Battery Tender
06-26-2017, 09:54 AM
#16
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I use the heck out of the Harbor Freight float charger with the alligator clamps, I bought one of the onboard ones but have not installed it yet. I also use a small 12v AC adapter from an old dead LAN switch or something and that works fine but I have only used it for like 3 weeks at a go.
One downside with the $9 HF float charger is that it will drain a battery it is connected to if it's not plugged in to a working outlet at about 300ma. So it'd drain a battery in about a week?
I checked the onboard one and it draws no current when unplugged. These are $19 and you could add alligator clips or a lighter plug to one if you wanted.
My shop battery is the OEM one from my 2001 Audi A8 and it's in great shape at 17 years old, kept alive on the HF float charger, so it seems to work and it does float from what I have seen, maintaining at 13.2v.
The Black and Decker one from Walmart at $16 looks pretty good, lots of cabling options and it is capable being mounted or used externally.
Whatever you use it's perhaps not a terrible idea to put a 1-2A fuse or something inline and near the battery connection, that'd help with accidental shorting of the wiring as well. These devices should have an internal fuse but it'd be cheaper to protect the device's fuse and of course all the wire between it and the battery.
One downside with the $9 HF float charger is that it will drain a battery it is connected to if it's not plugged in to a working outlet at about 300ma. So it'd drain a battery in about a week?
I checked the onboard one and it draws no current when unplugged. These are $19 and you could add alligator clips or a lighter plug to one if you wanted.
My shop battery is the OEM one from my 2001 Audi A8 and it's in great shape at 17 years old, kept alive on the HF float charger, so it seems to work and it does float from what I have seen, maintaining at 13.2v.
The Black and Decker one from Walmart at $16 looks pretty good, lots of cabling options and it is capable being mounted or used externally.
Whatever you use it's perhaps not a terrible idea to put a 1-2A fuse or something inline and near the battery connection, that'd help with accidental shorting of the wiring as well. These devices should have an internal fuse but it'd be cheaper to protect the device's fuse and of course all the wire between it and the battery.
06-26-2017, 11:56 AM
#17
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Ended up going with the Battery Tender Jr. Perfect for what I needed. Set up the quick connect. Took about the recommended 16 hrs for the light to go solid green.
06-26-2017, 04:30 PM
#18
06-26-2017, 05:55 PM
#20
For years I have been using a CTEK charger.
I also have their attachment that is forever attached to the battery for a quick plug-n-play. So with the hood down I can still connect/disconnect the charger from the battery.
I also have their attachment that is forever attached to the battery for a quick plug-n-play. So with the hood down I can still connect/disconnect the charger from the battery.
05-30-2022, 02:21 PM
#21
do you need to disconnect the negative while using the CTEK? Thx.