Battery Tenders

[Cigalert]

I decided to put a tender on the boat after I pulled my stupid. I have 2 Interstate Deep Cycle SRM-24's.

I connected 1 battery and put my switch to "all". And most important...switched off the breaker for the stereo.

Here is the tender...

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/stores/auto/detail-page/bt.plus.12v.01.lg.jpg

Anyone have any experience with these? Pros/cons/problems?

[Stainless]

I have a two bank made by battery tender on mine because it is 2 separate systems. I'll take a pic when I get back.


CH3NO2

[ChumpChange]

My neighbor works for the distributor. No issues here. I'm more of a Chicken Tenders fan.

[Stainless]

Eli has a Tinder also.


CH3NO2

[HB Vic]

Honestly I don't think leaving your perko on in any position is a good idea. Too many bad things can happen to a unmonitored boat or RV or anything for that matter.

You can use diodes to charge both batteries with the switch off and that will keep the batteries separate with the switch in the one batt position. But I would fuse the tender as well.

As far as trickle charging, I'm not a fan. But then again its been too long since I was in the battery business, so things may have changed, but I doubt it.

Trickle, float, tender, whatever they want to call it is still causing current flow in the battery. Current flow, over time, will age the cells. Batteries age even without a charge, so even a float charge will age them a little faster. I prefer to switch mine completely off and if they die, charge them back up when I need them. In the past 5-6 years I think I've had to use a charger 1 or 2X. And the boats have sat for upwards of 2-3 months.

[Cigalert]

Honestly I don't think leaving your perko on in any position is a good idea. Too many bad things can happen to a unmonitored boat or RV or anything for that matter.

You can use diodes to charge both batteries with the switch off and that will keep the batteries separate with the switch in the one batt position. But I would fuse the tender as well.

As far as trickle charging, I'm not a fan. But then again its been too long since I was in the battery business, so things may have changed, but I doubt it.

Trickle, float, tender, whatever they want to call it is still causing current flow in the battery. Current flow, over time, will age the cells. Batteries age even without a charge, so even a float charge will age them a little faster. I prefer to switch mine completely off and if they die, charge them back up when I need them. In the past 5-6 years I think I've had to use a charger 1 or 2X. And the boats have sat for upwards of 2-3 months.

I've never used a tender on a boat for anything but forgetting to switch everything off last trip kinda got me irked if this was a dedicated boating trip.

The charger is fused but I was concerned with leaving the switch on (hence the original post). I can see where the batteries are going to work more....loss of charge, tender picks up and it's a constant up and down cycle toward the top of the charge.

I'm gonna let it roll for a week or 2. Maybe just keep my starting battery on the tender from time to time.

[28eliminator]

I have this 3 bank maintainer/charger installed in my Boat. I have 2 grp 27's and 1 grp 24 that it maintains all independently. The Boat is plugged into it all the time it's not on the water, and so far so good.

33655

[Bobby V]

I have the same tender for my golf cart, rhino, Tahoe and for my 4 boat batteries. No problems so far. I do put the switch on OFF though.

[Slacker]

I have to agree with Hotboat. Any charger that does a Constant Trickle charge is not good for the battery, it can boil a battery. If you want an inboard charger do what 28elim. did, that charger shuts completely off when the batteries are at full charge. I would leave it plugged in for a couple days and then unplug it and would do that every couple weeks. Kinda makes be nervous to leave it plugged in all the time but thats just me.

[Cigalert]

I have to agree with Hotboat. Any charger that does a Constant Trickle charge is not good for the battery, it can boil a battery. If you want an inboard charger do what 28elim. did, that charger shuts completely off when the batteries are at full charge. I would leave it plugged in for a couple days and then unplug it and would do that every couple weeks. Kinda makes be nervous to leave it plugged in all the time but thats just me.

This one stated it shuts off after its full. Is that not the case?

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[Slacker]

This one stated it shuts off after its full. Is that not the case?

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I was just talkin about trickle chargers in general. If it shuts off completey all good.

[Sharp shooter]

I decided to put a tender on the boat after I pulled my stupid. I have 2 Interstate Deep Cycle SRM-24's.

I connected 1 battery and put my switch to "all". And most important...switched off the breaker for the stereo.

Here is the tender...

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/stores/auto/detail-page/bt.plus.12v.01.lg.jpg

Anyone have any experience with these? Pros/cons/problems?

I used one of these back in the 90's. After many years I realized it was better not to use it and simply disconnecting the batteries while not using them worked best.

[Bobby V]

This one stated it shuts off after its full. Is that not the case?

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Yes it shuts off after its charged.

[Universal Elements]

This one stated it shuts off after its full. Is that not the case?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

I have this unit on my motorcycle. It works well and shuts off when it is done charging. It actually goes into the storage mode.

[Relaxalot]

I have used these on my batteries for my jeep and boat for many years. This brand no problem. The other brands quit. I leave the switch to "off" and one connected to each battery. Never had a battery problem.

