Batteries -- what is the dif?

[fried1765]

With all my Battery Tenders don't really need a Minder but maybe I should get one and rotate it around with my Tenders. Would think an occasional desulfating would be good?

I have 4 Battery Minders, and 14 Battery Tenders.
What you suggest is what I do.
And.....whenever a Tender fails, I replace it with a Minder.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have 4 Battery Minders, and 14 Battery Tenders.
What you suggest is what I do.
And.....whenever a Tender fails, I replace it with a Minder.

Okay good to hear... will follow your plan.

 

[John_Mc]

With all my Battery Tenders don't really need a Minder but maybe I should get one and rotate it around with my Tenders. Would think an occasional desulfating would be good?

Sulfation generally happens when you leave a battery in a discharged or partially discharged state. The longer you leave it that way, the worse the sulfation. Since batteries self-discharge over time, they will eventually get sulfated if they are left unattended (i.e. not on a battery charger or not regularly used in equipment that recharges the battery). If you keep your batteries fully charged, there is very little chance of sulfation. However, simply recharging a battery will not remove sulfation that has already happened. Your battery tenders are definitely helping avoid sulfation, but putting them on a desulfating charger from time-to-time is also a good idea.

 

[ultrarunner]

With all my Battery Tenders don't really need a Minder but maybe I should get one and rotate it around with my Tenders. Would think an occasional desulfating would be good?

I do this and now have two Minders...

Just wish they made a 6v Minder. Called and was told they did at one time but had to re-engineer to be able to meet new energy use requirements decided from a financial point it didn't make sense at the time...

I have more 6v than 12v

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I do this and now have two Minders...

Just wish they made a 6v Minder. Called and was told they did at one time but had to re-engineer to be able to meet new energy use requirements decided from a financial point it didn't make sense at the time...

I have more 6v than 12v

What about putting two 6V in a series and put your minder on them that way?

SR

 

[ultrarunner]

Yes... it works with a jumper to put them in series.

 

[John_Mc]

Just wish they made a 6v Minder. Called and was told they did at one time but had to re-engineer to be able to meet new energy use requirements decided from a financial point it didn't make sense at the time...

I have more 6v than 12v

NOCO makes some good chargers, and offers a variety of 6V chargers (NOCO Chargers). They are smart chargers and can safely be left on the battery full time. They are temperature compensated and have a desulfation circuit. I still prefer the BatteryMinder chargers, since their desulfation works continuously whenever it is connected to the battery, regardless of whether the battery is actually charging or in "float/maintenance" mode. The NOCO batteries shut off the desulfation once the battery is charged. (This can mean it takes a number of charge cycles to fully desulfate a battery). Still, they are very highly regarded chargers.

I have one of their 2 bank 12 V chargers that I keep in my antique military pickup with a 24V electrical system. (I prefer charging each battery individually, rather than using a single 24 V charger).

 

[dfkrug]

I have 4 Battery Minders, and 14 Battery Tenders.
What you suggest is what I do.
And.....whenever a Tender fails, I replace it with a Minder.

That is a lot of chargers, and a good strategy.

You have had some Tender failures? What about Minder failures? How many years do you get out of each?

 

[ultrarunner]

I have not had one go bad from either brand but only 2 Minders and maybe 16 tenders... several models

 

[dragoneggs]

I've never had a Tender go bad either a couple are 10 years old with pretty much constant use.