Trickle charger

[martin]

I go long stretches of time not driving my Mustang, as I use my bike.
3 times in 3 years I have had to call AAA to jump start me. I replaced the factory battery to see if that would help.
The dealer told me to get a trickle charger. They range in price from $12 to $200. I have no idea what I should be doing

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[MX5Racer]

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tend...id=1508757222&sr=1-6&keywords=trickle+charger

This will work fine.....

 

[boostaddict]

X2 on the battery tender! I've been using them for years on my car, truck, & motorcycles. They will extend the life of your battery greatly if the vehicle doesnt get driven very often. A battery tender will pay for itself quickly in replacement battery savings.

 

[Grimmer]

I am thoroughly sick and tired of posts failing to survive... I'll try (yet again) to recreate the whole thing:

The battery tender will definitely help; however, there are more sophisticated options available as well. Although they will likely come at a higher price...

PulseTech Xtreme, which is available at Amazon (among others)...

I did some pretty extensive research for a battery maintainer since I have several batteries that do not get used regularly. I came across this website that reviews several units and the technologies that they employ. It was very helpful and informative. Their top recommendation is the PulseTech, so I checked them out...

I like (and use) the PulseTech because:

It continually checks the charge state of the connected battery and adjusts its charging mode accordingly (Bulk, Absorption, Maintenance). Other brands (I believe, but not sure) that some of the Battery Tender models simply follow a timed charging profile or simply deliver the voltage for maintenance (i.e. do not charge).

(According to their claims) It desulfinates the battery plates using their proprietary pulse technique, which dissolves the sulfur crystals off the plates and back into the acid. It does NOT use high voltage spikes that are employed by some other brands (up to several times the battery's rated voltage). The voltages spikes are purported to slough off some of the crystals, but not dissolve them. This leaves the acid chemistry off a bit and now you have sulfur crystals floating around in your battery's acid.

It uses the standard SAE2 (battery tender and others, etc.) connector, so I can leave a dongle connected to the car for easy plug in when it isn't being driven. This makes it easy to move between the toys.

From my own experience with my used 4 wheeler, the battery came to me seriously neglected. The ATV would struggle to start if it sat for more than a week and the voltage at idle was low enough to trigger a power steering fault in the ECU. Even though I would charge it with a car charger, it would not hold for very long. Once my PulseTech arrived I pulled the battery from the ATV and checked its voltage: 8.5V (12V lead acid batteries should not be less than 10.5V). I connected the PulseTech and let it work. After a couple of days it was reading 100%. Since I knew the battery had been neglected I called PulseTech to ask if I needed to discharge and then recharge or if I could just leave their charger attached to continue pulsing. He said that it will continue to have a pulsing effect if just left connected and powered (Maintenance Mode) and recommended that I leave it for about 1 week. I left it for two. When I removed the charger I checked its resting voltage: ~13.0V. I then left the battery on the bench for a month, periodically checking its voltage. After the 4 weeks the voltage was still: 12.6V. I reinstalled the battery in the ATV being sure to include an SAE2 dongle. The battery has held for about a year now with no problems. The ATV starts faster/quicker, and the power steering fault has not returned.

Restoring that ATV battery to serviceability (rather than replacing it) has paid for the cost difference of the charger.

I now rotate the PulseTech between the toys so they each get a regular dose of desulfination...

 

[wildcatgoal]

I use a Battery Tender when the car isn't being driven (weeks at a time). I used the cheapest one available on my Harley and never had an issue. I have the next one up because it was on sale, but otherwise would just use the cheapest one. It's fine.

 

[jasonstang]

I am thoroughly sick and tired of posts failing to survive... I'll try (yet again) to recreate the whole thing:

The battery tender will definitely help; however, there are more sophisticated options available as well. Although they will likely come at a higher price...

PulseTech Xtreme, which is available at Amazon (among others)...

I did some pretty extensive research for a battery maintainer since I have several batteries that do not get used regularly. I came across this website that reviews several units and the technologies that they employ. It was very helpful and informative. Their top recommendation is the PulseTech, so I checked them out...

I like (and use) the PulseTech because:

It continually checks the charge state of the connected battery and adjusts its charging mode accordingly (Bulk, Absorption, Maintenance). Other brands (I believe, but not sure) that some of the Battery Tender models simply follow a timed charging profile or simply deliver the voltage for maintenance (i.e. do not charge).

(According to their claims) It desulfinates the battery plates using their proprietary pulse technique, which dissolves the sulfur crystals off the plates and back into the acid. It does NOT use high voltage spikes that are employed by some other brands (up to several times the battery's rated voltage). The voltages spikes are purported to slough off some of the crystals, but not dissolve them. This leaves the acid chemistry off a bit and now you have sulfur crystals floating around in your battery's acid.

It uses the standard SAE2 (battery tender and others, etc.) connector, so I can leave a dongle connected to the car for easy plug in when it isn't being driven. This makes it easy to move between the toys.

From my own experience with my used 4 wheeler, the battery came to me seriously neglected. The ATV would struggle to start if it sat for more than a week and the voltage at idle was low enough to trigger a power steering fault in the ECU. Even though I would charge it with a car charger, it would not hold for very long. Once my PulseTech arrived I pulled the battery from the ATV and checked its voltage: 8.5V (12V lead acid batteries should not be less than 10.5V). I connected the PulseTech and let it work. After a couple of days it was reading 100%. Since I knew the battery had been neglected I called PulseTech to ask if I needed to discharge and then recharge or if I could just leave their charger attached to continue pulsing. He said that it will continue to have a pulsing effect if just left connected and powered (Maintenance Mode) and recommended that I leave it for about 1 week. I left it for two. When I removed the charger I checked its resting voltage: ~13.0V. I then left the battery on the bench for a month, periodically checking its voltage. After the 4 weeks the voltage was still: 12.6V. I reinstalled the battery in the ATV being sure to include an SAE2 dongle. The battery has held for about a year now with no problems. The ATV starts faster/quicker, and the power steering fault has not returned.

Restoring that ATV battery to serviceability (rather than replacing it) has paid for the cost difference of the charger.

I now rotate the PulseTech between the toys so they each get a regular dose of desulfination...

Battery tender also checks the voltage all the time if it needs to be charged after it's in maintenance mode. It also has three modes of charging given different voltages.
As for desulfate mode, the only way I heard would work is you have to disconnect the battery from the car because it will pulse high voltage to zap the sulfate off. If you have a battery that's never sit in a discharged state it will not sulfate.

 

[IL_G6_Vert]

I keep a battery tender on my GSXR and on the porsche. I have not had any battery issues.

 

[POJ 1]

we've used trickle chargers for the vehicle at our holiday home and never had a problem.
Done so for 18 years now but we put a notice on the plug on the wall asking people not to turn it off

 

[Voo Doo]

1st off, a big yes on the trickle charger!! Remember your computer is on24/7. I go to Mexico for 5 months!! Wash, apply reload, vacuum, put a car cover on it in my heated garage....and a BMW trickle charger (got it for free when I bought my 6 Coupe!!) ... And I'm gone!! See my Black Magic again in April!!!

 

[martin]

Is there such a thing as a Mustang trickle charger? There is none listed in Ford Accessories

 

[jasonstang]

I don't think Ford makes one. Just get a battery tender brand.

 

[Kong76]

I have the Noco g3500 3.5 amp. Works good.

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