The Ford Barn

Bruno · 07-26-2010, 10:00 AM

What make do you guys recommend for a 6 volt trickle charger?

Cecil/WV · 07-26-2010, 10:35 AM

I use Battery Tender, but GM says to use the cheap one from WalMart. I already had mine before he gave the info.

JM 35 Sedan · 07-26-2010, 10:38 AM

I have two of the Schumacher 6V/12V 1.5A Battery Maintainers that I bought at Tractor Supply for ~ $20.00 ea. I also have a Battery Tender Plus, 6V 1.25A, that I bought from the Antique Battery Co. for ~ $60.00. They all work great but IMHO I would recommend the Schumaher since it works just as well as the Battery Tender and is 1/3 the cost. J.M.

Dan Baron · 07-26-2010, 11:05 AM

I also use Battery Tender. I bought mine on line. It allows you to set it up with a plug in connector for a quick hook up.

Merc Cruzer · 07-26-2010, 11:08 AM

Got mine from Batteries Plus....leave it hooked up full time when the car is parked.

G.M. · 07-26-2010, 10:56 PM

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You don't want a trickle charger that will boil the water out of the battery. What you want is an automatic charger. The one at Wal-Marts is 6 and 12 volts and cost about $20.00. They come with a plug in wire that can be left on the battery and a plug in set of clip leads to use on other batteries. On 12 volts they charge to 14.3 and shut off, when the battery voltage drops to 13.3 it starts to charge again never over charging like a trickle charger does. On 6 volts it charges to 7.4 and comes back on at 6.4. They also have 3 LED lights that tell when charging, charged or a battery problem. I have a bunch of them and leave them on all the time. I can walk around and see the green lights and know the batteries are OK and fully charged. G.M.

keith oh · 07-27-2010, 09:27 AM

A word of caution. The Walmart battery tender is set up for Negative ground cars. On 6 volt positive ground fords, the little exposed tit on the plug will be hot and short if accidentally touched to any metal. I cured this by reversing the charger wires. Be sure and put a notice on the unit that it is for pos ground cars.

brownV12 · 07-27-2010, 11:18 AM

I agree with GM. I have used the WalMart trickle charger for many years and have never had a problem.

Merc Cruzer · 07-28-2010, 10:18 AM

What is the diffrence between the Walmart charger and the Deltran "Battery Tender" brand? I have always used the Deltran "Battery Tender" and never had a proublem with over charging, as they are fully automatic.

01aford · 07-28-2010, 12:59 PM

CTEK UC800 6 volt battery charger
I got it on Ebay for 49.00 free shipping. It works real good

Cecil/WV · 07-28-2010, 06:05 PM

[QUOTE=Merc Cruzer;51948]What is the diffrence between the Walmart charger and the Deltran "Battery Tender" brand?

Probably the price.

Scott_T · 07-28-2010, 11:26 PM

There is a difference in trickle chargers. They are basically categorized into three groups:
maintainer (trickle charger only)
charger/maintainer
conditioner/maintainer.

The maintainer simply trickles a small amount of current to maintain the charge in a fully charged battery, while the charger/maintainer is able to charge a battery and then maintain the charge. The conditioner has the ability to reduce sulfate deposits, restore a batteries charge holding ability, and keep it that way. They use various techniques, depending on the brand. Basically a high frequency reverse polarity pulse, targeted at the resonant frequency of the deposits is used to break up the deposits. A battery that is inactive tends to form these deposits so a a trickle charger may, in fact help to make the deposits.

A couple makers of conditioners are listed here.

BatteryMINDer: Approx. $50 www.batteryminders.com
Available in 6 volts (model 12106) or 12 volts (model 12117)
RediPulse: Approx. $60 www.pulsetech.net
Available as a 6 and 12 volt model (RP-6-12)

NOTE: BatteryTender will NOT condition, desulfurize, or restore a battery.

ken ct · 07-29-2010, 01:14 AM

I got 2 wal-mart jobs excelent. 1 for the MC and 1 for the car. There excellent.ken ct.

345 DeSoto · 07-29-2010, 07:04 AM

If I get the cheapy Wal-Mart charger, can it be left connected all winter while the car is in storage...with out drying up the battery?

Cecil/WV · 07-29-2010, 07:22 AM

Yes!

07-26-2010, 10:00 AM	#1
Bruno Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 86	6 volt trickle charger What make do you guys recommend for a 6 volt trickle charger?

07-26-2010, 10:35 AM	#2
Cecil/WV Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gerrardstown, WV Posts: 2,266	Re: 6 volt trickle charger I use Battery Tender, but GM says to use the cheap one from WalMart. I already had mine before he gave the info.

