Battery trickle charger vs. Battery Tender??

[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. :banghead:

Personally I prefer the ones that float. Nothing like seeing the Spyder floating above the floor a couple of feet! :joke: 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 :agree: Deltran Battery Tender Junior

 

[rays hell]

Al Gore

Who is this Al Gore you speak of ?

 

[jaherbst]

:joke:

Jack

 

[Triple B]

This method is not based on any scientific fact but is recommended by "Al Gore". [/SIZE]

​Jack

Good one, Jack.:clap::clap::clap::yikes::roflblack::roflblack::roflblack:

 

[teninospyder]

First charge of "BS" type battery - using Battery Tender?

OK.........Please.....Just to clarify for me.

I've read most everything I can find about buying a "BS" type battery and how to bring it up to 100% charge. All the instructions seem to involve varying current flows and times, but I don't seem to see any clear answer to my question - "Can I just hook up a Battery tender (or equivalent brand unit} to the new battery after filling it with the acid, and let it set a few days.......then install and be 100% good ??

Help appreciated. Note: My current battery is 2014 that was installed when RTL was new. Got 20,000 miles on Spyder now with no indication yet of any issues, but I want to be ready. I do put my Battery Tender on it periodically over "winter", which in Washington is anybody's guess on how long )

 

[teninospyder]

to utahpete

This is the first time on this thread you have brought up the term 'BS type battery'; it wasn't part of your original question. Not sure what you're asking now.

Uh Utahpete......my post (from Teninospyder) is a new one from a new person. I wasn't the originator I think you are referring to in your quote (?)

 

[R FUN]

I believe the BS refers to the last letters on the battery number which indicates bottle fill yourself and not the factory fill.
As far as battery maintainers, I also have used the Schumacher maintainers [$40.00] and they work but also use the Harbour Freight maintainers [$6.00]
at the time for over 12 years. I use them for my motorcycle, quads, snowmobiles etc. and have had the batterys last 12 plus years. In Canada Princes Auto sell
them [$9.00] and also one of the biggest battery supplyers in Saskatchewan sells them and highly recommends them, They are called a battery float charger and maintainer, they maintain the batterys @ 13.2 volts with my own voltmeter. I am not trying to degrade the more expensive ones but have had just as good luck with the cheap ones and I have about 12 chargers running all the time. Just my opinion.
Roger

 

[wyliec]

For those that may be still using an Odyssey PC680

At one point there were quite a few members using it. The Deltran won’t to the job.



http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...yssey-Chargers&p=300889&viewfull=1#post300889


Since I had the Deltran at the same time as the Odyssey tender, I placed the Deltran on first, and once there was the green light, I placed the Odyssey tender on, and it was 1 or 2 lights short of the green.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

OK.........Please.....Just to clarify for me.

I've read most everything I can find about buying a "BS" type battery and how to bring it up to 100% charge. All the instructions seem to involve varying current flows and times, but I don't seem to see any clear answer to my question - "Can I just hook up a Battery tender (or equivalent brand unit} to the new battery after filling it with the acid, and let it set a few days.......then install and be 100% good ??

Help appreciated. Note: My current battery is 2014 that was installed when RTL was new. Got 20,000 miles on Spyder now with no indication yet of any issues, but I want to be ready. I do put my Battery Tender on it periodically over "winter", which in Washington is anybody's guess on how long )

First of all don't put the acid in until you need to use the battery. It probably will be somewhat charged so a good maintainer will bring it up to full charge in a day or two.

 

[Easy Rider]

"Can I just hook up a Battery tender (or equivalent brand unit} to the new battery after filling it with the acid, and let it set a few days.......then install and be 100% good ??

Yes. Another case of excessive and unnecessary worrying.

You will need to get an AGM battery, either already filled or "fill and seal yourself".

Any name brand automatic tender type charger will work......to bring it up to about 95% of it's total capacity and that is PLENTY.
That will probably only take about 24 hours.

If the charger does not have some kind of indication that the charge is "full" then it isn't the right kind.

 

[MurrayBrown]

Battery Tender 101

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?

Winnipeg here.
Battery TENDER. Period. Trickle chargers generally require "you" to push the on/off button. If you forget, you can do some serious damage to the battery.
A GOOD QUALITY TENDER, however, will sense when it needs to be turned on or off.
I didn't come up with the preceding; my 'phone call to Deltran confirmed what I had read elsewhere.

You will get many people here that say to get this or that, and my two cents says to get the Deltran Battery Tender ... PN: 022-0185G-DL-WH

http://products.batterytender.com/Motorcycle/Battery-Tender-Plus-High-Efficiency.html

Look around on amazon.ca. Don't overpay ... some Canadian merchants charge w-a-y more than just the exchange rate. :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

 

[ARtraveler]

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 :spyder2: 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.

:agree: x 2. I have four hooked up. One for the riding lawnmower, one for the Vulcan, and one on each Spyder.

They will be sleeping until March or so. Have always started on the first try. :yes:

 

[Star Cruiser]

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 :spyder2: 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.

I too have swapped the fuse to use the plug in the top trunk 12 Volt Outlet. It is very easy to use. I use a Trickle Charger (Battery Tender Brand) - 100 mA.
I just plug the charger into the outlet once a month for 24 hours. Haven't had a problem since my first Spyder in 2008. Now on number 3 <and LOVE IT>
I live in Northern Ontario

 

[Haze]

I have a Schumacher and a Deltran Jr. both are tenders and work great.
Set up the charging circuit with a SAE plug tied directly into the battery.

 

[Wahrsuul]

Has anyone used a solar charger/tender? I don't have a garage as such, and the mower and Spyder are in the separate car port with no convenient power. Not concerned about the Spyder, rarely a week goes by that I don't ride, but the mower sits a good part of the year.