KEEPING BATTERIES CHARGED

[Guest broker-bob]

----I keep my 6 volt cars charged by using a timer set to turn on 2 hrs a day and and use just a regular 6 volt charger set on low---- seems to work fine----------------bobnroman@yahoo.com

[sleeve-valve]

I use battery tenders and am happy with them so far.

[rocketraider]

The Battery Tender is the single best investment I made for my old cars. I have a four-port that keeps all four old-car batteries charged automatically. I don't have to tell you what a PITA it was to keep them charged with regular battery chargers.

[Guest billybird]

I too have been using a Battery Tender for about 15 years. I highly recommend them.

[Dave@Moon]

One thing you don't want to do is buy an off-brand battery tender. I bought one from Harbor Freight 12-14 years ago when they first came out. I used it one year, whereupon it ruined the battery by overcharging it. I guess the protective circuitry wasn't up to snuff.

Since then I spend one (relatively warm) day a month each winter running my car (I now just have the one Triumph that still runs) up to temperature for about 15-20 minutes. That charges the battery, circulates the fluids, and keeps the seals in the engine and tranny pliable (a HUGE problem in my old Dynaflow, which used to leak a quart+ of tranny fluid every winter until I started doing this--and then hardly lost a drop every winter thereafter).

Also I don't have to P.O. the neighbors every fall and spring with clouds of burnt fogging oil!

[D Yaros]

I second the Battery Tender use. I have both a single and double unit, permitting me to keep 3 batteries charged. I have used them for a few (3?) years now, and no complaints or problems.

[ex98thdrill]

I use battery tenders and am happy with them so far.

DITTO

[rocketraider]

I think that's the key, is to get a Battery Tender or Battery Butler brand. I don't know anyone using a Battery Butler, but I know a pile of folks using Battery Tenders and everyone seems to be pleased with them.

I bought another 2-port this year because I have two extra batteries that I've been maintaining for a few years. The thing keeps them all between 1.250-1.275 SG.

An Auto Zone Group 27 is nine years old and still load tests good. It was in the blue Starfire which did not get touched for over 2 years. It was brought back from stone dead using a 2A Sears charger until the sulfation broke thru, then slow charging until I got it to 1.250- about a week's worth of charging and monitoring. Buddy ran it for about a year in his 66 Starfire until he broke down and turned loose of the cash for a repop battery. Since he brought it back, the Tender has maintained it at that SG for 4 years now.

Now that I think about it, all of these batteries are at least five years old, so Battery Tender or not, I expect I'm gonna get slapped with buying a bunch of batteries in a couple years. Not sure if I'll go to expense of another Group 60K repop. I'm told a Group 51 Honda battery will fit in the 64 Olds battery tray.

[charlier]

I have been using Battery Tenders for over 13+ years now. I have most definitely extended that life on a number of car batteries over the years (13+ yrs, 10+ yrs, 7+ yrs, 6+ yrs) using my Battery Tenders.

BTW, for those here who own Battery Tenders do you know they make a 25 ft extension cable? These extension cables can be very handy to have depending on your situation. Using these cables allows me to keep various batteries located outside my house (car in trailer, tow vehicle and trailer batteries) charged while keeping the Battery Tenders warm, dry and safe inside the garage.

When I travel on a long weekend to an AACA Meet I even put my daily driver on a Battery Tender as well.

[stealthbob]

...don't forget all the small toys/tools we all have.

I would go through a battery every year for my ATV as I use it to plow my driveway, now I just plug in the lighter adaptor into the light pod when done and its been 3 years now on the same battery. Also great for the lawn tractor ect...

[32tatra]

I must be the only one who has problem with battery tenders. I hooked up my name brand tender to my 6 volt battery and left it. Months later I checked and found the battery low on water. Filled it and took the tender off and then hooked it back up a month later. After three years the battery was no good, it was dead and would not take a charge.

So I got rid of the bad battery, my battery tender and brought a Optima battery and have had no problems for the past two years.

[charlier]

I must be the only one who has problem with battery tenders. I hooked up my name brand tender to my 6 volt battery and left it. Months later I checked and found the battery low on water. Filled it and took the tender off and then hooked it back up a month later. After three years the battery was no good, it was dead and would not take a charge.

