Battery charging maintenance ?

[FAT BOTTOM GIRL]

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.

[OK Toon]

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.

[Bryden24shp]

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

[Capt Sully]

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.

[OK Toon]

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.

[FAT BOTTOM GIRL]

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.

[bassn386]

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.

[cwag911]

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

[rancherlee]

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.

[robster]

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