymouth Makes It!
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: RoadRunnerLuva] #2851430
11/25/20 03:27 PM
11/25/20 03:27 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,861
albany ny
0
05dakota Offline
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albany ny
BEEN using them for years. no issues


5549 post on old board
Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: 05dakota] #2851509
11/25/20 06:40 PM
11/25/20 06:40 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,435
So Cal
Sinitro Offline
master
Sinitro  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,435
So Cal
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.... eek
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.. wink

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: JMCFAN] #2851529
11/25/20 07:14 PM
11/25/20 07:14 PM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,443
Morristown Tn.
7
71birdJ68 Offline
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Morristown Tn.
What kind of battery? AGM, no, you have to have a special tender.

Re: Battery Tender-yea or nay..? [Re: 71birdJ68] #2851538
11/25/20 07:38 PM
11/25/20 07:38 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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Pacnorthcuda  Offline
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Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Originally Posted by 71birdJ68
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.

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