Battery tenders

OK, Already have a thread going on AGM Battery's. Now,I would like opinions on properly using the "Deltran Battery Tenders".
Heretofore, I have used these Battery tenders and historically have always just hooked them up ( Yes, I remove the filler caps, since my Z has that type battery right now ) until Spring and I don't really turn them off.....well maybe once every 6-9 weeks Ill start my bikes and if its warm enough take them for a very short ride, I always use Sta-Bil in Gas tanks too.
So here is my question,s please.
1. Do you just connect the Battery Tender and leave it alone? I guess in Theory, they are supposed to "Automatically" shut off once a Maintenance charge has been reached.Mine do go "Steady Green" after they have been connected for a while.
2.If you have an AGM or sealed Battery, do you do anything different? Use a different "Tender"?? My cousin who has a "Wing" uses the same Tender on it which has an AGM /Sealed Battery as his Vintage bikes and always has, ., Reason I ask is obviously I intend to get one of these AGM/Sealed Batteries for My "Z", My Harley already has an AGM Battery and there are no filler caps I am aware of to remove during charging..
Thanks in advance for your thoughts / advice!!
ED

personally, I think the best way to use a Battery Tender is to donate it to the local landfill and buy a CTek.


smartercharger.com/

I have a Ctek US 0.8 smart charger purchased via eebbaayy (authorized seller) & a Scorpion AGM battery from batterystuff.com. The Ctek has "comfort" connectors that're really nice. I also got a spare comfort cable & spliced it for use with a Slime mini pump for emergency use. The Scorpion battery was 12.79 volts straight out of the box & it holds its charge --- much better than the wet cell batteries I've used in the past.

ed spangler wrote: OK, Already have a thread going on AGM Battery's. Now,I would like opinions on properly using the "Deltran Battery Tenders".
Heretofore, I have used these Battery tenders and historically have always just hooked them up ( Yes, I remove the filler caps, since my Z has that type battery right now ) until Spring and I don't really turn them off.....well maybe once every 6-9 weeks Ill start my bikes and if its warm enough take them for a very short ride, I always use Sta-Bil in Gas tanks too.
So here is my question,s please.
1. Do you just connect the Battery Tender and leave it alone? I guess in Theory, they are supposed to "Automatically" shut off once a Maintenance charge has been reached.Mine do go "Steady Green" after they have been connected for a while.
2.If you have an AGM or sealed Battery, do you do anything different? Use a different "Tender"?? My cousin who has a "Wing" uses the same Tender on it which has an AGM /Sealed Battery as his Vintage bikes and always has, ., Reason I ask is obviously I intend to get one of these AGM/Sealed Batteries for My "Z", My Harley already has an AGM Battery and there are no filler caps I am aware of to remove during charging..
Thanks in advance for your thoughts / advice!!
ED

If the tender is properly designed, you can leave it connected. But the really cheap ones don't cut off (just trickle charge continuously) so no way to know if yours does.

I have a charger I built that does taper off and also has temperature compensation so it holds the battery at the perfect voltage. I am not sure what kind of designs are in the new chargers.

bountyhunter wrote:

ed spangler wrote: OK, Already have a thread going on AGM Battery's. Now,I would like opinions on properly using the "Deltran Battery Tenders".
Heretofore, I have used these Battery tenders and historically have always just hooked them up ( Yes, I remove the filler caps, since my Z has that type battery right now ) until Spring and I don't really turn them off.....well maybe once every 6-9 weeks Ill start my bikes and if its warm enough take them for a very short ride, I always use Sta-Bil in Gas tanks too.
So here is my question,s please.
1. Do you just connect the Battery Tender and leave it alone? I guess in Theory, they are supposed to "Automatically" shut off once a Maintenance charge has been reached.Mine do go "Steady Green" after they have been connected for a while.
2.If you have an AGM or sealed Battery, do you do anything different? Use a different "Tender"?? My cousin who has a "Wing" uses the same Tender on it which has an AGM /Sealed Battery as his Vintage bikes and always has, ., Reason I ask is obviously I intend to get one of these AGM/Sealed Batteries for My "Z", My Harley already has an AGM Battery and there are no filler caps I am aware of to remove during charging..
Thanks in advance for your thoughts / advice!!
ED

If the tender is properly designed, you can leave it connected. But the really cheap ones don't cut off (just trickle charge continuously) so no way to know if yours does.

