Trickle Battery Charger

R

Richard Lorenz

Senior Member
What I want is a low amp battery charger that will cut itself off completely when the battery becomes fully charged. This will be sort of a "maintainer".

I tried a Schumacher 6/12 volt charger that used vague language to suggest that it would do the above. I tried it on 2 different batteries and it never shut off. It appeared to be over-charging the batteries, so I returned it to the seller.

Is there any "maintainer" charger that really completely stops the charging when the battery becomes fully charged?
 
Sears sells a 12/6 V auto select low current charger ~2A I believe... that does just that.... I got mine for ~ $25... Works well on my 6V battery and got my Mrs. 12V back in shape after the lights were left on...
 
I am very leery of any charger that says,automatic,floater,maintainer,or smart charger.One little tickle from a thunderstorm and the sensitive parts seem to become solid circuits.Anything that has little lights to tell state of charge make me nervous.Same thing with chargers that say they will shut off when battery is fully charged.They may do it when new,but once they've been dropped they seem to just keep charging.I've had two real serious problems with the Deltran maintainers.The company got back to me a few months after I contacted them,they said if somebody tries to start the car with the maintainer still hooked up the sensors could get fried.One had a meltdown sitting on the top of a Wheelhorse tractor,the other one I had hooked up to four batteries in a Brockway.Batteries were in parelell,and I left the maintainer hooked up to them for a week.I walked into the shop one morning and there were pieces of battery all over the place.Turns out the thing never shut off like it was supposed to.Is there a reason you feel you need a maintainer? If you have a drain,you have something that needs to be fixed.
 
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I have used Battery Tenders - 6 and 12 V models - for years without a single complaint. They cannot overcharge.
 
I have been using the Deltran Battery Tender Junior on most all of my batteries. It's a float charger and only charges when the battery needs a little boost. I have had these battery tenders connected to almost everything I own with a battery in it. Cars, trucks, ATV's , riding lawnmowers, etc. They make a 6 volt version and I am going to use one on my new Model A. I have been using a 6 volt unit on my 52 Jeep for 4 years with no battery problems. Auto parts stores carry them, but I have found the best deals on eBay. Smitty
 
I have used a "Battery Tender" for 8 years.

7 years was with the same battery. Replaced the battery because I thought I was pushing my luck, but the battery still worked fine.

When I was not driving or working on it, I had the battery tender hooked up.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0127-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CIPHT4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

41HPX5F36JL.jpg
 
I have trickle chargers on all of my collector cars and bikes. I went that route after I had to buy 3 brand new Harley-Davidson batteries in only 2 years because I didn't use the damn bike. Since then I actually use the cheapest and lowest power motorcycle chargers, even on my Model A. It charges only 0.5 amps per hour, which is fine for what it's needed.
 
mshmodela said:
Sears sells a 12/6 V auto select low current charger ~2A I believe... that does just that.... I got mine for ~ $25... Works well on my 6V battery and got my Mrs. 12V back in shape after the lights were left on...
Click to expand...



I also have one of these Sears Die-Hard chargers and they have some excellent features. It has no on\off switch, but it will not automatically turn on until it is connected to and sees a battery. If a lead should fall off it shuts off. When the battery is fully charged it shuts off. Works on both 6 and 12 volt batteries. Switch to 6-volts and it charges at 4 amps, switch it to 12 volts and it charges at 2 amps. Comes with battery clamp cables and a cable with a device you can plug into the power outlet (cigarette lighter type) on a modern car.

Tom Endy
 
nickair said:
I have used a "Battery Tender" for 8 years.

7 years was with the same battery. Replaced the battery because I thought I was pushing my luck, but the battery still worked fine.

When I was not driving or working on it, I had the battery tender hooked up.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0127-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CIPHT4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

41HPX5F36JL.jpg
Click to expand...

I've got one of these, and USED to leave it plugged in all the time - until I found out the hard way that the battery was slowly being overcharged (meaning a bunch of acid seeping out the top).

Now, I just hook it up every month or so until it transitions from charge to trickle (the led turns from red to green), indicating that the battery is fully charged.
 
I have 6 and 12 volt Battery Tender's and a 6/12 volt Black and Decker that I bought at Home Depot for a really low price. They all work well and will charge up a low battery if you are willing to wait for a couple of days.
 
Ive used a shumacher maintainer (8 of them) for many years no issues. battery always charged and the atv and 6 volt batterys last much longer
 
Mike V. Florida said:
I too have used a "Battery Tender" for years.

As mentioned you can also place a regular charger on a house light timer.
Click to expand...

My Montgomery Ward 12/6 volt 8 amp charger has a manual timer on it which also works as an on/off switch. Twist the knob to the number of hours you think necessary and it shuts off by itself! Also has an analog meter to show how many amps the battery is willing to take! Bought it for five bucks at a garage sale!
 
Power Tender here too. Used for many years no problems. 1.25 amps

Probably not a bad idea to use a timer I'll give that some thought.

Also, like to have the batteries out of the vehicle sitting across the garage on a shelf.
 
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