Battery maintainer

[lew]

I've got a 12 volt generator for emergency back-up power here at the house and even though it'll spend the winter in a heated garage I want to hook up a battery maintainer just to be sure the battery is always fully charged if I ever need it.

 

The only one I've really ever heard of is the Battery Tender and this one looks like it'll do the job.

 

http://batterytender.com/lawn-garden/battery-tender-plus-12v-at-1-25a.html

 

Do I go with the Battery Tender, or is there a better brand on the market ??

 

The boat is also in the garage and the 2 trolling batteries are hooked to an on-board charger so their not a problem, but I may buy a 2nd maintainer for the cranking battery too.

 

Appreciate any thoughts.

[Uncle Buck]

i'm gonna be picking 2 of these up for my trolling motor batteries...

 

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/3/BatteryAccessories/BatteryChargers/PRD~0111506P/Motomaster%252BEliminator%252BIntelligent%252BBattery%252BCharger%25252C%252B2A.jsp?locale=en

 

reviews look good...

 

http://reviews.canadiantire.ca/9045/0111506P/no-motomaster-eliminator-intelligent-battery-charger-2a-reviews/reviews.htm

 

$20 on sale, ya can't go wrong...

[walleyejack]

I've got a 12 volt generator for emergency back-up power here at the house and even though it'll spend the winter in a heated garage I want to hook up a battery maintainer just to be sure the battery is always fully charged if I ever need it.

 

The only one I've really ever heard of is the Battery Tender and this one looks like it'll do the job.

 

http://batterytender.com/lawn-garden/battery-tender-plus-12v-at-1-25a.html

 

Do I go with the Battery Tender, or is there a better brand on the market ??

 

The boat is also in the garage and the 2 trolling batteries are hooked to an on-board charger so their not a problem, but I may buy a 2nd maintainer for the cranking battery too.

 

Appreciate any thoughts.

I have the one from Canadian Tire, used it for years, works great,i switch it around from battery to battery for a month or so at a time

[irishfield]

Lew.. you're gonna be puttering around the garage anyhow all winter.. just slap the charger on them all once a month or so while you are out there and you'll be fine! Save your money for a muskie bait or two.. what's that.. you don't need anymore of them!! lol

[SlowPoke]

Lew, you'd be hard pressed to beat a CTEK charger for regualr charging and maintaining batteries. It revived mine and I told Emil about it. He bought one and it revived his battery as well; it bought him at least one extra season from his 5+ year old ones.

The CTEK can be left on 24/7 and it does more than just charge, it desul[phates amoung other stuff I don't understand!

 

 

They go on sale at CTC frequently for $54, reg. price is $89. You can also buy additional plug ends (not at CTC) that will allow you to permanently mount to your battery and simply blug the charger into it.

 

[lew]

Thanks for the info guys, that's what I was looking for.

 

Time to start making out my Santa list

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

Lew, you'd be hard pressed to beat a CTEK charger for regualr charging and maintaining batteries. It revived mine and I told Emil about it. He bought one and it revived his battery as well; it bought him at least one extra season from his 5+ year old ones.

The CTEK can be left on 24/7 and it does more than just charge, it desul[phates amoung other stuff I don't understand!

 

 

They go on sale at CTC frequently for $54, reg. price is $89. You can also buy additional plug ends (not at CTC) that will allow you to permanently mount to your battery and simply blug the charger into it.

 

 

The info on this charger sounds good!....I'm heading out to CTC in another hour and I just may pick one up...

 

•Compact four-step, fully automatic charger for 12V batteries

 

•Can be connected for months at a time - ideal for seasonal vehicles

 

•Rain and splash-proof, can be used outdoors

 

•Charges even drained batteries

 

•Continues to work in cold temperatures

 

•Maintenance pulse charging increases battery life and gives superb performance

 

•Short circuit, reverse polarity protection and spark protection

 

•Desulphation technology reverses effect of sulfation

 

•Charges deep-cycle, lead-acid, AGM and gel cell batteries from 1.2Ah to 120Ah

 

•Includes two different battery leads, one with clamps and one with eyelet terminals

[ColdH20guy]

Hi guys

I finally picked up one of the CTEC chargers from CTC when they went on sale; the unit itself seems to get really really hot after a couple hours..anyone else notice this? is this normal?

I have a 'normal' red battery charger in the garage that works but read about how great these are..wasnt sure what the difference was but thought I would try it..just not sure why it gets so hot to touch..

 

thanks guys

Rich

[Terry]

I don't have one of them but because of it's size there seems to be no way to get rid of the heat

normal chargers are vented and are of a size that helps disperse heat

if you opened up a normal charger and touched the rectifier, you would find it hot too

[DanD]

It wouldn’t hurt to have the battery itself tested; making sure that it will accept and hold a proper charge.

This little charger/maintainer might be working at 100% duty cycle trying to bring back a battery that will not fully charge?

