Battery Tender
10-09-2013, 09:47 PM
#4
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2002
Location: Bonita Springs, Florida
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10-09-2013, 10:01 PM
#7
Advanced
Battery Tender is a trade name, like Kleenex. I think battery maintainer is the generic term, like facial tissue.
That being said, my battery maintainer is a Schumacher. I bought it for $25 about 5-6 years ago. I have it wired up in parallel to maintain both my motorcycle and Corvette batteries during the winter.
I highly recommend one. Motorcycle batteries lasted 2 years maximum without a maintainer. I am going on six years with the current motorcycle battery.
My previous toy car was a MX-5. I had it for 4 years and never had to change the battery. I credit the battery maintainer.
I have only had a Corvette for 11 months, including this past winter. I am expecting the maintainer to pay the same dividends on its battery.
That being said, my battery maintainer is a Schumacher. I bought it for $25 about 5-6 years ago. I have it wired up in parallel to maintain both my motorcycle and Corvette batteries during the winter.
I highly recommend one. Motorcycle batteries lasted 2 years maximum without a maintainer. I am going on six years with the current motorcycle battery.
My previous toy car was a MX-5. I had it for 4 years and never had to change the battery. I credit the battery maintainer.
I have only had a Corvette for 11 months, including this past winter. I am expecting the maintainer to pay the same dividends on its battery.
10-09-2013, 10:25 PM
#10
Racer
Battery Tender is a trade name, like Kleenex. I think battery maintainer is the generic term, like facial tissue.
That being said, my battery maintainer is a Schumacher. I bought it for $25 about 5-6 years ago. I have it wired up in parallel to maintain both my motorcycle and Corvette batteries during the winter.
I highly recommend one. Motorcycle batteries lasted 2 years maximum without a maintainer. I am going on six years with the current motorcycle battery.
My previous toy car was a MX-5. I had it for 4 years and never had to change the battery. I credit the battery maintainer.
I have only had a Corvette for 11 months, including this past winter. I am expecting the maintainer to pay the same dividends on its battery.
That being said, my battery maintainer is a Schumacher. I bought it for $25 about 5-6 years ago. I have it wired up in parallel to maintain both my motorcycle and Corvette batteries during the winter.
I highly recommend one. Motorcycle batteries lasted 2 years maximum without a maintainer. I am going on six years with the current motorcycle battery.
My previous toy car was a MX-5. I had it for 4 years and never had to change the battery. I credit the battery maintainer.
I have only had a Corvette for 11 months, including this past winter. I am expecting the maintainer to pay the same dividends on its battery.
10-09-2013, 11:40 PM
#12
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I use a Deltran Battery Tender Plus - has done so for many years. Keeps the battery in top shape between driving times and never a problem.
10-10-2013, 07:24 AM
#15
Le Mans Master
Pro Mechanic
BatteryMinder 12248
http://batteryminders.com/details.php?prod=12248
You can find it a little cheaper on Amazon or elsewhere.
Been using for three years on all of my cars (I have one for each car) and no complaints. Best part is they can be used on flooded, AGM and gel batteries.
http://batteryminders.com/details.php?prod=12248
You can find it a little cheaper on Amazon or elsewhere.
Been using for three years on all of my cars (I have one for each car) and no complaints. Best part is they can be used on flooded, AGM and gel batteries.
10-10-2013, 07:31 AM
#16
Burning Brakes
Battery tender plus, I use two. One for the Vette and one for my GTO.
10-10-2013, 09:05 AM
#17
Team Owner
I keep two C5s on battery tenders since I don't drive them that often (Audi Q5 and Mini Cooper S are our dd's). The CTEK I had that was on one C5 failed fairly early in its life (less than three years) so I had to send it back to CTEK for a repalcement under warranty. They replaced it as promised but I no longer use it - I keep it as an emergency spare. I replaced it with a second Battery Tender Plus. The first one I bought kept my Red Top battery alive for over nine years. The Yellow Top I replaced it with was not charging properly on the CTEK which is why I replaced it with the BTP.
I also had a Schumacher charger on the other C5 that went south on me fairly quickly. I was able to fix that one but also keep it as an emergency spare. Both C5s are on BTP's because they just flat out work and are very reliable. The original BTP I have I bought in 2002, have used it 24/7 continuously since then and have had zero problems with it.
I also had a Schumacher charger on the other C5 that went south on me fairly quickly. I was able to fix that one but also keep it as an emergency spare. Both C5s are on BTP's because they just flat out work and are very reliable. The original BTP I have I bought in 2002, have used it 24/7 continuously since then and have had zero problems with it.
10-10-2013, 11:33 AM
#18
Le Mans Master
I have a couple of Schumacher 1.5A maintainers. They have worked great for several years.
These are not the most current Schumacher maintainers. They are changing them and I still see some of both in the stores. The early versions had a desulfate mode that could actually help restore a battery if it wasn't too bad. It brought back a couple of batteries for me and they are still going fine. The newer version does not state it has a desulfate mode, so I don't know if it actually still does, or it is just not stated on the box or instruction sheet/manual.
These are not the most current Schumacher maintainers. They are changing them and I still see some of both in the stores. The early versions had a desulfate mode that could actually help restore a battery if it wasn't too bad. It brought back a couple of batteries for me and they are still going fine. The newer version does not state it has a desulfate mode, so I don't know if it actually still does, or it is just not stated on the box or instruction sheet/manual.
10-10-2013, 11:59 AM
#20
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Oct 2007
Location: It's true money can't buy happiness, but it is more comfortable crying in a Corvette than on a bicyc
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St. Jude Donor '13
I'm using an Npower charger maintainer I got from northern tool that I paid just under $20. on sale a couple years ago. I also have a $6. float charger from harbor freight I use on the lawn tractor. I also use a solar maintainer on the kids minibike. All work ok.