First battery in my riding mower lasted one season lol. Dad found the same and mentioned he always keeps his on a tender and since I did that it has been 2 seasons and the battery performs like new so I think it is a great investment for those small batteries! Cause small battery does not equal a very small price

 

I have a og tender. Over 35yo. But recently bought an AGM battery, so needed an update. Nico has best reviews, opted to go that way.

 

You can't fully charge a "12v" battery with only 12vDC so don't select that option. Battery charging works on voltage differential and a 12v battery is really 12.7v, 12v is no more than 50% charged.

I've used this charger/tender for the past few years.

-- Chuck

 

It does not mean it outputs 12V. It applies full charging voltage. The 12V light on the one the OP posted is not even a selectable setting, it just indicates you have a good connection to the battery. even on the selectable Battery Tender models the choices are 6V and 12V, which refers to the type of battery you are charging, not the output voltage. Just like the one you linked says 12V.

 

Good to know.

I've had battery chargers that simply put out a fixed 12vDC (13.6vDC) unlike a "smart" charger with a variable voltage algorithm that modifies output voltage as battery voltage increases and finally stabilizes.

6v batteries may seem rare since standard automobile voltage changed to 12v (and negative ground) mid last century but there are still plenty of them in applications like golf carts or in series to make a high capacity 12v battery. I have a pair of these on the tongue of my camper (caravan?) but no 6v charger so they're treated like the single 12v battery they now are.

-- Chuck

 

Yep I have a larger Battery Tender that still has the 6V option for small stuff but I never have anything 6V to charge.