by "PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
Published 11/17/2017 at 07:24
by "PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
Published 11/17/2017 at 07:24
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I have several batteries I would like to keep current, but I am confused on battery tenders.
I have a car battery - corvette 12v
I have a motorcycle battery - Honda Shadow - sealed battery 12v
And I have a battery for a trailer. Also 12 v but I think it’s a marine type.
I am looking at battery tenders and they have amp specifications. How the hell do I know what AMP I need? I just want a charged battery when I plug it in. I have battery charger as well, but that’s a short term charge. I leave it on low. I think it said 2 amp and couple of hours later, car battery is charged enough to start a car. How is it different for tenders?
Everyone has their preference I am sure. I don’t have a preference yet as I have no idea what I am looking at, but Amazon has this gizmo(s) and I am not sure what I need
"itschrome" (itschrome)
11/17/2017 at 07:53, STARS: 0
the amp’s on listed on the battery label. on this one it’s 77AH or 77 amp hours.
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
11/17/2017 at 08:31, STARS: 0
So, what amperage tender would you have gotten for this battery for example?
"You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much" (youcantellafinn)
11/17/2017 at 09:02, STARS: 0
If it is something that you’re using for long term storage of a battery the Battery Tender Junior is excellent. I use one of those for my boat and haven’t had a problem with it. It isn’t really intended for charging a battery that is really low. For keeping a battery that doesn’t see a lot of use topped off it is perfect. The only problem with the BT Junior is that they are kind of bulky so it’s awkward to get multiple ones plugged into a single outlet.
http://products.batterytender.com/Chargers/Battery-Tender-Junior-12V-0-75A.html
Since you’ve got three batteries that you want to keep charged they do make multi-bank chargers. Those are more expensive than buying a few of the BT Juniors though.
I’ve been using a BT Junior for a few years now. I’ve got one on my boat, and another on a shop truck at work that doesn’t see a lot of use. In both cases the batteries have always been ready to go. I suspect the tender extends the life of the battery too since they don’t get deeply discharged while sitting around.
"jimz" (jimz)
11/17/2017 at 09:10, STARS: 1
if you’re using it to maintain batteries which are pretty much fully charged, it doesn’t make a lick of difference. It’s just going to monitor and maintain the battery state-of-charge.
if you’re using it to trickle-charge a flat (or new) battery, then all a lower or higher mA rating does is tell you how long it’ll take.
"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel)
11/17/2017 at 10:11, STARS: 0
More amperage on the tender is going to charge the battery faster. You can use the low amperage models on giant batteries and they will still charge rather slowly. The tender is smart enough to not overcharge the battery so it is 100% fine to use a powerful tender on a small battery and the tender will just adjust output to what the battery wants. If you are planning on actually charging batteries with it you may want more amperage. If you are just going to be using it to maintain a battery in storage the lower amperage tenders will be a good option as they are going to be spending 99% of the time trickle charging and not using the full output.
"PartyPooper2012" (PartyPooper2012)
11/17/2017 at 10:20, STARS: 0
Great! Thanks for the info. Very helpful.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/17/2017 at 11:35, STARS: 1
I need one for my mower - thanks for asking the question! Got the answer I needed.