Battery maintainers for the winter

[Mike E.]

Any recommendations? Battery tender plus vs. battery tender junior? Something else? I hate to say it, but here in Wisconsin we need to start thinking about such things fairly soon!

[Kevin G.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

Any recommendations? Battery tender plus vs. battery tender junior? Something else? I hate to say it, but here in Wisconsin we need to start thinking about such things fairly soon!

You're more then welcome to allow me to keep one charged up for you here in Pa. Winter is quite a way off here!

Kevin

ps: I used the BTplus on mine.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

Mike;

I know we've had some less than friendly exchanges in the past and, for my part, I apologize. We really shouldn't treat fellow Wisconsinites any way other than with the highest respect. I was born in Portage county, raised in Racine. Grew up across the street from an Ernst family.

I've used a Battery Minder on my "Restoration Battery" in my 63 now for a number of years with good results. Down here in Florida though, we have to watch the electrolyte level in the battery closely as it seems to boil/perk/or evaporate the water out quickly. I check it as part of my routine maintenance. But, here I drive the car more frquently than where we last lived in Illinois (2003). I used it there for half a winter that year when the car sat for a month or more at a time, and it worked like a champ.

Stu Fox

[Patrick H.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

We use a few Battery Minders here and have had no problems on the 08, 02 or older Corvettes. In fact, I've got one now on a battery for a 72 I'll be working on when I get back home (not my 72).

Patrick


PS. Mike, I sent you an e-mail a few days ago; did you get it?

[Steven B.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

Mike, I have used three BT's for the past 10-15 years. Never had a problem and haven't used the Jr. You might consider the multiple units which I believe will serve up to four batteries at a time with long cords.

[Duke W.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

If it's easy to remove (some C2 locations require the removal of heater hoses, which requires partial draining of the cooling system...), my recommendation is to remove the battery from the car and keep it in the house - somewhere cool, but above freezing - like a basement or service porch and charge it once a month with a regular 2/6 or 2/10 amp charger.

The cooler the temperature the lower the internal discharge rate, but a severely discharged battery can freeze at not much less than 32F.

In very cold weather A "Battery Tender" type charger may not generate enough back voltage to deliver enough charging current because internal battery resistance is greater, so such a device may not be able to keep the battery charged in below zero temperatures, in which case a conventional battery charger will be required.

In any event disconnect the battery to avoid the slight parasitic discharge that occurs whenever the battery is connected. On pre electronic control cars with mechanical clocks, the biggest discharge source is the clock rewind solenoid and generator/alternator.

Duke

[Bill M.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

I've used a Battery Tender on my '65 for many years. I leave the battery connected and installed. I store the car at Detroit ambient temp. from mid-December to mid-March No problems with the battery. Detroit is not as cold as Wisconsin, but it is still way below freezing for many nights. (I keep the garage heated until mid-December and after mid-march to avoid condensation.)

[Terry M.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

I think I have the BT+, but I would have to look. I have kept both the '08 (Goodness knows what kind of battery that has, but it was NOT made by Delco) and an ACD Professional dual-terminal 1000 CA on charge with them over last winter in an unheated garage. No problems. The ACD professional was from one of the drivers, and went back in service in the spring. Neither battery seems any the worse for it.

The ACD professional was not connected to the Corvette electrical system. It had a battery cut-off switch. The '08 stayed connected to that car. I have no intention of dealing with the electronics of that car when the battery takes a dump. I will need to find an adolescent when that happens.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

a tip to all with a C-6 leave the hood unlatched because if the battery goes dead you have to go in by using the key in the fob to open the rear hatch and then pulling the wire in the rear compartment to open the door. i leave my hood unlatched so i can just open it from the outside so i can get to the battery and connect up the charger if necessary. i just charge all my batteries once a month at 2 amps for a hour and even our quad and lawn tractor batteries have lasted as long as 8 years doing this. all my batteries are inside the house as i remove them from the quads and lawn tractor so they are easy to get to because i learned a long time ago those small batteries if you let then go dead they will not hold a recharge and you will have to buy a new one.

[John H.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

I've used the "Battery Tender +" for many years on my toys while they're in six-month winter garage storage; I hook them up once a month during storage until the green light comes on (about 12 hours), and my Delco #24-YR batteries are all at least nine years old and have zero problems; can't remember the last time I bought a battery, have never had one go flat.

[Chuck L.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

Have used the battery tender plus on my 62, 82, and 03 with no problems at all. This was in Florida (hot) and Michigan (cold). Don't know about the junior.
Chuck Lyman

[James R.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

I use the Battery Butler without a problem. I disconnect the battery but leave it in the car. The car is stored in a Car Capsule from November until April in an unheated garage.

[Dale S.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

I have used the Harbor freight battery tenders for the last 3 years. 6.95 ea. on sale. One on my motorcycle in Wisconsin. one each on a Honda scooter and lawn tractor also there . Also on on my C-2 and one on our Lexus.( the battery goes down if you dont drive it.every week. dale

[Gary B.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

I have used the Harbor freight battery tenders for the last 3 years. 6.95 ea. on sale. One on my motorcycle in Wisconsin. one each on a Honda scooter and lawn tractor also there . Also on on my C-2 and one on our Lexus.( the battery goes down if you dont drive it.every week. dale

I have a couple of these and they work well. I also have a Battery Tender I got at the BG Museum.

[David D.]

Re: Battery maintainers for the winter

I've been using several of the Battery Tender Plus on my Cars and Motorcyles with great results.
David