So I got rid of the bad battery, my battery tender and brought a Optima battery and have had no problems for the past two years.

Just wondering... Did you purchase the 6 volt Battery Tender model or the 12 volt model? If you used the 12 volt model on a 6 volt battery I could see that as being the cause of your problem. If not, then it is possible you had a defective Battery Tender or more likely a defective battery.

Personally, I have found that batteries being charged (even on a Battery Tender) still have to have the water checked periodically. A Battery Tender does not change that and I have had to add distilled water to some of my batteries from time to time.

Sorry to hear about your battery problem but it sounds like the Optima battery is working well for you.

[rocketraider]

I have to add water to the flooded batteries once in a while too. The repop 60K is the worst for that; not so much on the OE Delco side-post in the Hurst/Olds. The sealed-top Delcos in the Ninety Eight and Toro seem to like the Tender a lot- their little green eye stays green all the time!

[Jim Bollman]

I must be the only one who has problem with battery tenders. I hooked up my name brand tender to my 6 volt battery and left it. Months later I checked and found the battery low on water. Filled it and took the tender off and then hooked it back up a month later. After three years the battery was no good, it was dead and would not take a charge.

So I got rid of the bad battery, my battery tender and brought a Optima battery and have had no problems for the past two years.

No, at least two of us have had problems. I put my new 6 volt Battery Tender on a 6 year old battery for the Winter. Month after I tool it off in the Spring it was stone dead and would not take a charge. So I though it was an old battery, replaced it with new battery. The next Winter same results 1 month after taking it off in the Spring, battery stone dead will not take charge, and only 11 months old. Tossed the Battery Tender on the shelf and went back to my old method of leaving them coast in the Winter and topping them off in the Spring. Been meaning to check out the BT to see if it was faulty, but have not gotten around to it.

As for the original posting by broker-bob. I have kept my tractor battery charged for years with a trickle charger and a timer to give it about an hour a day. I need to add water a couple of times a year. Forgot to check water for to long once and ruined a battery before it's time that way to.

Now for something completely different. My neighbor swears by a chemical called EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). He just traded in his 1998 Ford truck with the original battery in it and it still was spinning over just fine. It sat outside in Western NY it's whole life. He used a small amount in each cell when he first bought it. He claims it will extend existing batteries and even bring back marginal batteries from the brink for a few more years of use. This is not an endorsement, but I'm thinking about trying it.

[rocketraider]

Thought EDTA was some type of food preservative?

[RPrice]

During the cold, winter months, I always keep the batteries in both of my vintage cars hooked up to Battery Tenders. They work very well and when Spring arrives, both cars start right up.

Of course, I always have Sta-bil in their gas tanks too.

Rog

[bhclark]

I have had a problem with my "portable" battery tender not working up to snuff as well as the larger models, so I've switched to using that one for the lawnmower...

I'll have to check ebay for those extension cords...sounds very useful!

I do have a 6 volt battery on my Model T and keep it hooked up to my 12 volt Battery Tender with no issues. I would have thought it would give me an error, but it doesn't. It keeps it charged right at 8 volts???

[D Yaros]

BTW, for those here who own Battery Tenders do you know they make a 25 ft extension cable? These extension cables can be very handy to have depending on your situation.

Second the motion re the extension cables. I saw/bought them a while back. Now I have a 2-batt unit hooked up to a car up in the air on the lift, and to the car parked underneath it.

[JZRIV]

I know Battery Tender brand maintainers have been around the longest and many swear they are the best.

I'm sure they are quality units but they are way overpriced in todays market and I have yet to see where they are superior as far as doing what they are supposed to do vs a Schumaker brand that is half the price or less in some cases.

For the past 5 years I have been using several Schumaker brand battery maintainers for everything from farm equipment, excavating equipment, ATVs, and collector cars and they perform flawlessly both 6 volt and 12 volt versions.

Get them at Walmart for $20.

[bhclark]

Maybe so Jason, but that Schumaker is surely a step up from the $6 ones at Harbor Freight.

Most of their stuff is okay, but is it worth a few bucks to run the risk of damaging a $100 battery?

I've been buying mine on Ebay and not paying much more than you mentioned...the double units are the most cost effective IMO.