07-26-2010, 10:38 AM	#3
JM 35 Sedan Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Near Rising Sun, Maryland Posts: 10,862	Re: 6 volt trickle charger I have two of the Schumacher 6V/12V 1.5A Battery Maintainers that I bought at Tractor Supply for ~ $20.00 ea. I also have a Battery Tender Plus, 6V 1.25A, that I bought from the Antique Battery Co. for ~ $60.00. They all work great but IMHO I would recommend the Schumaher since it works just as well as the Battery Tender and is 1/3 the cost. J.M. __________________ *John* *"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts". Albert Einstein*

07-26-2010, 11:05 AM	#4
Dan Baron Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Seekonk MA Posts: 228	Re: 6 volt trickle charger I also use Battery Tender. I bought mine on line. It allows you to set it up with a plug in connector for a quick hook up. __________________ All I want, is a little bit more, than I'm ever going to get!

07-26-2010, 10:56 PM	#6
G.M. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Florida and Penna. Posts: 4,471	Re: 6 volt trickle charger Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) You don't want a trickle charger that will boil the water out of the battery. What you want is an automatic charger. The one at Wal-Marts is 6 and 12 volts and cost about $20.00. They come with a plug in wire that can be left on the battery and a plug in set of clip leads to use on other batteries. On 12 volts they charge to 14.3 and shut off, when the battery voltage drops to 13.3 it starts to charge again never over charging like a trickle charger does. On 6 volts it charges to 7.4 and comes back on at 6.4. They also have 3 LED lights that tell when charging, charged or a battery problem. I have a bunch of them and leave them on all the time. I can walk around and see the green lights and know the batteries are OK and fully charged. G.M. __________________ www.fordcollector.com

07-27-2010, 09:27 AM	#7
keith oh Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Millersport, central ohio Posts: 668	Re: 6 volt trickle charger A word of caution. The Walmart battery tender is set up for Negative ground cars. On 6 volt positive ground fords, the little exposed tit on the plug will be hot and short if accidentally touched to any metal. I cured this by reversing the charger wires. Be sure and put a notice on the unit that it is for pos ground cars.

07-27-2010, 11:18 AM	#8
brownV12 Junior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington, MO; Jacksonville FL Posts: 5	Re: 6 volt trickle charger I agree with GM. I have used the WalMart trickle charger for many years and have never had a problem.

07-28-2010, 10:18 AM	#9
Merc Cruzer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Conifer, Colorado Posts: 2,434	Re: 6 volt trickle charger What is the diffrence between the Walmart charger and the Deltran "Battery Tender" brand? I have always used the Deltran "Battery Tender" and never had a proublem with over charging, as they are fully automatic.

07-28-2010, 12:59 PM	#10
01aford Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 176	Re: 6 volt trickle charger CTEK UC800 6 volt battery charger I got it on Ebay for 49.00 free shipping. It works real good

07-28-2010, 06:05 PM	#11
Cecil/WV Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gerrardstown, WV Posts: 2,266	Re: 6 volt trickle charger [QUOTE=Merc Cruzer;51948]What is the diffrence between the Walmart charger and the Deltran "Battery Tender" brand? Probably the price.

07-28-2010, 11:26 PM	#12
Scott_T Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 2	Re: 6 volt trickle charger There is a difference in trickle chargers. They are basically categorized into three groups: maintainer (trickle charger only) charger/maintainer conditioner/maintainer. The maintainer simply trickles a small amount of current to maintain the charge in a fully charged battery, while the charger/maintainer is able to charge a battery and then maintain the charge. The conditioner has the ability to reduce sulfate deposits, restore a batteries charge holding ability, and keep it that way. They use various techniques, depending on the brand. Basically a high frequency reverse polarity pulse, targeted at the resonant frequency of the deposits is used to break up the deposits. A battery that is inactive tends to form these deposits so a a trickle charger may, in fact help to make the deposits. A couple makers of conditioners are listed here. BatteryMINDer: Approx. $50 www.batteryminders.com Available in 6 volts (model 12106) or 12 volts (model 12117) RediPulse: Approx. $60 www.pulsetech.net Available as a 6 and 12 volt model (RP-6-12) NOTE: BatteryTender will NOT condition, desulfurize, or restore a battery.

07-29-2010, 01:14 AM	#13
ken ct BANNED Join Date: May 2010 Location: stratford,ct Posts: 5,971	Re: 6 volt trickle charger I got 2 wal-mart jobs excelent. 1 for the MC and 1 for the car. There excellent.ken ct.

07-29-2010, 07:04 AM	#14
345 DeSoto Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Skaneateles,NY(summer)/Port St.Lucie,FL(winter Posts: 126	Re: 6 volt trickle charger If I get the cheapy Wal-Mart charger, can it be left connected all winter while the car is in storage...with out drying up the battery? __________________ ..."If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious shit"...

07-29-2010, 07:22 AM	#15
Cecil/WV Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Gerrardstown, WV Posts: 2,266	Re: 6 volt trickle charger Yes!