Battery tender 3 amp

[Ramg66]

Hello, I found a Battery Tender 3 amp at Steelz (Costco outlet) for $30. I purchased thinking I would ask here if it was too much for my Spyder, if it is I will end up using for my truck. I have been doing research and hear a lot about the junior and plus. I think I read a post one time saying the plus was better for newer batteries. Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

Ramg66

 

[UtahPete]

Hello, I found a Battery Tender 3 amp charger at Steelz (Costco outlet) for $30. I purchased thinking I would ask here if it was too much for my Spyder, if it is I will end up using for my truck. I have been doing research and hear a lot about the junior and plus. I think I read a post one time saying the plus was better for newer batteries. Any advice is appreciated.

You got a good deal. It's $50 at Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-Power-plus-Charger/dp/B016S7NHWQ

Your Spyder battery doesn't need such a high amperage, but it won't hurt it either.

"The Battery Tender® Power Plus is a 3 Amp battery charger that will fully recharge and then maintain a battery at its proper storage voltage without the damaging effects caused by trickle chargers. A higher output (3 amps) than the original Battery Tender Plus for a quicker recharge on Automotive, Marine, and Power Sport batteries combined with the automatic switch to maintenance mode makes this unit very versatile. It is an ideal charger for everyday charging use or long-term storage and maintenance. Ideal for AGM, Flooded, and Gel batteries."

 

[4 MARIE]

If it is in fact a "Battery Tender", you should be good to go. A three amp Charger? not so much, But if it is a tender, it will hold a float charge, and monitor, then do a little charging action as needed. For a powersports battery, probably even the Junior will do the trick.
Be advised, a tender generally will not revive a dead flat battery.

 

[Ramg66]

If it is in fact a "Battery Tender", you should be good to go. A three amp Charger?

Thank you for the heads up, I have edited to say battery tender 3 amp.

 

[Easy Rider]

Thank you for the heads up, I have edited to say battery tender 3 amp.

Even if it wasn't a Battery Tender make, if it is fully automatic it would be fine.

The stated capacity is the MAXIMUM possible but it only gives what is needed, which in most situations is less than that.

The things you want to avoid for maintenance use are manual ones. Anything described as a "trickle charger" is suspect.
So are ones that sell for $10 or less.

 

[SPYD3R]

HARBOR FREIGHT

I've been using the HARBOR FREIGHT battery tender for years on my SPYD3R, trucks, tractor, etc... and i have never had one go bad on me... and when they are on sale, you can get them for $5.00.....

https://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html
Dan P
SPYD3R

 

[R FUN]

I have been using the exact same Harbour Freight chargers as SPYD3R has for the last 12 years {3 and not yet to have one fail} on my snowmobiles, Quads, and motorcycles, and have had the batterys last 12 plus years. The chargers are plugged in 24/7 365 days a year. Just purchased 4 more here at Princess Auto
for $8.99 each. They call them a Battery Float Charge And Maintainer.
Roger

 

[Docster]

Just not gonna trust my $$$ Spyder with a $5 trickle charger same as I wouldn't trust my toddlers with a $5/hr babysitter......

I'll just sleep better.

 

[Ramg66]

Thank you all for the advice, I picked another one up today. My babies (Tundra and Spyder) get Battery Tenders :yes:, I will buy Harbor Freight ones for my quads and John Deere tractor. hyea:

 

[Little Blue]

Battery Tender

I have been using the 'Battery Tenders' units for many years. They are good tools to keep a battery in a good state of charge. I use the 3 amp for my Spyder 2016 RT. Little Blue

 

[jaherbst]

I am always suspect of anything "Harbor Freight". (Made in China) Just could not trust anything that only cost $5.00! :joke:

​Jack

 

[Wildrice]

I've been using the HARBOR FREIGHT battery tender for years on my SPYD3R, trucks, tractor, etc... and i have never had one go bad on me... and when they are on sale, you can get them for $5.00.....

https://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html
Dan P
SPYD3R

Same here-- $7 I believe I spent $12 once at another store. You can online mail order from just about any store--Harbor Freight to Amazon.
Darrell

 

[Ramg66]

I am always suspect of anything "Harbor Freight". (Made in China) Just could not trust anything that only cost $5.00! :joke:

​Jack

I'm the same way, but I am one who has never used a battery tender. I usually wait till spring and see what is dead, I then put my Black and Decker battery charger on it and if it comes up F03 (Dead battery) I put my schumacher on it until my B&D will charge it. If it keeps giving me problems I replace. I'm curious to see how long my batteries last now.

 

[robhowen]

May increase battery life

I hope you experience what I do and that is I've used Battery Tenders for decades now. I believe that I am getting years of extra life out of batteries vs. others. AZ is tough on batteries and I get probably 7 years where most people get 3.

Rob

I'm curious to see how long my batteries last now.

 

[Easy Rider]

I've been using the HARBOR FREIGHT battery tender for years on my SPYD3R, trucks, tractor, etc...

I am certainly happy that you have had such good luck.

Have you actually checked the voltage or current flow when they indicate that the battery is "full" ?
Do they have a "full" indicator ??

Given my horrible track record with HF Cen-tech electronics, I certainly won't be trusting any of my $100 plus batteries to a $5 charger.

Their multi-meters work good.
I wouldn't touch any of their other electronic stuff with a 50 foot pole.
Their 2/10/50 charger I got is a joke. It makes a good door stop.

 

[R FUN]

I too was skeptical about the cheap HF chargers thinking they were likely junk. I also have 4 Schumacher maintainers [$40.00 each] out of originally 6 as two failed along with other expensive chargers you can use for door stops. I have not had one HF maintainer fail and they have maintained some of my batterys for over 12 years.
It might not be everybodys cup of tea, I was just stateing my experience. Everybody to there own.
Roger

 

[Bdomini]

Battery Tender

I have used Deltran Battery Tenders exclusively for quite some time. They are a little bit more expensive than a Harbor Freight unit. However, I feel that the additional expense is a small price to pay for the peace of mind I get from using a Deltran. But that's just me.

 

[Easy Rider]

I was just stateing my experience. Everybody to there own.
Roger

And my point IS: The simple fact that none of your batteries have failed when the HF tender was in use is circumstantial evidence.......IF you haven't checked the voltage occasionally to see what is really happening. Oh, and checked the water level too.

A good tender will cause the battery to lose little or no liquid over a 4-6 month winter storage. A cheap one might cause it to lose a LOT.

20 years ago I bought an electronic elephant repeller. It obviously is working perfectly......because in that 20 years I have not seen a SINGLE elephant.

 

[M109Dreamer]

I have the same one from Costco and have been using it for 6 months without any issues. I did the same and picked one up when they were on sale also.

 

[Ramg66]

Okay, I have a question

I plugged my new Battery Tender 3 amp to my Spyder and my 2006 Toyota Tundra. When I plugged it into my Spyder it charged for a couple minutes and then it indicated it was fully charged and stayed that way, my Tundra on the other hand has been blinking charging for 2 days, I even swapped the BT's to troubleshoot and still same thing, why is that?