Battery Tender

[Tom in SW VA]

How many of you guys use a battery tender??

[SeaSlugs]

if you drive more than around the block and once a month or more it should not need a battery tender.

[31 Model A]

I have one and I do use it, mostly during winter months.

[marc silva]

I have golf carts boats jet skis and 7 classic/antique cars ALL on battery tenders. I would do no other. I just this summer changed the battery In my 1971 gas powered Harley Davidson golf cart that I put in it in 2001. No B.S. You just have to make sure it always has water. Not saying it works that well on everything that I can 't say for sure but in my case they work. The battery in one of my boats is 10 years old and still is in excellent condition as well.

[Synchro909]

My wife wrote off our every day car a while ago so I grabbed the battery out of it to eventually go into the car I am currently restoring. It will be months yet before it is finished so I have a solar powered tender on it. Seems to be working well.
We had a discussion at one of my car clubs on the topic about 12 months ago and the vast majority of people who use one were happy with the results.

[Kurt in NJ]

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I never use one, just what the car chareges, always have good battery life---longer than the battery tender salseman says ---neglect, cold winter storage has given me 16 years on the Optima, my now battery is 12 or so years, a 12V cut in 1/2

[kevinmac/toledo]

i got one-love it ...my battery is 8 years old... still going

[Mike V. Florida]

Deltran mini for me.

[marc silva]

I forgot to mention for what it is worth the battery in my golf cart also was an optima yellow top .

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi Tom,

FWIW: Just one bunch of experiences:

Battery Charger/Extenders have come a long way since 50+ years ago where they were just used to slowly recharge weak or dead batteries ..... the batteries became "partially" recharged, but these old re-chargers never removed harmful sulfates from corroded battery plates.

Years ago dead batteries were disassembled, had plates cleaned, and were re-sold as re-built batteries at gas stations. Military maintenance units provided these same battery re-build services.

My son and I have a few of the following "Red" Schumacher Charger/Extenders & have discarded quite a few Battery Tenders that did not last long. These models have micro-processing technology that can remove sulfates (de-sulfation) from weak battery plates. They can be found on Amazon.com if interested.


Schumacher SP-1 2/4-Amp 6/12-Volt Automatic Battery Charger/Extender
21
$34.89 Prime Auto Voltage Detection; Reverse Hook Up Protection; Desulfation And Float Mode; For All Battery Types; Includes: Quick Connect Harness, 50A Clamps, 24 Inch Fused Ring Leads With Weather Cap.

[ian Simpson]

I do not use one. We have had the Tudor for seven years and it still has the battery it came with. Similarly, our MGB has had the same battery for the six years we have owned it. In neither case do we know how long the battery was in the car when we bought it.

Both vehicles are typically stored from October to April, give or take a few weeks. I simply put a charger on each before spring start up. Batteries are sure better than the ones from the sixties.

[mshmodela]

I have a 2A Sears. I don't drive too long or often than some so I only use it depending upon the S.
G. of each cell... I do not leave it on over night...

[Jon]

Never used one. I've had the car 13 years, it always starts even after sitting over the winter.

[53RYDER]

Newbie question! Those that use 'tenders's!!!! Do you connect the tender right to the battery in place, meaning the battery is connected to the car via positive and negative leads? Or do you dis-connect the battery from car circuit and then attach the tender leads? Just wondering if you connect tender to battery while battery is connected to the rest of the car will it hurt/fry anything?

Glenn (newbie)

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by 53RYDER

Newbie question! Those that use 'tenders's!!!! Do you connect the tender right to the battery in place, meaning the battery is connected to the car via positive and negative leads? Or do you dis-connect the battery from car circuit and then attach the tender leads? Just wondering if you connect tender to battery while battery is connected to the rest of the car will it hurt/fry anything?

Glenn (newbie)

you can leave the battery connected..
you can also connect it under the hood to make it easier...
for positive ground connect the red lead to a head nut and the black lead to the starter post.

i have not found the need to use them on a stock model A with a generator as they have no parasitic draw...

[Big hammer]

Though the floor your less likly to take a drive with charger in tow ;-)

[RonC]

Some have said they can start a fire

[Jeff/Illinois]

Tom there has been a lot of good discussion on here concerning them. We have the Deltran Power Tenders and they seem to work good.

It was Mitch and Tom Wesenberg I believe who once posted that they simply start and drive their cars regularly and with a stock setup, and Tom's EVR, you will get a long service life out of your batteries. Keep the terminals clean and top off the cells with good distilled water. Or if you wish, hook up your battery to a regular charger and have it on a timer for sporadic short charges.

I would guess that the guts to all these things are made by the same mfg. in China today. Please see attached link of the guy that left a trickle charger on all night in Tianjin on HIS Model a and the results...........

https://youtu.be/rUDL9NE-y1A

[Bob Bidonde]

I have been using a battery tender on each of my Model A's for the past few years, and they work very well. Battery tenders were the answer to a period where my Model A's sat idle because of personal health issues, and I still use the tenders even though I have recovered. I bought the battery tenders from Harbor Freight for less than 10$ each.

[Y-Blockhead]

If I have to leave my 2006 F-150 sitting for a couple of weeks the battery will not be strong enough to start. I plug a battery tender into the 12v 'outlet' (cigarette lighter) to keep it charged.

The Sedan I just hook it up to the battery cable to the starter and ground if I know it won't be driven for a couple of weeks. I also 'open' the master disconnect switch.

My '55 Ranchwagon has been on a Battery Tender for ~3 years now. I have swapped this battery out with the F-150 battery and it still works fine. (Somebody left the light on in the covered bed of the F-150...)

Make sure you check the electrolyte level before and during charging.

Someone mentioned 'sulfates'. I was just reading a back issue of MODEL "A" TIMES and there was an article on batteries and adding Tetrasodium EDTA to clean the sulfates off of the plates. I'll see if I can find the article or issue number.