Battery Tender Question
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Battery Tender Question
I'm thinking about buying a Battery Tender Plus.
I know it's great for keeping a battery charged when the car is in storage.
But can the Battery Tender be used to charge a battery that has been completely drained ? Like after a battery drains out due to a failed alternator or leaving the headlights on? Thanks.
I know it's great for keeping a battery charged when the car is in storage.
But can the Battery Tender be used to charge a battery that has been completely drained ? Like after a battery drains out due to a failed alternator or leaving the headlights on? Thanks.
Honorary Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,121
Likes: 3
From: Indian Land SC
I don't know the details of this particular product so you may want to ask the manufacturer. I'm just spouting generalities.
I do know that car batteries are "traction" batteries and are designed to withstand short-term high-current discharges followed immediately by high-rate recharging. In general they do not like being float-charged and they don't like NOT going through a discharge/recharge cycle for long periods.
I've seen car batteries in stationary applications go dead in 12 months when left on float chargers. I've also seen trickle chargers (your battery tender sounds like a trickle charger) that are unable to fully recharge a car battery because their charge voltage is not high enough. They may get it up to 60% but can never really put a full charge into it.
.
I do know that car batteries are "traction" batteries and are designed to withstand short-term high-current discharges followed immediately by high-rate recharging. In general they do not like being float-charged and they don't like NOT going through a discharge/recharge cycle for long periods.
I've seen car batteries in stationary applications go dead in 12 months when left on float chargers. I've also seen trickle chargers (your battery tender sounds like a trickle charger) that are unable to fully recharge a car battery because their charge voltage is not high enough. They may get it up to 60% but can never really put a full charge into it.
.
Former Moderator
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 18,852
Likes: 1
From: New York
Originally Posted by modifry,May 1 2007, 05:24 PM
I don't know the details of this particular product so you may want to ask the manufacturer. I'm just spouting generalities.
I do know that car batteries are "traction" batteries and are designed to withstand short-term high-current discharges followed immediately by high-rate recharging. In general they do not like being float-charged and they don't like NOT going through a discharge/recharge cycle for long periods.
I've seen car batteries in stationary applications go dead in 12 months when left on float chargers. I've also seen trickle chargers (your battery tender sounds like a trickle charger) that are unable to fully recharge a car battery because their charge voltage is not high enough. They may get it up to 60% but can never really put a full charge into it.
.
I do know that car batteries are "traction" batteries and are designed to withstand short-term high-current discharges followed immediately by high-rate recharging. In general they do not like being float-charged and they don't like NOT going through a discharge/recharge cycle for long periods.
I've seen car batteries in stationary applications go dead in 12 months when left on float chargers. I've also seen trickle chargers (your battery tender sounds like a trickle charger) that are unable to fully recharge a car battery because their charge voltage is not high enough. They may get it up to 60% but can never really put a full charge into it.
.
Honorary Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,121
Likes: 3
From: Indian Land SC
^ Yea but we were talking about CAR batteries. 
Even if you only put 30-40% charge into the battery it will start the car, and then the alternator will take over to fully chaarge the battery.
The danger is NOT in using a battery tender to charge a battery so you can start the car, it's in using a battery tender to recharge a dead battery and then leave it on the tender for 6 months. You stand a good chance of having a dead battery when you go to use it again.
Even if you only put 30-40% charge into the battery it will start the car, and then the alternator will take over to fully chaarge the battery.
The danger is NOT in using a battery tender to charge a battery so you can start the car, it's in using a battery tender to recharge a dead battery and then leave it on the tender for 6 months. You stand a good chance of having a dead battery when you go to use it again.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Originally Posted by modifry,May 4 2007, 07:19 AM
^ Yea but we were talking about CAR batteries.
Even if you only put 30-40% charge into the battery it will start the car, and then the alternator will take over to fully chaarge the battery.
The danger is NOT in using a battery tender to charge a battery so you can start the car, it's in using a battery tender to recharge a dead battery and then leave it on the tender for 6 months. You stand a good chance of having a dead battery when you go to use it again.
Even if you only put 30-40% charge into the battery it will start the car, and then the alternator will take over to fully chaarge the battery.
The danger is NOT in using a battery tender to charge a battery so you can start the car, it's in using a battery tender to recharge a dead battery and then leave it on the tender for 6 months. You stand a good chance of having a dead battery when you go to use it again.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post