 

Dan.

[ColdH20guy]

yea thats what I was thinking too Dan..thanks

I may just go and get a new battery; I see the manufacture date is May 2006 on the battery, (it was a Nautilus from CTire)..not sure how long marine batteries usually last, but may get another as 2011 will be 5 years...has anyone used Trojan Batteries?

 

thanks guys

R

[Billy Bob]

I have this one on my boat batteries and it got the starter battery to last 9 years and was still going this year when I decided to not push my luck....

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/AutoBoat-Batteries-Chargers/On-Board-Chargers-Inverters%7C/pc/104794380/c/104698080/sc/104465880/Cabelas-Advanced-Anglers-ProSport-II-On-Board-Marine-Battery-Chargers/734150.uts?destination=/catalog/browse/boating-auto-boat-batteries-chargers-on-board-chargers-inverters/_/N-1100565/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104465880

 

It's plugged in at ALL times when the boat is not fishing or being towed.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Bob

[Fisherman]

yea thats what I was thinking too Dan..thanks

I may just go and get a new battery; I see the manufacture date is May 2006 on the battery, (it was a Nautilus from CTire)..not sure how long marine batteries usually last, but may get another as 2011 will be 5 years...has anyone used Trojan Batteries?

 

thanks guys

R

Three things, the CTEK chargers are not really meant as a charger to charge from dead, they are more of a maintenance charger designed to be left on full time, mine do all winter. They will get warm when it goes through its short recharge cycle maybe 20 minutes or so every couple days, then the light goes back to green and it gets cold.

Marine batteries can last a long time if treated well, recharge after EVERY use, it's just like your tools, put them away wet..they rust. Protect your kit, it takes care of you.

Trojan batteries, one of the best on the market. Most of the hard core RVer's use them.

[SlowPoke]

I left my interior lights on over the Christmas holiday and when I went to start my Suburban, absolutely nothing. Even the computer reset and I lost all my radio presets.

 

Thinking my CTEK would take a day to revive this battery, I connected my regular charger. It wouldn't even start the charge; it would only display "check battery".

 

With nothing to lose, I connected the CTEK and went out for breakfast in the van.

 

An hour and a half later when I returned home I tried to start it thinking if it just rolls over, I can take it for a good run. Not only did it roll over, it started as if it had a full charge!

 

I suspected loose terminal at first thinking the CTEK couldn't possible work that fast but all my connections were good. When I removed the CTEK; it was warm, no where near what I would describe as hot.

 

I think I would be inclined to have the battery checked and/or return the CTEK for another one.

[ColdH20guy]

thanks guys..appreciate it! Maybe I was putting it on the wrong 'mode'?

Will likely pick up a Trojan in the Spring..

cheers

Rich

[Terry]

I left my interior lights on over the Christmas holiday and when I went to start my Suburban, absolutely nothing. Even the computer reset and I lost all my radio presets.

 

Thinking my CTEK would take a day to revive this battery, I connected my regular charger. It wouldn't even start the charge; it would only display "check battery".

 

With nothing to lose, I connected the CTEK and went out for breakfast in the van.

 

An hour and a half later when I returned home I tried to start it thinking if it just rolls over, I can take it for a good run. Not only did it roll over, it started as if it had a full charge!

 

I suspected loose terminal at first thinking the CTEK couldn't possible work that fast but all my connections were good. When I removed the CTEK; it was warm, no where near what I would describe as hot.

 

I think I would be inclined to have the battery checked and/or return the CTEK for another one.

 

the math does not add up

 

in an hour and a half it can only raise it 4.5 amphrs and nothing in the world can change a 3.3 amp charger to do more

[SlowPoke]

the math does not add up

 

in an hour and a half it can only raise it 4.5 amphrs and nothing in the world can change a 3.3 amp charger to do more

 

Well, I'm glad I didn't do the math before trying to start it.

[Gerry]

Lew, are you sure you don't have a 3 bank on-board charger in your boat? I'd be surprised that Skeeter would not have one pre-installed. An on-board charger is the better way to go in my opinion. I wouldn't trust my expensive batteries to cheap gadgets. I have a 4 bank Dual-Pro on my Ranger and I just leave the charger plugged in all winter. You can add a single bank on-board or swap the 2 bank for a 3 bank unit, and sell the 2 bank.

 

As for the generator battery a monthly charge should be suficient.

[bigbuck]

I picked up one of the Canadian Tire Intelligent battery maintainers (the 2 amp) and charge up my 2 deep cycles for the boat and the deep cycle from the trailer once a month. I hook it up to each battery for a couple of days and let it do it's thing. We will see how long the batteries last.

For the $20 I spent on it, I figured it was a good investment. This way, I can leave the chargers up north and keep the little guy at home for when I need it.

[Fish4Eyes]

FYI, that CTEK was recommended to me by a guy who works at Interstate batteries. Said money cannot buy a better quality charger.