Subject: Re: [TR] Battery trickle charger

From: "Alex&Janet Thomson" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:14:36 -0500

I have several chargers, including a fairly new Sears 10 amp automatic and a
NAPA 3 amp unit that is at least twenty five years old (It still has the
Balkamp name). I try to do a charger rotation, placing the charger on a
vehicle for about a day or so. With 2 Triumphs and about 8 farm tractors
that don't get any use during the winter, this method seems to work for me.
I think I would be a little leery of keeping a maintenance charger hooked up
continuously to a battery plus I don't plan on buying 10 small chargers.
Now, I do know that upper end stand-by generators are usually equipped with
a float charger that stays connected all of the time. Of course, those are
not 29.99 units, either. Rotating the charger(s) around a bunch of vehicles
also provides an opportunity for a once per month check of everything, as
well.  "Battery Tender" is one big name in maintenance chargers and MacNeil
Automotive Products has one as well. 

http://batterytender.com/ 
http://www.weathertech.com/ 

Alex Thomson

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked]
[mailto:[email-masked]] On Behalf Of Angelo Graham
Sent: Monday, January 28, 2013 7:53 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: [TR] Battery trickle charger

Hello List:
My "el cheapo" 750 mA battery charger just bit the dust. Second one in a few
years to fail. Purchased them from our local/national auto supply store
(Canadian Tire).
Just wondering if there is a more reliable alternative available in the
750 mA range to keep the battery alive through the winter storage period.
This winter I have left the battery in the car with the trickle charger
connected. Maybe I should remove it and take it inside?
Thanks for any leads or brand names.
Angelo Graham

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From: Geo Hahn <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:52:29 -0700

Coincidentally this topic just came up on another list and someone whose
opinion I value spoke highly of this unit:

Battery Tender<http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Plus-Charger/dp/B00068XCQU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359424121&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+tender>

Haven't used it myself (live where we drive all year) but looks good.

Geo

On Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 5:53 PM, Angelo Graham <[email-masked]>wrote:

> Hello List:
> My "el cheapo" 750 mA battery charger just bit the dust. Second one in a
> few years to fail. Purchased them from our local/national auto supply store
> (Canadian Tire).

---

From: Tony Drews <[email-masked]> mail.com>
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 22:50:58 -0600

I have one for my race car.  Love it!  I use it on street stuff 
occasionally too.

Tony Drews

At 07:52 PM 1/28/2013, Geo Hahn wrote:
>Battery 
>Tender<http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Plus-Charger/dp/B00068XCQU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359424121&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+tender>
>
>Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
>Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
>Unsubscribe/Manage: 
>http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/[email-masked]

---

From: John Macartney <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:46:02 +0000 (GMT)

Angelo Graham wrote:
This winter I have left the battery in the car with the
trickle charger connected. Maybe I should remove it and take it inside?

I
hesitate to broadcast the great misfortunes of others but I think there may be
some listers who know of Duncan and Sheila Wood from Red River Triumph in
Texas? Stories change in the telling but its my understanding that just before
Christmas, Duncan left the battery in his 1935 Gloria on a trickle charge in
his garage and in his absence the charger shorted out and delivered full mains
power to the battery. The tragic result was their house was effectively burned
to the ground, while their truly gorgeous Gloria, Stag and a recently acquired
Dolomite became scrap metal.
Historically, I've used a mains trickle charger
keeping my trailer home leisure battery (a deep cycle 120amp) in tip top order
over the winter and done it in my workroom that's attached to the house. Two
years ago, it failed and I bought a portable solar panel we now keep in the
trailer home when we locate it in places where there is no mains hook-up. It
more than keeps up with discharges from lighting, radio/CD and water pumps and
while it cost rather more than a mains charger, it really keeps the battery
recharged during the day and we can fully 'indulge ourselves' in electrical
services while away from mains sources. So battery and solar panel come home
in the close season and over to our 'home on wheels' when the weather is
better.
 
Jonmac

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From: Jody Kerr <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 03:12:45 -0700

I ha a pair of the Battery Tender brand of chargers. I use one to keep
the charge on my Mum's Spitfire and another to keep our golf cart in
Mexico charged.

They've always worked brilliantly. It has even dealt with the somewhat
questionable electricity delivery in Mexico which spikes as often as
it fails.

Jody

-- 
http://www.theymightberacing.com/

1953 Studebaker Champion            1960 Austin Healey 3000 (BT7L/5479)
1974 Jensen Healey MKII (14291)   1974 Jensen Healey MKII (18854)
1978 Triumph Spitfire (Mum's)         1981 Triumph TR8
1970 MG MGB                               1980 Triumph TR7
"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn
from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent
disinclination to do so."
--Douglas Adams

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From: "Greg Lemon" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:01:47 -0600

Although I am fortunate that my car is next to the house in the local 
garage, and I only have one to maintain, I generally don't worry about 
charging the battery in the winter, and just start it about once a month 
when we get a decent day, if no snow on the ground even take it for a drive. 
Charges the battery back up, and gets the circulating and covering the 
internal parts they are supposed to cover, and hopefully evaporates out any 
condensation in the motor.

I realize not every one has that luxury, so a charger of some kind is 
needed, but works well for me.

Greg Lemon
68 TR250