Trickle Charger ?

[GolfVenture]

Would using a M/C Trickle Charger keep a car battery charged, or maybe help keep it charged longer before needing a full charge?

 

I have a couple extra older vehicles and sometimes they do not get run for a few months. By then the battery needs a charge.

 

I know that one should not let a battery go too low for that shortens its total life span.

 

I'm just hoping that by using a M/C Trickle Charger on a car battery would hekp keep its charge longer.

 

I have a couple extra M/C Trickle chargers and was hoping not having to buy extra auto battery charger/maintainers.

[Peder_y2k]

Yes, the mc trickle chargers will work on car batteries. Start by giving the low battery a full charge, then leave it on the trickle charger. After 3-4 days, take the TC off and let the battery rest for 2 hours and then take a voltage reading..........if over 14.4... STOP CHARGING. If the battery voltage rests at 12.6 - 13.2 PERFECT..... then resume using the TC as all is well and then check again in 2 weeks

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[Huggy]

My trickle charger, 750 mA, has a light on it that turns from red, while charging, to to green when the battery is charged. And I use it on a regular basis to charge the battery from my truck. It will charge a low battery over night, and I have used it on a car battery that would not take a charge from my regular battery charger. And it took a charge. Now it won't do it every time but if you are lucky will work, I think it depends on how degraded the battery acid is.

[MikeWa]

How have you been Brian ? Haven't heard from you for a long time.

 

Mike

[Flyinfool]

A trickle charger is not good to leave connected to any lead acid battery long term. A battery maintainer is different than a trickle charger.

A maintainer can be left on all the time. A maintainer has circuitry to measure the battery voltage and only give it more charge if it actually needs it. Some maintainers also have circuitry to desulfate the plates. The same one will work equally well on any size of lead acid battery.

A trickle charger just keeps pumping in power whether the battery needs it or not. This is also not best for long term storage battery health.

[GolfVenture]

How have you been Brian ? Haven't heard from you for a long time.

 

Mike

 

I've been good Mike. Work at Boeing is going good, except I'm feeling that I maybe pushed into early retirement, 3.5 years ahead of my plans. That would means that I would be taking a 35% cut retireing this year vs waiting the 3.5 years

 

Health is doing good, My left hand is pretty much healed as best it can get. No one could tell except for my 3 inch surgury scar. Fine motor movements are a slight challenge.

 

My next door neighbor sold his Harley and bought an 86 VR with 9700 miles and is riding it home Tuesday. When I get my tools organized, garage picked up and return from my short trip to see my daughter and grand kids, I plan on trying to get that 1 sticky carb fixed on my 89 VR.

 

Thanks for asking.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

As Jeff said, a battery maintainer, like a Battery Tender or similar, (even one designed for 12v motorcycle batteries) will work fine to keep the car batteries at full power while stored.

 

If the car battery is depleted when you first hook up the M/C maintainer, it may shut down and never be able to charge the battery, so make sure the battery is somewhere close to 12v when you hook up the maintainer.

 

 

 

 

 

[Venture Steve]

Check out the CTEK Battery chargers!

They are the best I have used! And 5 year warranty!!

 

http://www.customizethatride.com/product-tag/ctek/

 

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would using a M/C Trickle Charger keep a car battery charged, or maybe help keep it charged longer before needing a full charge?

 

I have a couple extra older vehicles and sometimes they do not get run for a few months. By then the battery needs a charge.

 

I know that one should not let a battery go too low for that shortens its total life span.

 

I'm just hoping that by using a M/C Trickle Charger on a car battery would hekp keep its charge longer.

 

I have a couple extra M/C Trickle chargers and was hoping not having to buy extra auto battery charger/maintainers.

[IronMike]

And I would add that "Automatic" may have some different meanings. I used a Automatic charger on my Xterra and toasted a battery in like 5 years. Luckily Autozone gave me a new one beyond the warranty. I only drive the X like maybe twice a month.

 

I am going to put a MC maintainer on it and plug it into the circuit the shop lights are on. That way it only gets a dose when the lights are on, which is enough I figure, Since I got my TAN from the SHOP LIGHTS while working on my bikes!

 

A trickle charger is not good to leave connected to any lead acid battery long term. A battery maintainer is different than a trickle charger.

A maintainer can be left on all the time. A maintainer has circuitry to measure the battery voltage and only give it more charge if it actually needs it. Some maintainers also have circuitry to desulfate the plates. The same one will work equally well on any size of lead acid battery.

A trickle charger just keeps pumping in power whether the battery needs it or not. This is also not best for long term storage battery health.