[Shotimes] (OT) Battery tender/maintainer

[Ron Porter]

FYI, for those with cars/boats/cycles/etc that need to have batteries
maintained

I've already got two Schumachers myself and I am pretty happy with them, but
these units look pretty interesting! I'll have to consider one of these
if/when I need another one.

Dennis does a comparison to the Schumacher down in his post, which I find to
be of interest.

Ron Porter

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Liu [mailto:BigHeadDennis@Earthlink.net] 
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2003 1:13 AM
To: 911/993/996
Subject: [911] RE: Seeking advice on battery tender/maintainer


The "Battery Tender" by Deltran, and sometimes marketed under other names,
is intended exactly for this purpose -- to maintain the battery.  I've used
one on my motorcycles for several years, and the 348 and 355 as well with no
problems.  More info can be found here:
http://www.batterytender.com/

It comes with two methods of attachment to your battery -- regular alligator
clamps (like on jumper cables), or a connector where the ends terminate in
metal o-rings (like a washer).  Each method connects to the charger through
a little plug-together connector.  The o-ring connectors, intended for
semi-permanent mounting, slip right through the bolts used to attach your
terminals to your battery.  Then simply tie down the length of the wire,
until you have only the other connector poking out into the trunk.  Thus,
when you're in the garage, pop the lid, snap the two connectors together,
and voila!

Alternatively, one can get a charger that attaches, piggyback style, to the
battery (the most popular is manu. by Schumacher, and sometimes marketed as
a "factory" charger, e.g. Ferrair); the 120v plug is located inside the car;
you just have to connect an extension cord when needed.

Why do I consider the Deltran method better?  Well, I'm presuming that the
Schumacher is also a computer controlled charger like the Deltran.  The
primary advantage, in my mind, is that you don't have the charger sitting in
the car -- only the wiring.  Thus, (a) it's lighter, (b) you can use one
charger for more than one vehicle if you alternate, (c) the wire coming out
of the trunk is thinner and you can in fact close the lid with the wire
dangling out, if you wanted to so you can put the cover over the car, (d) I
guess if the car gets stolen, you didn't lose the charger as well, (e) if
the circuit breaker (or whatever) inside the Schumacher fails, it melts
INSIDE the car, right next to your battery;  I'd prefer to have the thing
melt down outside my car, not in it!!, and (f) another "clean" method of
attaching a battery tender is to go to Radio Shack and buy a cigarette
lighter adapter with a 9 foot cord attached.  Then wire this into the "hard
wire" connector kit, by removing the o-ring connectors and splicing in the
cigarette adapter instead.  No having to pop the hood anymore, just remove
cigarette lighter and plug in, provided that the cigarette lighter is
POWERED when the key is off.

vty,

--Dennis