Battery Tender/Float/Automatic Charger Suggestion?

[GT-N]

ok, for years I have been using this Harbor Freight Chiacgo Float Charger

but I have been reading that there are certain types of Battery Tender/Float/Automatic Chargers that you need for dry cell batteries such as optima, odyssey, and braille

if anyone could please enlighten me more on which type of charger to get, if mine was the incorrect one to use.

thank you in advance

 

[Energy1]

I have a Deltran unit thats mounted to the top of the battery with velcro, and hard wired to the battery, works good, no problem..Im sure there are others out there as well..

 

[Tytus]

Ctek 3300 is specially made for Optima and it works great but you have to understand that if you killed your Optima it will take up to 3 weeks to restore it. I have done this and it worked great. Check past posts on the subject under batteries and battery tenders and you will see this topic beaten to death...BTW Optima is not a dry cell, it is sealed.

Tytus

 

[GT-N]

I have a Deltran unit thats mounted to the top of the battery with velcro, and hard wired to the battery, works good, no problem..Im sure there are others out there as well..

So you have a battery floatt charger mounted on top of your battery only with Velcro? Interesting. Is this safe under driving conditions? I would be really curious to see a picture of this set up

Ctek 3300 is specially made for Optima and it works great but you have to understand that if you killed your Optima it will take up to 3 weeks to restore it. I have done this and it worked great. Check past posts on the subject under batteries and battery tenders and you will see this topic beaten to death...BTW Optima is not a dry cell, it is sealed.

Tytus

Tytus I will look into the ctek charger. I will eventually get a odyssey. Does the ctek work well with odyssey batteries?

 

[tosugrad]

LOTS of threads on this topic.

For me, hand down, the best is the Battery Tender Jr.

 

[Malibu Rapper]

I have 2. I have a Battery Tender Plus and a Schumacher Battery Companion. Discussed ad nauseam here.

The Schumacher was cheap and seems to work well. It charges and maintains a safe float voltage similar to the Battery Tender Plus. The Battery Tender Plus is better built and I trust it more than I do the Schumacher. The Plus model is a 1.25A model but they claim it charges as fast or faster than a 3A charger.

If you read the discussion thread, there's a great tip on hardwiring the cable to make it a cinch to connect your charger each time. My Battery Tender Plus has lasted me nearly 4 years and maintained my battery perfectly. If I had to buy another float charger even with all the other options out there, I would buy the Battery Tender Plus all over again.

 

[RPM217]

I have a CTek that I use on the NSX for the past 2 years, I'm still on the OE battery (6 years). I just purchased a Sears Die Hard trickle charger for $30 for my Mother in Law's car that she won't use until May. Lots of options, check previous threads

 

[warrenw]

Put your regualar battery charger on a timer for 1 hour of operation a day. That is plenty to maintain the battery, and will not "cook" the battery either. I have been doing this for years. Long before battery tenders were avialable. Using this I had the battery in my classic Mustang last 10 years. (I store the car for 6 months a year)

 

[R77F1]

I have been using the Schumacher battery tender thru out the Winter months and currently use it on the Braille battery(9lb racing battery for V6&V8 car), so far it has been doing its job well :smile:

 

[9doors]

If I had to buy another float charger even with all the other options out there, I would buy the Battery Tender Plus all over again.

+1 :biggrin:

 

[GT-N]

The Schumacher was cheap and seems to work well. It charges and maintains a safe float voltage similar to the Battery Tender Plus. The Battery Tender Plus is better built and I trust it more than I do the Schumacher. The Plus model is a 1.25A model but they claim it charges as fast or faster than a 3A charger.

MR, how safe do you feel about this charger? If you were to keep your battery charged by the Battery Tender Plus while you and your family went on a 2 week cruise. Would you feel safe knowing that no one will be home till you get home? Would you have that piece of mind?

 

[Hugh]

Why are you guys having battery issues and I'm not? Oh wait, hmmmmm, maybe because I actually drive my car every day. :biggrin:

 

[Malibu Rapper]

MR, how safe do you feel about this charger? If you were to keep your battery charged by the Battery Tender Plus while you and your family went on a 2 week cruise. Would you feel safe knowing that no one will be home till you get home? Would you have that piece of mind?

I leave my car charged for months at a time without a problem. I've gone on vacations for a month long and felt completely at ease. Came back to find my car cranking like a champ.

 

[GT-N]

I leave my car charged for months at a time without a problem. I've gone on vacations for a month long and felt completely at ease. Came back to find my car cranking like a champ.

BTW what battery are you running?

 

[Crazy Acura]

I use the Battery Tender Plus and left the country for 5 weeks with no issues.

Hell i kept it on all winter long.

 

[mmmikemo]

I'd leave mine connected for many months at a time during the winter in storage...no problem at all...

and recently, as I transitioned from Denver to SoCal, it was connected for a full year...started right up when I disconnected...I fully endorse the Battery Tender Plus...

Mike

 

[Malibu Rapper]

BTW what battery are you running?

I have a Lightning Audio orbital battery, same kind made by Exide.

 

[Ben]

I've had good results with CTEK being connected for weeks at a time.

 

[RPM217]

I've had good results with CTEK being connected for weeks at a time.

+1, I've been using the CTek for a couple of years, sometimes I drive it on the weekend, and in the deep winter, it'll sit for 7-8 weeks straight, take off the charger, turn the key and drive right out. It's so much better than they way I did it the first couple of years. You know, go to start it and have to jump it, did that a few times and than bought one of the charge packs, after I did that for a year, I bought the trickle charger, it's the only way to go in the climate where you can't drive it daily. Even when the battery was much newer, after being garaged in the dead of winter, not being driven for 2-3weeks, it needed a jump. Get a trickle charger. I just bought a "DieHard" from Sears on line for my mother in law's summer car that she's leaving until May. For $30, can't be beat.

 

[Briank]

Put your regualar battery charger on a timer for 1 hour of operation a day. That is plenty to maintain the battery, and will not "cook" the battery either. I have been doing this for years. Long before battery tenders were avialable. Using this I had the battery in my classic Mustang last 10 years. (I store the car for 6 months a year)

I also do this and it works great, battery that came in my NSX in 2002 when I bought it still works great after 6 driving seasons. I don't know how old the battery was when I got it so I am very happy.