Battery trickle charger vs. Battery Tender??

[Skyla]

Hi Guys,

Newbie here, and just bought my Spyder F-3 S 2015. I am in chilly Canada and would love to know what is best for Spyder storage...Battery trickle charger or Battery tender? I read the manual and it did say a Trickle charger can be used but I've also read online that alot of owners prefer the Floating Tender? Which do you think is best for a place that can get below -30C?

[kngfsh27]

I use a battery tender

[Skyla]

Do you pull your battery for the Winter months? Thanks for taking the time to answer my question

[jnt]

Have used tender for years. No issues. When I used a trickle charger I had issues. Tenders win.

[hypurone]

If the "trickle" charger does not have the ability to switch to a float charge then I wouldn't bother with it personally. The Battery Tender is the way to go. It is smart enough to deal with temps, sulfation, float charging and even bring back completely dead batteries in most cases....

[Mazo EMS2]

Battery "Tenders" will only charge when needed, and are the better and safer choice.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Hi Guys,

Newbie here, and just bought my Spyder F-3 S 2015. I am in chilly Canada and would love to know what is best for Spyder storage...Battery trickle charger or Battery tender?

To be anal about it, trickle charger is an indefinite term used for both actual 'trickle' chargers and battery maintainers. Battery tender is like the name Xerox, a brand name that has become a generic term. Battery Tender is a brand of battery maintainer. What's the difference? A trickle charger often refers to a charger that puts out a constant low level electrical current. As said above those will destroy your battery. A maintainer, or 'float' charger senses the battery condition and puts out an intermittent charge just great enough and often enough to keep the battery fully charged but not over charged.

Battery Tender brand is one of the most recommended but I use one from NAPA and it works great. There are other quality brands out there also such as Schumacher.

[Triple B]

Hi Guys,

Newbie here, and just bought my Spyder F-3 S 2015. I am in chilly Canada and would love to know what is best for Spyder storage...Battery trickle charger or Battery tender? I read the manual and it did say a Trickle charger can be used but I've also read online that alot of owners prefer the Floating Tender? Which do you think is best for a place that can get below -30C?

I moved from Northern BC to the warmer area in the lower mainland of BC. While in the north, our temps would drop to -40 and stay there for a week or more. I always used a battery tender on my goldwing which was kept in a cold storage garage. Non riding season lasted for 5 to 6 months. I never pulled the battery, always just used the tender and had NO problems. Just make sure you leave the unit alone....don't go out on a semi warm day and start the unit. Leave it alone until it's time to start riding again. Make sure that you put fuel stabilizer in, fill the tank and ride for about a half hour before you park it for winter.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

To be anal about it, trickle charger is an indefinite term used for both actual 'trickle' chargers and battery maintainers. Battery tender is like the name Xerox, a brand name that has become a generic term. Battery Tender is a brand of battery maintainer. What's the difference? A trickle charger often refers to a charger that puts out a constant low level electrical current. As said above those will destroy your battery. A maintainer, or 'float' charger senses the battery condition and puts out an intermittent charge just great enough and often enough to keep the battery fully charged but not over charged.

Battery Tender brand is one of the most recommended but I use one from NAPA and it works great. There are other quality brands out there also such as Schumacher.

......... But He said it first .......... Mike

[wd8ajj]

I use the ones from Cycle Gear and have had no issues with them. I have both the large and the small ones. The large one has a recycle mode to try to Desulfate a bad battery.

[oldguyinTX]

I have used the "Battery Tender" brand for years. I plug it into the rear top trunk 12 volt outlet, which is always hot as I switched the fuse. My spends about 6 months of any given year in my garage on it, and it has never failed to start right up every spring. And this on the original battery. So that's where my vote goes.

[newbert]

To be anal about it, trickle charger is an indefinite term used for both actual 'trickle' chargers and battery maintainers. Battery tender is like the name Xerox, a brand name that has become a generic term. Battery Tender is a brand of battery maintainer. What's the difference? A trickle charger often refers to a charger that puts out a constant low level electrical current. As said above those will destroy your battery. A maintainer, or 'float' charger senses the battery condition and puts out an intermittent charge just great enough and often enough to keep the battery fully charged but not over charged.

Battery Tender brand is one of the most recommended but I use one from NAPA and it works great. There are other quality brands out there also such as Schumacher.

Very timely question posted and info supplied, as winter will be here before you know it.

One of the CanAm dealers in my area (the one where I bought my Spyder) stocks "Deltran" battery tenders for "about $40". Any opinions about them (good or bad or indifferent)? My Syder came with a cable for a battery tender installed by the dealer, but I'm not sure what the connector on that cable is called - The dealer said the Deltran battery tender will be compatible with the connector, but I don't want to get a low quality battery tender if I can help it.

So, does anyone have any opinon about "Deltran"?

Thanks!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

So, does anyone have any opinon about "Deltran"?

Deltran is the manufacturer's name of the Battery Tender brand.

[Chupaca]

Its all in the title...chargers basically charge low or dead batteries and come many sizes and amperage. Some float or shut off when charged. Maintainers, such as the Battery Tenders, keep a charged battery charged but will not charge a low or dead battery. Some have found out the hard way.

[Spyderglide]

I have 6 Deltran battery tenders on 6 different vehicles! Had one stop working (think red light would not go to green). I checked it with another one to make sure my connections was good. I think it faulted maybe because I would "unplug it" from the battery and still keep it "plugged in" into the 110 volt wall outlet. Funny, the last one I bought feels "weightless" next to a older one I have. It still seems to work ok though.

[Easy Rider]

I read the manual and it did say a Trickle charger can be used .........

The problem here is: That the term "trickle charger" covers too many different things.
Using the wrong small "dumb" charger can cause battery damage if used over a long term.

To be safe, you need to spend a couple of extra bucks and get a "tender type" small fully automatic maintenance charger.

[Bob Denman]

Just go get yourself a Deltran Battery Tender Junior: your bike's battery will thank you!

[Csh72]

Deltran is the brand I have always used. Never had a problem and they sell some useful accessories.

[Lew L]

Just go get yourself a Deltran Battery Tender Junior: your bike's battery will thank you!

​+1

[rays hell]

My maintainer of choice is a Schumacher SP3-CA around 50 bucks, have seen them at Walmart, and they have a digital readout
and 3 different ways to connect to your bike.

[jaherbst]

Its all in the title...chargers basically charge low or dead batteries and come many sizes and amperage. Some float or shut off when charged. Maintainers, such as the Battery Tenders, keep a charged battery charged but will not charge a low or dead battery. Some have found out the hard way.

Personally I prefer the ones that float. Nothing like seeing the Spyder floating above the floor a couple of feet! I do not know of any brands that will not shut off now when charge is up. They will fluctuate on and off automatically to maintain a charge. I do disconnect for a few days once every couple of months and let the battery deplete some then reconnect. This method is not based on any scientific fact but is recommended by "Al Gore".

​Jack

[Easy Rider]

I do not know of any brands that will not shut off now when charge is up.

Nobody can argue with that.
But just because you don't know about any.....does not mean that they don't exist.

[DGoebel]

+1 Deltran Battery Tender Junior

[rays hell]

Who is this Al Gore you speak of ?

[jaherbst]

Jack