Battery tender question
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 462
Likes: 87
From: Southern California
I bought a Harley tender for about $30.
I have a Schumacher battery charger that is great. One of the modes on it is "Maintain".
I bought a Schumacher "battery maintainer" from Wallymart for $7. Although it doesn't have the slick, polorized quick connects like the Harley branded unit, it works well and says it's fine to use on cars or motorcycles.
I have a Schumacher battery charger that is great. One of the modes on it is "Maintain".
I bought a Schumacher "battery maintainer" from Wallymart for $7. Although it doesn't have the slick, polorized quick connects like the Harley branded unit, it works well and says it's fine to use on cars or motorcycles.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 443
From: West Tennessee
I have 4 of the Schumacher ones from Wallyworld each about $20 each for going on 3 years now. They work fine! One crapped out after a couple of weeks and was returned and replaced. No issues with any since. 3 are used on bikes and the other on a 69 Firebird that never gets driven and only occasionally cranked just to keep it running.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,077
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From: Plover, WI
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 1,494
Likes: 1,157
From: Long Island
I have great luck w the cheap, wall-pack looking tender/maintainers. I was getting them from "J C Whitney" & "Sportsmans Guide" I bought a number of them in case of failure, but 15-20 years later, they all work. When I paid-up for the name brand at HD, it didnt last 3 years. I have even used these cheapies on an old auto many years w/o problems. Try to find "made in Taiwan" better quality. I keep mine on a lamp timer to run about an hour per day.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 443
From: West Tennessee
I have great luck w the cheap, wall-pack looking tender/maintainers. I was getting them from "J C Whitney" & "Sportsmans Guide" I bought a number of them in case of failure, but 15-20 years later, they all work. When I paid-up for the name brand at HD, it didnt last 3 years. I have even used these cheapies on an old auto many years w/o problems. Try to find "made in Taiwan" better quality. I keep mine on a lamp timer to run about an hour per day.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 10,287
Likes: 7,773
From: West Central FL
Supersmart. That was kind of the basis for my inquiry. From what I've read here and elsewhere the word "Supersmart" is nothing more than a way to say that the tender cycles on and off as needed which they all do but not all use that particular word on the lable.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,133
Likes: 504
From: Lake County, IL
Oldish thread, but you might look at the posts from this month. Not my info, though -- I'm John Snow.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 10,029
Likes: 5,404
From: Manitoba
With everything else being equal (cost/intelligent monitoring), the higher the output the better the tender/charger. A 2A Battery Tender will charge a dead battery overnight. The 700ma variety would take much longer.
The Tender Jr. would be fine, but another brand name with higher amp o/p for the same price would be a better bargain.
I can buy a 2A tender in Canada for $40.
The Tender Jr. would be fine, but another brand name with higher amp o/p for the same price would be a better bargain.
I can buy a 2A tender in Canada for $40.
Last edited by assiniboine; Nov 1, 2018 at 09:07 AM.