Gel Batteries and battery tenders....
#11
02-22-2018, 11:16 AM
Club Member
Indeed! I have several bikes and all of them have what I call a battery tender on them, as I write. I don't recall how old any of them is, but my batteries are all AGM type. The only special measure I have made is for the one bike I have a Shorai Lithium on, for which I have the dedicated charger.
Last edited by grbrown; 02-22-2018 at 11:28 AM.
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t059736 (02-22-2018)
#15
02-22-2018, 03:40 PM
Club Member
All a tender does is monitor battery condition and charge it up as required. In other words it has some simple electronics in it to check condition and switch on and off as required. Most batteries used in modern vehicles are actually lead acid, except that many do not have liquid acid sloshing around in them. AGM type batteries have a mat between the cells which absorbs the acid. The design enables a significant increase in performance. My tenders have all worked on the old style lead acid type and now work fine on AGM type. The only battery that won't work well with them is the lithium type.
#16
02-22-2018, 04:31 PM
All batteries need a different charging protocol, buy the charger maintainer that fits the battery. Battery manufacturers will sometimes reccomend compatable chargers.
#17
02-22-2018, 09:32 PM
Road Captain
That tells me the "All Battery" store clerk is just trying to make a sale....
There is a reason that battery had a 2-year warranty.... To say a 2 yr warranty battery should get 6 years is plan ignorant.... too many variables to make a bold, blanket statement like that... it may get 6 years, but if that was the norm, it would have a longer warranty. Most anything with a warranty has had it's replacement cycle tested/documented. They will have a "fudge factor" to minimize warranty replacement costs, but the fudge factor won't be 3 times the warranty period....
I learned a lot about batteries; types, charging, and battery life, while running boats (36' & 46') for the last 30 years. Boat batteries are big, expensive, a lot of work to replace, and may sit for long periods....
The old ferroresonant chargers had a "trickle" charge that constantly put voltage to the batteries... in a lead acid battery, you would need to constantly check fluid levels to keep them topped off, or it would dry-out and kill the battery.... those chargers could cause early failure to any sealed battery. I remember when the new thing was when the ferroresonant chargers came out with a feature where they would turn off and then back on at certain voltages... Wow, technology!
With today's technology, as long as your battery tender is a smart charger, most are, it will take proper care of the battery when hooked up... even if hooked up all the time.
From my experience (to include my bikes), I'd get a good battery (the warranty period is clue to how well it's made). Then for a vehicle not used daily, get a good smart charger/tender and keep it plugged in whenever the vehicle is parked. This will usually give you the max life, for your use/environment, from your batteries...
There is a reason that battery had a 2-year warranty.... To say a 2 yr warranty battery should get 6 years is plan ignorant.... too many variables to make a bold, blanket statement like that... it may get 6 years, but if that was the norm, it would have a longer warranty. Most anything with a warranty has had it's replacement cycle tested/documented. They will have a "fudge factor" to minimize warranty replacement costs, but the fudge factor won't be 3 times the warranty period....
I learned a lot about batteries; types, charging, and battery life, while running boats (36' & 46') for the last 30 years. Boat batteries are big, expensive, a lot of work to replace, and may sit for long periods....
The old ferroresonant chargers had a "trickle" charge that constantly put voltage to the batteries... in a lead acid battery, you would need to constantly check fluid levels to keep them topped off, or it would dry-out and kill the battery.... those chargers could cause early failure to any sealed battery. I remember when the new thing was when the ferroresonant chargers came out with a feature where they would turn off and then back on at certain voltages... Wow, technology!
With today's technology, as long as your battery tender is a smart charger, most are, it will take proper care of the battery when hooked up... even if hooked up all the time.
From my experience (to include my bikes), I'd get a good battery (the warranty period is clue to how well it's made). Then for a vehicle not used daily, get a good smart charger/tender and keep it plugged in whenever the vehicle is parked. This will usually give you the max life, for your use/environment, from your batteries...
I have used Battery Tenders (Deltran specifically, which is the OEM HD tender manufacturer), since about 1995. Boats, Jeeps, muscle cars, diesel stuff, motorcycles, anything that sat more than it was driven.
My Street Glide, my Jeep, my 6.0 Super Duty (these things notoriously kill Fuel Injection Control Modules with weak batteries), my IS-F, and my daughters quads/motorcycles have them on them right now, mostly with connectors hard wired to the batteries.
It has been years since I have lost a battery (I know, I will lose a couple now since I spoke up!).
As a side note I am a fan of Odyssey branded AGM products, don’t run many old school lead acid batteries any more. I have even had good luck with Optima’s, even though I have several friends that had them die (not on Tenders).
Peace of mind knowing they will light right up at any given time.
Last edited by SoCalHDMC; 02-22-2018 at 09:40 PM.
#18
02-22-2018, 10:38 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
But yes, thanks for asking. I do feel better when I provide people with facts rather than made up BS.
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lh4x4 (02-22-2018)
#19
02-23-2018, 07:08 AM
Extreme HDF Member
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Location: Mountain Top, Alabama
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I have the HD Smart Charger, that I believe is a Deltran product. I highly recommend you put a digital readout inline at the charger to more accurately know what it is doing. The voltage slowly goes up, then down, 80% light, then fully charged/float cycle.
IT DOES NOT STAY AT 13.85 VOLTS.
It is generally known that batteries tend to last longer in "Daily Drivers". The voltages of my vehicles charging system TO THE BATTERIES are very similar to what my Smart Charger produces. If this maintaining was bad for your batteries, well, just think about it. Deltran is pretty sharp, and makes a pretty good product.
You know, batteries are a fickled thing, identical batteries can give different lives. Of my 2 identical trolling batteries in my bass boat, one lasted 1 1/2 year, the other just turned 9 years old and still kicking. I trickle charge them overnight maybe once a month over the winter, but charge them up after every use. Not good for a discharged battery to remain in that state for long, that's a fact.
Here's the voltmeter I use, waterproof, cheap, effective, attached to the top of my smart charger:
IT DOES NOT STAY AT 13.85 VOLTS.
It is generally known that batteries tend to last longer in "Daily Drivers". The voltages of my vehicles charging system TO THE BATTERIES are very similar to what my Smart Charger produces. If this maintaining was bad for your batteries, well, just think about it. Deltran is pretty sharp, and makes a pretty good product.
You know, batteries are a fickled thing, identical batteries can give different lives. Of my 2 identical trolling batteries in my bass boat, one lasted 1 1/2 year, the other just turned 9 years old and still kicking. I trickle charge them overnight maybe once a month over the winter, but charge them up after every use. Not good for a discharged battery to remain in that state for long, that's a fact.
Here's the voltmeter I use, waterproof, cheap, effective, attached to the top of my smart charger:
#20
02-23-2018, 01:48 PM
Tourer