Battery tenders
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
You may or may not have picked up on the fact that the battery tender MUST be one which senses when to full charge, when to maintain charge, and when to shut off. There are some products which call themselves "battery tenders", but are merely battery chargers and a constant charge will ruin your battery.
+1 Heat in the summer will drain a battery faster than cold. Cold increases the cranking amps needed in winter beacuse it takes more to turn over a cold engine. Heat will actually drain a battery over time if it is set up for awhile.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
The full and proper use of a battery maintainer is to use it 24/7.
I have 15 Schumacker 1.5 amp maintainers in use in the garage on bikes, cars, truck and a trailer brake back up battery.
The vehicle gets unplugged when it leaves the garage and plugged in upon returning.
That is the only way to get the benefit off extending the life of the battery by double or more.
I sold a bike with the original over 8 year old battery and it still had full power.
I have an 02 Corvette with the little original battery going on almost ten years.
There is only a certain amount of charge discharge cycles in a lead acid battery. A tender keeps it at the top if used per directions which is as I said 24/7 and not just for storage periods.
I never understood someone buying a tender and then only use it during storage. People seem not to read the owners manual on anything.
I have 15 Schumacker 1.5 amp maintainers in use in the garage on bikes, cars, truck and a trailer brake back up battery.
The vehicle gets unplugged when it leaves the garage and plugged in upon returning.
That is the only way to get the benefit off extending the life of the battery by double or more.
I sold a bike with the original over 8 year old battery and it still had full power.
I have an 02 Corvette with the little original battery going on almost ten years.
There is only a certain amount of charge discharge cycles in a lead acid battery. A tender keeps it at the top if used per directions which is as I said 24/7 and not just for storage periods.
I never understood someone buying a tender and then only use it during storage. People seem not to read the owners manual on anything.
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Supporter
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,056
Likes: 248
From: Milton Mills NH
My tender has been doing it's thing sense last Oct 1st when I put the bike away, and will stay on until Mid April when it is safe to fire it back up. Always have one on the bike. Good investment.
