Recommendations for Battery Tenders

[Kent McLean]

Keith Lawyer wrote:
 > Anyhoo.........what's wrong with a basic battery charger, those
 > with a switch for 6 or 12V and 2 or 6amp charge?  I'd get one
 > like this with the 2A trickle charge:
 >
 > 
<http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1296397&cp=&keywords=schumacher&searchId=10420322502&parentPage=search>

They don't have any intelligence.  A "battery tender" [1] will
bring a battery up to full charge, and stop charging it. It
will then monitor the battery's condition, and continue to keep
it charged without overcharging it, without any more action on
your part -- keep it plugged in all winter longer.

A trickle charger, if left on for extended periods (weeks or
even just days), will charge a battery, then continue to over
charge it and kill it.

Ask me about my 2 year old gel cell motorcycle battery I put
on a 1.5A trickle charger overnight once a month over the
winter.  Come Spring, I had to buy a new battery.

I found a Battery Tender Jr. (750mA charger) at Batteries Plus
for $30.  That would have saved my $60 battery.
<www.batteriesplus.com>

You live, you learn.

--
Kent McLean
'94 100 S Avant, "Moody"
'89 200 TQ, "Bad Puppy" up in smoke

[1] The Battery Tender brander and others like it.