Battery tender,..do they work?

[HighMileage]

I've got many cars and pieces of equipment that sit the length of a northeast winter. No battery tenders on any of them. They all start come spring time.

If they didnt start,well,there must be something wrong meaning a big drain on the battery or the battery is just too old and needs to be replaced anyway.

I don't go out there and fire up everything,doing ice-cold starts every few weeks,either. The exhaust never reaches the proper temp to burn the moisture out. Things don't get to operating temp unless you DRIVE it.


Been this way for many years now. Some of my batteries last 6-7 years.

 

[GNRick]

The original battery in my 2002 Sebring lasted 9 years (50k miles). It was still going strong when I replaced it. I think being located behind the front wheel, outside of the engine compartment, helped its longevity.

 

[Heisenberg]

I've been using the "Optimate 6" for the last few years & am very happy with it. It's a desulphating / battery maintainer. It's not the cheapest priced unit out there, but I got sick & tired of replacing less expensive units when they stopped working properly. This has served me well over the years & has been trouble free.

Pull my battery in the fall when the car is put into winter hibernation & store it in my basement (off the floor) with the Optimate 6 connected over the winter.

http://www.tecmate-int.com/pdf/TM180-PL1-091028_EN.pdf

1KWIKSIX -

Not to flame by any means
But do you realize the origins of that "urban legend" of not storing a battery on the concrete floor - or any floor for that matter; dirt, concrete, etc?

It actually is about 100 years old, when batteries were actually made in glass jars, held together by wood.
Hence, in the industrial world - we still refer to a cell as a "jar"
Anyway - waaaay back when - the moisture in any floor would saturate the wood, swell the boards, and cause the glass jars to break.
Now fast forward to today - and the new battery case technology.
They are completely unaffected by concrete, dirt, hay, gravel or anything else.
Not to be mistaken for "self discharging" - which they all do, when not left on float - but regardless of what they are sitting on.

Some old wives tales die hard as you can see. 100 years and still goin' strong as you can see!
So - like Paul Harvey said - Now you have "the rest of the story"....

 

[Heisenberg]

The original battery in my 2002 Sebring lasted 9 years (50k miles). It was still going strong when I replaced it. I think being located behind the front wheel, outside of the engine compartment, helped its longevity.

Yeah - those are a real laugh riot to replace.
But in its day - that whole "cab forward" and battery placement was sort of a revolutionary location.
Now several manufacturers do it.

 

[Heisenberg]

I've got many cars and pieces of equipment that sit the length of a northeast winter. No battery tenders on any of them. They all start come spring time.

If they didnt start,well,there must be something wrong meaning a big drain on the battery or the battery is just too old and needs to be replaced anyway.

I don't go out there and fire up everything,doing ice-cold starts every few weeks,either. The exhaust never reaches the proper temp to burn the moisture out. Things don't get to operating temp unless you DRIVE it.


Been this way for many years now. Some of my batteries last 6-7 years.

If not connected to anything - Self discharging is approx 1-2% per month.
If connected - greater since there is a real discharge draw.
Another thing leading to what is euphemistically referred to as "premature battery failure" - but we really call "customer abuse" is allowing a battery to discharge and stay discharged beyond its rated Depth of Discharge (DOD) recommendations. Which for a automotive battery - is actually quite low, or high - depending how you look at the number; say discharged only 5-10%.
Alot of people don't realize that for most LA batteries, we only ever discharge them about a maximum of 20% and leave the other 80% in there.
Yup - that's it - only a max of 20% discharge.
If you go further, and more often, you can look at a chart and see how it affects battery life. Usually pretty significantly.
Due to some technical speak, mainly the formation of sulfate crystals, if allowed to sit below a full state of charge - for extended periods of time - the damage is permanent to the positive plate.

 

[HighMileage]

All of that said... All of my things will start right up come springtime.

I count nine batteries that I have that will most likely sit all winter. I need 9 battery maintainers? I'd be replacing them more than the batteries themselves.

For those who want one. Good for you. Is it necessary? Hadn't been for me for all of these years.