float charging or no charging...what's the difference?

[hooD]

For the first time in 40 years i decided to put my cuda's battery on a cheap float charger I bought from harbor freight tools.  I have never in the past charged my cuda's battery during the winter while it was stored.  I'd let it sit for six months stored in the basement.  Come spring I would then charge it with my 10 amp charger and be good to go.  This process would get me between 4-6 years from a battery.

My current battery was purchased new this past summer and was kept fully charged until storage and was promptly fitted with my float charger.

So, my question is will my dirt cheap float charger maintain or kill my battery?  Or should I invest in a "battery tender product?"  Or do no charging at all?


http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/battery/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html

[Katfish]

That looks like it's doing the same thing as a battery tender, just a different name.
For $10 hard to beat.  It's probably is a little easier on the battery to  use this instead of the rapid (10A) charger.

Less stress on your body to get an IV or sip water for a day, compared to being forced to drink 2 gallons in 10minutes.

[72cudamaan]

Does your float charger have a 2 amp option? If so, use that. If not, I agree that a tender
is cheap and will do a better job.

[dodj]

So, my question is will my dirt cheap float charger maintain or kill my battery?  Or should I invest in a "battery tender product?"  Or do no charging at all?

If the charger you bought does what it says, it is a battery tender. It would be better for your battery than leaving it to discharge slowly all winter. Not too sure of your idea of having the battery in your basement. They give off hydrogen gas, should be in a ventilated, non-inhabited area. 

[brads70]

I use a battery tender . I switch it monthy? between car batterty and lawn tractor battery. I've never used any other type so I can't say what works?  I recomend them to my customers for lawn tractors. Up here freezing the battery shorten the life span.

[Strawdawg]

Don't know how well the HF version works, but, it is cheap.

The Battery Tender Jr is more expensive, but, it works.

The CTEK is one of the better ones and I like it more than the "Tender" altho I use both.  The CTEK has a setting for Optima style batteries as well as others and I have found it to do better on the Optima batteries when it comes to maintaining them.

Some of the simplest float style chargers can actually overcharge a battery over a long period of time so the type that actually turn off when the battery is fully charged and then come back on periodically for a quick top off would seem to be the safest, if not the cheapest.

[hooD]

Does your float charger have a 2 amp option? If so, use that. If not, I agree that a tender
is cheap and will do a better job.

it does not have a 2 amp option.

[vinb]

K-MART has the (Deltran) Battery Tender Jr. on sale this week $29.99..

Harbor Freight you get what you pay for ..I wouldn't trust a cheap charger. The last thing you want is a short or a fire..

[Topcat]

Don't know how well the HF version works, but, it is cheap.

The Battery Tender Jr is more expensive, but, it works.

The CTEK is one of the better ones and I like it more than the "Tender" altho I use both.  The CTEK has a setting for Optima style batteries as well as others and I have found it to do better on the Optima batteries when it comes to maintaining them.

Some of the simplest float style chargers can actually overcharge a battery over a long period of time so the type that actually turn off when the battery is fully charged and then come back on periodically for a quick top off would seem to be the safest, if not the cheapest.

 

[Katfish]

Call me cheap, but are you really going to hook ANYTHING up to your battery and walk away for 6 months.

Buy the HF tender, and turn it on overnight, probably only need to do this once every 3-4 weeks.