battery tender

[bayfeet]

Would a 1.5 amp battery tender be enough to keep the battery charged? Battery died and indicator light on battery is red. Bought a 1.9 amp tender. Ed

[Leroy]

Re: battery tender

Buy a new battery from your Ford Dealer, don't put any other type of battery in it. The T-Bird battery is vented becuase it's enclosed in the trunk. Leroy

[V8 Cat]

Re: battery tender

Ed,
You don't say how old your car/battery is, but if it's 6 years old or older, you need to replace it like Leroy says. Even if it is not that old, it sounds like you may have a shorted or dead cell and that also means you need a new battery. Also "battery tender" is a generic term to some people, but it is also a brand name. Not sure if you have the trade marked item or not, but it really doesn't matter as long as it has the automatic float mode (meaning it switches off when the battery is fully charged but will come on automatically to keep it charged). I don't know if you are trying to charge your dead battery with a "battery tender", but that in my estimation is going to be fruitless with 1.9 amps. Don't forget what Leroy told you about the vented battery. Yes, 1.5 amps would keep the battrery charged. I do have THE Battery Tender, and it is rated at 1.25 amps.

[bayfeet]

Re: battery tender

Car is 2004 t-bird that I bought this April. Former owner used a battery tender when I asked him about the battery drain that occurs with a lot of these cars. I have driven the car about 2000 miles since. Car sat for about a week and would not start. I jumped it with a battery charger, then went to autozone and bought a charger rated for 1.49 amps. Has the shutoff and connections similar to the battery tender. I noticed that the light was red on the battery indicator. So, I'm assuming that the battery is four years old, on a car with 12,700 miles. Does this mean that once the indicator is red it won't go back to green and I should get a new battery? There is also a squeaking sound from time to time, when the car is initially started, and I'm wondering if the alternator is bad. Thanks, Ed

[Lonestar]

Re: battery tender

A true “batter tender” when attached to a battery will charge the battery to a level of approx 14.4 volts. At 14.4 volts the cells will equalized and once this is accomplished a “battery tender” will drop output to about 13.6 volts (the optimum voltage to keep the battery healthy) and hold it there virtually for years if you left it on.

A battery just setting unconnected to anything starts a deterioration process as soon as it is made. As the battery ages the deterioration accelerates. A battery in a car that has the constant drain of a clock, remote lock sensor, alarm (if activated), etc. will last for several weeks without a charge when new but as it ages the time the charge will hold decreases. And, the deterioration process is occurring as well.

A true batter tender will output only the amount of mili-amps to keep the battery at a constant 13.6 volts assuming the drain on the battery from the aforementioned items including deterioration does not exceed the max amp output of the battery which is usually just under an amp to about 2 amps depending on the one selected.

A true battery tender with micro processor to monitor the battery correctly will start at a price of about $70. IE, a $20 battery tender is just a low output charged, not a battery maintainer, and can burn up a battery.

I had a reproduction AC Delco battery correct for the ’69 model year hooked up to a battery tender starting in 1992. The battery lasted and would still crank with ease the engine in my GTO until last year when my house got hit by lightning and blew out the battery tender, the repro battery, a couple of TVs, and many other items. I could not find a battery tender like I had so I purchased the one currently available through Griot’s Garage called Battery Manager III.

[blue731]

Re: battery tender

ED,
I have two motorcycles, and use battery tenders on both of them. I've done this for years. A motorcycle battery goes through excessive vibration, excessive heat, and with a lot of electrical load demands. 3 years is considered the life of a battery under these conditions, most don't make it this long. My batteries have always lasted to 5 years, then I replace them to prevent them from failing on the road. All of my (very sizable) motorcycle club members use battery maintenance devices. Many of my friends use them on their collectible cars too, with NO ill effects.

I just bought my T-bird within the past two weeks. I plan on replacing the battery and to put one on my T-bird very soon. Happy motoring!

[bayfeet]

Re: battery tender

Thanks for the info. This is a battery maintainer made by Schumacher, 1.5 amp maintainer. Says it will recharge snowmobiles, atv's, motorcyclyes, etc., and "warm" largre batteries in automobiles, and is fully automatic with float-mode monitoring. Does not give any specific info. other than 1.5 amp maintainer. I have it on an extension cord, and goes to the trunk where the battery is. Is this a problem, having it inside a closed trunk? The maintainer has been on the battery for about 36 hours and still reads that it is charging. Battery indicator is still red. Ed

[V8 Cat]

Re: battery tender

Ed,
What you have is fine as a maintainer and from my experience can charge a slightly discharged battery, but they don't do very well trying to bring a dead battery back to life - not enough amps. If your battery can be brought back to life and functioning as it should, it could take SEVERAL days to charge-up at 1.5 amps. Cross your fingers.

[bayfeet]

Re: battery tender

Thanks again for the reply. How about the closed trunk situation? Is it dangerous to have the maintainer in the closed trunk? Ed

[V8 Cat]

Re: battery tender

Ed,
I've always left my trunk open. The trunk light cuts off automatically if the trunk is open over 20 minutes. Also the heavy extension cord I use would not allow the truck to close easily. But the main factor for me is the gas that is discharged from the battery during the charging process. The battery has a vent tube that sends this gas out the back of the car if it is working correctly, but if somehow that gas got in the trunk and a spark from the charger ignited it - what a mess. Was in a Jaguar dealership when a car was brought in that had this happen - a Jaguar with a vented battery in the trunk. If you are leaving the maintainer outside of the trunk and are not using the clamps, but using the permanent connectors attached to the battery terminals, and you know the vent tube is working then there is not much to worry about in my opinion.

[bayfeet]

Re: battery tender

Hi,
Only problem is that the car is outside right now. I know what your saying and don't feel too comfortable with the maintainer in a closed trunk. Thanks again- Ed

[Chuck]

Re: battery tender

Ed, BatteryTender is some of the best money I've ever spent – 4 years old and still does the job. Bummer that the bird is outside but note that a closed trunk may not be that big of a deal - the trunks are vented - it's just how do you get the wire in there with the trunk closed

[Leroy]

Re: battery tender

bayfeet, If that battery isn't charged in 36 hours, it's shot. Don't mess with it just get a new one. Take the old battery to your local Recycler Buyer or Scrap Yard and they'll buy it from you. I took one in earlier this Spring out of my Jeep and got 10 cents a pound for it, $5.60. Leroy