Battery Tenders?

[Roadster Rich]

Do you need a special 6 volt unit or are they good for either 12 or 6 volt?

[Jeff/Illinois]

Rich you need a 6V for that battery and a 12V for a 12 volt battery. Even WalMart carries them now but I haven't seen 6V there, you'll have to go on line to buy a 6V.

I've used Deltran Battery Tender for years no problems. They do seem to lengthen the life of the batteries.

Tom W. had a problem once with a trickle charger left on for a long time, and I know he recommends using a timer now to shut them on and off.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Roadster Rich

Do you need a special 6 volt unit or are they good for either 12 or 6 volt?

Most are dual purpose.. once hooked up they detect 6 or 12v..

If you ever need to da a 12v this may be the way to go

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by Roadster Rich

Do you need a special 6 volt unit or are they good for either 12 or 6 volt?

I have this one for my 6 volt battery and the same one but 12 volt for the 12 volt battery.

[eagle]

I would go simple/basic. A 12 vdc 300 mA Walwort connected to a lamp timer that comes on for 30 min a day will keep your battery in fine condition. If it fails, it will typically fail open so no harm done. Last thing you need is a fire. I know, I've had two serious fires, one caused by a battery charger.

[Kcdan4th]

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I have 6 to 8 on at all times. I run them 24/7. They're a lifesaver!

[Mitch//pa]

I had a lamp timer burn up

[SeaSlugs]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

I had a lamp timer burn up

same here, and a 110v carbon monoxide detector...

I dont trust battery chargers or trickle chargers left unattended. I just disconnect the battery from both posts in the fall then before I want to drive the car I take it out and put it on a 2A charger for an hour in the spring or a trickle charger overnight. Fires right up.

[Brad in Germany]

I periodically use a "Battery Saver" battery maintainer, though my Optimas have never given me any problems, even after a long storage with no maintainer. I use it primarily to maintain my very old 6V battery on my garden tractor.



I have installed a female end of a cigarette lighter in a discreat location in the engine compartment of each one of my Model A's. Then when I pull into my garage to park, I simply lift he hood and plug in the battery maintainer using the male cigarette lighter plug.



I use the cigarette lighter plugs since I found them very easy to plug in and unplug with no fumbling around and always good contact. I can plug it in and unplug it with one hand (while the other hand holds the hood open). Schwoop-dee-woop and it is plugged in.

The "Battery Saver" automatically detects either a 12V or 6V battery and automatically adjusts accordingly.....so I can use it on my modern cars as well as my garden tractor. One "Battery Saver" maintainer can maintain two batteries at once, reducing the number of maintainers needed if you have several batteries that need maintaining. I also like the meter on the Battery Saver - it gives me a quick snap-shot of the health of the battery that is being maintained.

Fordially,
Brad in Maryland

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

I plug tenders/trickle chargers in at my garage light & they're only ON, when the light's ON.
Bill Safe?

[Willie Krash]

I use 'em and put battery oil in the battery and not because I use a tender.
I use the little Black & Decker tender (6/12V) with the battery plug hard wired into the starter.

[JohnLaVoy]

Originally Posted by V4F

I use one solar charger on my optima & maintainer on my m/c batt. 24/7 when not in use

I'm thinking about a solar charger which brand do you have? Of course I'm looking at doing a 12 volt car optima so how large a battery will it handle?

John

[Dollar Bill]

John, battery chargers are rated in output amps. Most battery maintainers put out less than 2 amps depending on the state of discharge. Size your solar panel for 2-5 amp output and it can easily handle a couple of battery maintainers.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Dodge

We have one that will charge up to six batteries at a time. One central location and long
Leads to the different cars. On 24/7
Love my tender it's so sweet I'll never let it go. (Hum it to the Elvis song)

Does it work for both 6v and 12v, work an batteryis ranging from motor cycle to caar (AH).


If yes what model/brand?

[Badpuppy]

I bought 2 B&D chargers a while back on amazon for <$20 apiece. They're switchable 6/12V, detect reverse polarity and overcurrent, hard to screw up. I leave them connected 24/7, 6V on the A, 12V on my 1999 M-B. They will work on any 6 or 12V lead acid battery.

[30 Closed Cab PU]

Originally Posted by Badpuppy

I bought 2 B&D chargers a while back on amazon for <$20 apiece. They're switchable 6/12V, detect reverse polarity and overcurrent, hard to screw up. I leave them connected 24/7, 6V on the A, 12V on my 1999 M-B. They will work on any 6 or 12V lead acid battery.

This one?


https://www.google.com/shopping/prod...XsHDPQQ9AII6gI

[wmws]

I believe the Battery Tender model puts out 1/4 amp when it is charging. When the battery is fully charged it turns off.