[Hye power]

I have probably 9 of the battery tenders hooked up to all the different toys and have never had an issue. My boat is in storage at the river and I leave it with 2 tenders hooked up and my batteries are always charged whenever I go.

[Paul65K]

I switched to a battery tender with "Desulfation" feature a couple of years ago and my batteries seem to be doing better than when I had just a straight tender attached.

I keep a 2A charger connected to both batteries in the boat and the same charger connected to the battery in the Harley and both seem to always be topped off and ready to go. I used a standard tender on my last Harley Battery and got 8 years out of the original factory battery.......not too bad if you ask me :thumb:

[HB Vic]

I switched to a battery tender with "Desulfation" feature a couple of years ago and my batteries seem to be doing better than when I had just a straight tender attached.

I keep a 2A charger connected to both batteries in the boat and the same charger connected to the battery in the Harley and both seem to always be topped off and ready to go. I used a standard tender on my last Harley Battery and got 8 years out of the original factory battery.......not too bad if you ask me :thumb:

Desulfation feature, that's interesting. Another way of saying equalize charge I'm guessing. The only problem with commercial batteries is there isn't enough room at the bottom of the cell to handle much lead sulfate, so in a short amount of time you'll end up with a short :D Industrial batteries typically have inches in this area and can easily handle repetitive equalize charges to shake off the iron sulfate without causing problems.

I may try a tender on my Harley. 2 batteries now in 2 years and probably only 3 rides :chopper: :smackhead

[JusTrouble]

Back in the 90's I had to replace the Harley battery every year and I rode it weekly for most of the year. After about 3 times, I got sick of it and after reading a lot about how they work, I got a Battery Tender like the one pictured. The first time I got 3 years out of the same kind of battery with the same type of use. I was so impressed with how well it worked that I put them on everything I had sitting around and all the other bikes, cars, boats and other toys I was working on for others. I even gave these things as gifts. Later, when HD updated my battery to a gel type, I had to switch to a smaller Battery Tender that works a bit differently. Same GREAT results. Still using the type pictured on the boat and on the 68 vw bug battery sitting on the bench for 2 years during the restore. I dont remember any of what I read about them, how they work, and I couldnt carry a conversation about how batteries or tenders function. Maybe batteries have improved and that accounts for my results but I seriously doubt that. My opinion is just that and based on my own experience.

[Paul65K]

Desulfation feature, that's interesting. Another way of saying equalize charge I'm guessing. The only problem with commercial batteries is there isn't enough room at the bottom of the cell to handle much lead sulfate, so in a short amount of time you'll end up with a short :D Industrial batteries typically have inches in this area and can easily handle repetitive equalize charges to shake off the iron sulfate without causing problems.

I may try a tender on my Harley. 2 batteries now in 2 years and probably only 3 rides :chopper: :smackheadHere's the one I use... http://www.batterystuff.com/battery-chargers/12-volt/0-4amps/bm2012.html

[Ziggy]

I keep a tender on my RV batteries all the time. I take 'em home when not in use and keep both hooked up.
After 20+ years of just turning off, I just started the same "tendering" with my boat this year, experimenting with two different ones to see which I prefer.
Testing one of those $6 tenders and one of those solar 1.5amp battery mantainence panels, both from harbor frieght. See this Spring how they each performed.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/19/edepenaz.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/19/8e2uqa4u.jpg
From my POS T-mobile thingie

[Cigalert]

I keep a tender on my RV batteries all the time. I take 'em home when not in use and keep both hooked up.
After 20+ years of just turning off, I just started the same "tendering" with my boat this year, experimenting with two different ones to see which I prefer.
Testing one of those $6 tenders and one of those solar 1.5amp battery mantainence panels, both from harbor frieght. See this Spring how they each performed.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/19/edepenaz.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/19/8e2uqa4u.jpg
From my POS T-mobile thingie

Now the solar thing got me thinking.....I have a massive flat spot on the roof that starts right at the back wall of where I keep the boat. I was thinking a large panel on the roof dedicated to just the boat would be sweet.

How would one go about regulating the voltage after the battery is charged from a solar panel?

And since my windshields are pretty jacked....considering the cost of replacements....integrated solar panels instead of a windshield was my other "I wish I had more time" ideas. Fold them down to deflect wind for driving. Flip them up when you're parked.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[Ziggy]

Now the solar thing got me thinking.....I have a massive flat spot on the roof that starts right at the back wall of where I keep the boat. I was thinking a large panel on the roof dedicated to just the boat would be sweet.

How would one go about regulating the voltage after the battery is charged from a solar panel?

And since my windshields are pretty jacked....considering the cost of replacements....integrated solar panels instead of a windshield was my other "I wish I had more time" ideas. Fold them down to deflect wind for driving. Flip them up when you're parked.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
You wouldn't need a big panel to tender or just keep the battery up. You can get regulators for the solar panels.
The little 1.5amp solar panel I'm testing is sitting in the window facing east....so it does not get any direct sunlight after 9 or 10am. I will be curious to see if it keeps the battery up for the near 3 month hiatus.