Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I just bought 2 new batteries for the boat. There is a battery tender that is always pluged in tending just one battery. Is it ok to b pluged in all the time when hooked to shore power or generator or should it b unplugged more often ? I'd like to put switches on the positive charger lead & b able to switch to maintain the other battery.

As long as they are already fully charged, they make splitters that can be used with tenders -- so you can maintain multiple batteries. I have mine split 3 ways so over the winter I maintain 2 batteries being stored for the boat and another split goes to my mower battery to keep it maintained as well.

Just remember, these units are only to maintain a charged battery (hence the name, battery tender) -- they won't charge a weak battery. And if you do connect it to 2 batteries and 1 of the batteries is not fully charged, it will drain the good battery and could damage them both.

Where did you get your splitter? I want one!!!

I have a on board 2 bank charger / tender that is always on if I'm not on the lake with the toon. Been doing this for over 2 years no problems. If you have the battery that needs water, then you need to keep up with that.

I use a Battery MINDer from Northern Tool but I would think they are pretty much interchangeable.

Here's the splitter
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200577248

Here's the extension cable (that I use to take a lead over to the mower batter)
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200577247

Here's the additional terminal assembly to go on the battery from the splitter
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200622842


So far I've been able to get 3 seasons out of my mower battery where before I'd have to buy a new battery every spring. This was the first year I used it to maintain my boat batteries over the winter. But when I disconnected it from the tender before putting it in the boat, it was still fully charged and the boat fired right up.

Thanks for the feed back. Keeping an eye on the fluid level is important true.
I was concerned about constantly charging(tending) a battery & if there is more
harm or good ? I am thinking of putting two switches on the positive lead of the
tender so as to turn one off as the other is on. That way I could keep both batteries
tended to.

My $0.02 worth. I only use a battery tender when I put the toon up for the winter. Never have had a problem starting her in the boating season, even if it's been a couple of weeks between uses. Of course, if I leave the Master switch in the On position that changes everything, but that's not the battery's problem.

Remember like Ron Popiel said," Just set it and forget it." Tenders are made to do just that, "tend".

I have all my batteries linked through a 150amp rated cut off switch so I can charge the troller pack/house batteries and the starting battery at the same time with 1 tender. I'm now on year 7 with these 3 batteries and no sign of weakness.

Correct me if this is a false statement,but I've read that a fully charged battery will last longer,and of course always keeping the fluids topped off.

Cheers,
Robert