What's a good trickle charger for our cars?

**SiggyZ** · 04-29-2011, 08:59 AM

I need to get one.

**cobra259** · 04-29-2011, 09:42 AM

I've had my Battery tender for years, works great!

**SiggyZ** · 04-29-2011, 10:02 AM

What brand/model are you using?

Originally Posted by cobra259

I've had my Battery tender for years, works great!

**35th-ANV-SS** · 04-29-2011, 10:32 AM

I'll let you know which one I have when I get home.

**ntimid8r** · 04-29-2011, 10:36 AM

Battery Tender Junior 12V @ 0.75A

I use that since my car sit's a lot. Comes with an adapter plug you can mount on each battery terminal, then simply connect the charger to the adapter. I route it through the grill so I can have it connected with the car cover on (hood closed). This has worked perfectly for me the past 5+ years.

**cobra259** · 04-29-2011, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by SiggyZ

What brand/model are you using?

Deltran,Battery tender Junior.

**DaveHo** · 04-29-2011, 11:06 AM

Deltran. Company has been in business forever. Can't go wrong with one of their products. Here's the one I use.

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Plus-Charger/dp/B00068XCQU[/ame]

**SiggyZ** · 04-29-2011, 12:48 PM

Thanks everyone. I'll probably go with one of those.

**INMY01TA** · 04-29-2011, 06:40 PM

I use the Battery Tender. Works great although the ring terminals are too small to mount on our terminals so you'll need to take a dremel and enlarge them a little or get new cable terminals with outer studs on them. I keep the car under a cover all winter with the cable routed under the car like the guy above does.

**1MileCrash** · 04-30-2011, 08:39 AM

i ran down to autozone and grabbed two of the $25 schummacher models. i think they're a 1 or a 1.25 amp with 6 volt and 12 volt switch. one for the car one for the bike and they work great.

**ibanez7** · 04-30-2011, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by 1MileCrash

i ran down to autozone and grabbed two of the $25 schummacher models. i think they're a 1 or a 1.25 amp with 6 volt and 12 volt switch. one for the car one for the bike and they work great.

same...

they work great!!! schummacher is a good company, makes a good product

**Z28Thunder** · 04-30-2011, 02:15 PM

I have the 1.5 Amp Battery Companion (schumacher), Maintenance Charger 6 and 12 Volt. And clipped onto the battery in the Z unless I am driving it. FYI they are not trickle chargers. They keep the battery at full charge using float-mode monitoring.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 04-30-2011, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Z28Thunder

I have the 1.5 Amp Battery Companion (schumacher), Maintenance Charger 6 and 12 Volt. And clipped onto the battery in the Z unless I am driving it. FYI they are not trickle chargers. They keep the battery at full charge using float-mode monitoring.

Similar to the one I have.

**blackSS01** · 04-30-2011, 04:20 PM

Optima last 10+ years! Sits all winter with a few occational fire ups to fully warm and burn out any moisture that collects in the oil. That with Stabil in the fuel and my car is good to go. Never been dead, never needed a charger/trickler.

**Packy** · 04-30-2011, 04:22 PM

I have a Diehard Battery maintainer/charger

**1MileCrash** · 05-01-2011, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by Z28Thunder

I have the 1.5 Amp Battery Companion (schumacher), Maintenance Charger 6 and 12 Volt. And clipped onto the battery in the Z unless I am driving it. FYI they are not trickle chargers. They keep the battery at full charge using float-mode monitoring.

yeah that's the one that i have. battery maintainer not trickle charger but yeah.

**KMdef9** · 05-01-2011, 09:52 AM

+1 for schumacher.

Don't buy the harbor freight tender. I used it my motorcycle battery 2 years ago, and when it was time to start up the bike, the battey acid was gone. Its ok for an overnight charge, but not for longterm.

**024mula** · 05-01-2011, 11:38 AM

Get a battery tender that has FLOAT MODE or other wise it will cook the battery.

I only store my car during the winter so I just us a battery charger and ONLY leave it on the battery for 15-30 mintues once a week.

If you plan on storing your car for a couple years, then by-all means get a battery tender with float mode.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 05-01-2011, 03:46 PM

My battery charger automatically shuts down when the battery reaches 100%.

How would a battery charger cook a battery exactly? Just curious.

**1MileCrash** · 05-01-2011, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by 024mula

Get a battery tender that has FLOAT MODE or other wise it will cook the battery.

I only store my car during the winter so I just us a battery charger and ONLY leave it on the battery for 15-30 mintues once a week.

If you plan on storing your car for a couple years, then by-all means get a battery tender with float mode.

the schumacher one...the one with the pic up there...automatically shuts off when the battery reaches full capacity and then cycles back on once it drains down.