[woofa.express]

Originally Posted by Tom from Drippin'

Should battery tenders be connected 24/7, or every other week or so?

The pursuit of excellence is healthy and rewarding.
The pursuit of perfection is frustrating, neurotic and a terrible waste of time.


Hi Tom. I like your signature and it is so true and correct, gary

[Y-Blockhead]

Originally Posted by Willie Krash

I use 'em and put battery oil in the battery and not because I use a tender.

What's "Battery Oil"?

[eagle]

Pulled this off another forum:
Silverghost
Members
1
1,517 posts
Report post
Posted November 29, 2010 (edited)
Here is the scoop on "Battery Oil"

Edison & Others developed the Nickel/Iron storage battery in the 1880s !

Edison, Exide, Willard, and others built & sold them for automotive use.

Edison stated that this battery would last your lifetime !

He was promoting them for Early Electric auto use ~

The Nickel-Iron (NiFe) battery was considered a Life-Long Battery that could last 30-50 years or more!

I was not harmed by deep discharge or repeated cycling charges.

In many ways this battery was superior to the Lead/Acid storage battery we use today as it has a very long life; and could be restored by changing the electrolyte and cleaning the plates !

The battery was built with cells in a glass or ceramic jar with a lid that could be opened .

This was an aklaline battery that used a Potassium Hydroxide caustic soda & distilled water electrolyte with Nickel & Iron (NiFe) plates contained in a glass cell with a rubber top supporting the plates & covering the cells.. The cells were connected in series with brass wing nut & wire or copper ribbon strip jumper connections..

The cells were stacked in a wooden crate and hooked-up in series.

Each cell was .8 Volts with 1.2 Volts in later production variants.

Each of the cells could be refreshed or replaced.

Edison sold this battery to the Telephone , Telegraph, Railroads , and for early penny in the slot amusement listening tube phonograph use. You often find old Edison battery jars on eBay !

The Telephone & Telegraph companys had iron battery boxes on their poles with banks of the Edison Nickel/Iron battery in them .

The railroads had iron signal boxes which also contained banks of Edison batteries.

The "Battery Oil" was poured on top of the fresh electrolyte in each cell to prevent evaporation and gassing while charging on these utility poles.

The oil would float on top of the electrolyte to give a thick protective oil film.

This would help the battery gases to re-combine instead of gassing-off while sitting long term, or re-charging. It also prevented evaporation.

You often find empty Edison Battery Oil bottles of 3-4 oz near old railroad iron signal & switch boxes in the woods near the switch & signal boxes today.

The railroad workers would use the oil and then just toss the empty bottles in the woods along side the tracks.

Look for them near the old railroad signal boxes ! You can still find many today !

The railroads and telephone/telegraph COs still used this type of battery well into the 60s-70s in some rural areas in the USA !

Edison Electric Storage Battery Co . built them until 1972~

Exide built them until 1975 !

Folks also collect the bottles, battery jars, and batteries today ! They are not worth very much~

There are 4-5 styles of battery oil bottles used over the years.

I also understand farms used this Edison battery for farm & house lighting before general rural electrification. The battery banks were often connected to a wind mill "Aeromo" generator for re-charging.

The wind mill usually used a Ford or other auto type generator.

These electric set-ups were often sold thru the early Sears catalog ! The farmer's friend ~

Electric autos & very high-end & high priced gasoline autos often used the Nickel/Iron Edison , Exide, or Willard automotive battery. Many early electric autos Ie: Detroit Electric, Baker, and other auto builders often offered a Nickel/Iron battery bank as a higher price option; As it would last for decades, if not Life-Long!

Deep discharge did not harm this type of battery as it did severly harm a Lead-Acid battery and shortened it's useful ife. This deep-discharge ability made it perfect for early electric auto carriages !

High priced gasoline autos used them also.

A friend bought a Rolls_Royce Phantom I from the Ford museum a few years ago.

It had not run in fifty+ years or more.

The old Exide Nickel/Iron battery was still in the battery box on the left running board.

My friend got the car up and running with a new modern battery~

He then decided to try to refresh & restore the old (NiFe) Exide battery.

It consisted of a large crate style wooden box with many glass jar cells inside. Each with hard rubber jar lids. Each cell was connected in series to form 6 volts.

He dumped the old electrolyte, and cleaned the plates which were in very good shape.

He then added fresh electrolyte and charged the battery.

It worked !!

Today it is now installed in the Phantom's battery box and used to actually start and run this Phantom !

It still works fine after all these decades !

And yes~ He did pour a fresh bottle of Edison Battery Oil on top of each battery cell.

If you search hard enough you can still find un-opened Edison battery oil bottles with the famous Edison script autograph cast in the glass bottle on eBay !

TRUE STORY~~~~

Believe it~

Or Not !

Edited December 1, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)