Trickle Battery Charger
 

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?

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I would prefer to plug any low amp charger into a timer.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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...

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I have used Battery Tenders - 6 and 12 V models - for years without a single complaint. They cannot overcharge.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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...ry+tender+plus

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HPX5F36JL.jpg

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Try Battery Butler - They have both 12v and 6v versions.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Atimer will cut the amountof curciut going to a charger good luck

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Me too. I don't leave them plugged in constantly, though.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I too have used a "Battery Tender" for years.

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

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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!

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I too have had pulse mode battery maintainers on both my old vehicles, both 6v and 12v for years, 24x7-365 and have had zero problems. Love em. :)

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Mine is from Walmart - wonderful item.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

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.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I have never needed a charger. Batteries last 6-8 years, everything stock, always starts. Normal group on batteries from Advance, etc.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

i used to use a maintainer over the winter on my chevette... was until i went to start it one spring and got a few clicks and that was it. battery charger when hooked up would show trickle for awhile then switch to fully charged. apparently was not charging at all...

now i just leave the battery disconnected from the car and charge it on 2a setting with a normal charger for an hour before i start it in the spring. cranks right over just normally.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Get a 6 volt DC 300mA power supply from an old cordless telephone or what have you and use that as a battery maintainer. Put it on the battery once a month for a few days, your battery will stay like new. Make sure you get your polarity correct.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Thanks for all the replies. My main need is for a 1995 Buick that sometimes sits for a month or more without being driven. That car has a continuous small battery drain that is used for some of the electronics.

My current thinking is to get a Battery Tender Junior. I think that it is not likely to cause trouble because it is dedicated to 12 volts and delivers a maximum of 0.75 amps. Also claimed to shut down / off when battery charged.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Battery Tender with battery disconnected thru a voltmeter.
6.2v gets plugged in, 6.7v gets un-plugged. Working very well with a standard Deka battery.
http://i58.tinypic.com/2wexkzt.jpg

Side note....the 'Script' tar top battery split while sitting on the bench in the basement, no charger involved, just poor construction.
http://i58.tinypic.com/2r6i9g9.jpg

Bob

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I found some technical information about the Battery Tender Junior. I imagine that other so-called maintainer chargers work about the same way. For the 12 volt "Junior", the battery is charged to 14.4 volts and then the charger switches automatically to 13.2 float volts. If the voltage drops to 12.6 volts, the charger resumes full charge rate until 14.4 volts when the cycle repeats itself.

The 14.4 volts seems undesirably high to me. I think that I will get one of these, but try to turn it off manually when the voltage gets to 12.5 or so. If I leave it unintentionally longer, the automatic float feature will offer protection.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

Richard,

Our 'Burb is used mostly for towing, it sits quite a bit.
I have 12v Jr connected thru a power port, the BT light shows green & rarely do I see 13v, usually 12.8.

Pretty much the same for the 6v, 'cept it's connected directly to the battery, with the negative cable off. I've seen a max chg voltage of 6.75. Un-plug and start over at 6.2.

Bob
:cool:

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I have a Schumacher for about $18. I disconnect the battery ground cable, hook up the Schumacher, and fly back to Texas for seven months. The next spring when I return the battery is fully charged. Cranks right up. If the charger is over charging, the top of the battery will be wet and have low electrolyte level.

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

love my battery butler...five tears and counting.....no problemo

Re: Trickle Battery Charger
 

I use a Save a Battery - Vehicle Battery Chargers. 100% automatic. Plug and Play. Features state of the are PULSE technology. SLA. AGM. Dry Cell. Spiral Cell. GEL.

See www.saveabattery.com for more information