I have a charger I built that does taper off and also has temperature compensation so it holds the battery at the perfect voltage. I am not sure what kind of designs are in the new chargers.

I was thinking that the "Deltran" brand of battery Tenders did cut off??
I sure hope so bc I have been "Assuming" they did.
Any thoughts on that specific brand??
Thanks bountyhunter
Ed

I use Deltran battery tenders on my bikes. The front of the unit has an LED that changes from red to green when the battery is charged. You are supposed to be able to leave them on indefinitely. I don't. I plug them in once a month or so and unplug them when the LED turns green. Yeah sometimes I leave them plugged in for days simply because I forget to unplug them, but most of the time they are not plugged in.

I use one on a car I rarely drive in the winter. I leave it hooked up for weeks; it does not over charge the battery. Ed

I have a Battery Tender, but it's 20yrs old or more and don't think it even says Deltran on it, can't comment on the new ones, but I did check mine with a meter years ago, and it did as advertised, and shut off to storage charge after battery was fully charged, so it does not hurt to leave it hooked 365 days a year in theory, but in my opinion battery life is not enhanced by doing so, but you have a fully charged battery at all times in case you decide to ride, and that is good. AGM battery vs water battery, charging works same. One great thing about AGM, beyond the maintenance free aspect is the fact it has no water to freeze during winter. Common problem on old water batteries was low charge, cold weather, freeze, broken case, acid all over. Never happens with an AGM.

Never had problems with batteries. I bring them in the house for the winter (WI) and pop em in when it thaws. I have a nice schumacher agm/standard, small/med/lrg battery size, 6v/12/v/200amp automatic job that works fast on new batteries and can jump the car if needed. The Vulcan I have had BT leads for a trickle charge, took it off. I'd say ride your bike and don't waste the effort with it. Good Yuasus last 3-7 years in my experience. Unless you leave the key/headlight on for a total discharge a time or two... or three DOH ! R

rrsmsw9999 wrote: Never had problems with batteries. I bring them in the house for the winter (WI) and pop em in when it thaws.

Problem is any battery including lead-acid has a self discharge rate. If a cell becomes discharged and left standing over time it will sulphate and ruin the battery (even if it is in the house). Keeping in the house is good because the electrolyte can't freeze but it can still suplhate out.

ed spangler wrote:

bountyhunter wrote:

ed spangler wrote: OK, Already have a thread going on AGM Battery's. Now,I would like opinions on properly using the "Deltran Battery Tenders".
Heretofore, I have used these Battery tenders and historically have always just hooked them up ( Yes, I remove the filler caps, since my Z has that type battery right now ) until Spring and I don't really turn them off.....well maybe once every 6-9 weeks Ill start my bikes and if its warm enough take them for a very short ride, I always use Sta-Bil in Gas tanks too.
So here is my question,s please.
1. Do you just connect the Battery Tender and leave it alone? I guess in Theory, they are supposed to "Automatically" shut off once a Maintenance charge has been reached.Mine do go "Steady Green" after they have been connected for a while.
2.If you have an AGM or sealed Battery, do you do anything different? Use a different "Tender"?? My cousin who has a "Wing" uses the same Tender on it which has an AGM /Sealed Battery as his Vintage bikes and always has, ., Reason I ask is obviously I intend to get one of these AGM/Sealed Batteries for My "Z", My Harley already has an AGM Battery and there are no filler caps I am aware of to remove during charging..
Thanks in advance for your thoughts / advice!!
ED

If the tender is properly designed, you can leave it connected. But the really cheap ones don't cut off (just trickle charge continuously) so no way to know if yours does.

I have a charger I built that does taper off and also has temperature compensation so it holds the battery at the perfect voltage. I am not sure what kind of designs are in the new chargers.

I was thinking that the "Deltran" brand of battery Tenders did cut off??
I sure hope so bc I have been "Assuming" they did.
Any thoughts on that specific brand??
Thanks bountyhunter
Ed

If it's a new one of decent quality it should have overcharge protection. The cheapie ones for less than $20 would worry me.... this Deltran claims it switches to float charge automatically.

www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-J...ltran+battery+tender