Battery Tenders

[raymond greene]

I was looking on Amazon for a Battery Tender and there are some very mixed reviews. Many not so flattering. Also one review noted that you should buy a Battery Tender to accommodate the type of battery you have, like a gel battery etc. I have used them in the past with good results. What's the story?

[cvette98pacecar]

Originally Posted by raymond greene

I was looking on Amazon for a Battery Tender and there are some very mixed reviews. Many not so flattering. Also one review noted that you should buy a Battery Tender to accommodate the type of battery you have, like a gel battery etc. I have used them in the past with good results. What's the story?

Ray, here is a link to another post. I have three battery tenders. 2-four bank and 1 two bank.

http://zr1.net/forum/showthread.php?...Battery+Tender

[KGV]

Hi,

I bought a charger from CTEK, a MXS 5.0. It restored my flat battery and has kept it charged this winter.

Ken

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by raymond greene

I was looking on Amazon for a Battery Tender and there are some very mixed reviews. Many not so flattering. Also one review noted that you should buy a Battery Tender to accommodate the type of battery you have, like a gel battery etc. I have used them in the past with good results. What's the story?

A float charge compensates for the loss caused by self-discharge.
Self-discharge is what all batteries do when just sitting and not connected to anything.

What a tender should do is provide a compensating current for self-discharge AND a slight amount to compensate for keeping the car electronics alive. If the tender provides 1 amp or so you run the risk of damage.
Some tenders monitor voltage and kick in and off depending on the reading.
My float charger provides a constant 200ma. That amount does a great job on preventing self-discharge and a bit more for the car.
A disconnected battery will still slowly discharge itself. This amount will be slowed if the temperature is cold. But a frozen battery is bad news all the way around.

Just in case someone does not get my point:
I would not pick a tender whose current is sustained above 1amp.
A disconnected battery will self-discharge over time.

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by raymond greene

I was looking on Amazon for a Battery Tender and there are some very mixed reviews. Many not so flattering. Also one review noted that you should buy a Battery Tender to accommodate the type of battery you have, like a gel battery etc. I have used them in the past with good results. What's the story?

I just went and looked at about 3 dozen reviews on Amazon. The overwhelming percentage of review gives the BT 5 stars. Also, there were a couple of recurring complaints:

• Customer service issues. Apparently you have to pay shipping to/from Deltorn. And, if out of warranty, you have to pay for an analysis (troubleshooing) fee. (I didn't see where IF you decided to have them fix it Deltron would apply the analysis charge to the repair.)
  
• Batteries other than lead acid (e.g., gel cells = several references) car batteries had issues as result of using the BTs.
  
• Reliability statisticians refer to early failure of a small percentage of a certain device as "infant mortality". I suspect BTs are no less subject to the phenomenon. (A more common term is "sh*t happens....sometimes ya get a bad apple.)

I've used various versions of the BTs for 12 years w/o a single problem. My favorite is the little waterproof 800mA unit. Never had a problem with automotive lead-acid batteries; one battery on one of the 800mA tenders is in its 8 or 9th year and still cranks an 11:1 compression 350 cid SBC like it did when it was new.

I give the Battery Tender a THUMBS UP!

[WARP TEN]

Originally Posted by raymond greene

I was looking on Amazon for a Battery Tender and there are some very mixed reviews. Many not so flattering. Also one review noted that you should buy a Battery Tender to accommodate the type of battery you have, like a gel battery etc. I have used them in the past with good results. What's the story?

Hi Raymond--I have used a battery tender for years. Got it from the National Corvette Museum to help me and support them at the same time. Here is an article on battery care by Marc Haibeck that you might find informative: http://www.zr1specialist.com/HAT%20W...ery%20Care.pdf --Bob

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by scottfab

Just in case someone does not get my point:
I would not pick a tender whose current is sustained above 1amp.
A disconnected battery will self-discharge over time.

Scott, ya beat me toit. But, once again we're in agreement. (and don't think I'm not worried!!!)

[GOLDCYLON]

Been running a battery tender plus for 6 years, they work well

[Dynomite]

Originally Posted by GOLDCYLON

Been running a battery tender plus for 6 years, they work well

I just have to be the contrarian here

I just have too many batteries.......so what I do is just disconnect the negative or positive terminals (negative on ZR1s). I usually let most of the equipments sit for 5 months and when I reconnect they ALL fire right up.

Just saying.......

I have been doing this for .......oh...I should NOT say this.....OK......more than 6 years

Not to worry Paul

[Paul Workman]

Originally Posted by Dynomite

I just have to be the contrarian here

I just have too many batteries.......so what I do is just disconnect the negative or positive terminals (negative on ZR1s). I usually let most of the equipments sit for 5 months and when I reconnect they ALL fire right up.

Just saying.......

I have been doing this for .......oh...I should NOT say this.....OK......more than 6 years

Not to worry Paul

Yeah, but in South Dakota, even eggs will last till spring!