Battery Maintainers

[cfpinz]

I've got a couple pickups and a road tractor, along with some farm tractors, that see limited use this time of the year, and get tired of replacing batteries due to lack of use. Anyone used a maintainer like in the link below? Any better suggestions?

http://products.batterytender.com/Chargers/Battery-Tender-Junior-12V-0-75A.html

Thanks.

 

[ez14.]

I don't have any better suggestions but those (we use mostly John Deere brand maintainers) work good for us! I don't know about that brand though

 

[callmefence]

We use the little solar panels made for deer feeders to maintain the winch batterys on trucks and trailers. I also have one on the old JD we have our post driver on since it's usually left on the job site. They work fine as long as the sun shines.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Maintainers are fine, but battery quality is another issue. Warranty periods have gone down on many lines because ???

I have a couple batteries that I put my smart charger on once or twice during the off season.

 

[Fernowranch]

I bought that same one off ebay works great just keep an eye on the water level
light turns red when charging green when not..
FNR

 

[dun]

I used a 3 battery unit that was made for keeping boat batterys charged. Worked great for the 3-4 years that I had it.

 

[JW IN VA]

Bought a maintainer/desulphinator from Northern Tool.Pleased so far.

 

[Aaron]

Maintainers are fine, but battery quality is another issue. Warranty periods have gone down on many lines because ???

I have a couple batteries that I put my smart charger on once or twice during the off season.

Only buy Parts Master batteries anymore. You can get them through Auto Value. 5 year full warranty. No quibbles and just as reliable as any Interstate I have had. I replace everything with them as they go bad and never even so much as look at them in 5 years. Hope the ones in my truck go bad real soon as it is coming 5 years this spring on them, have never touched them since they went in. Only got 1/2 that time out of 2 sets of Motorcrafts.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Got these on several batteries

http://www.truevalue.com//catalog/produ ... 4622122499

 

[Stocker Steve]

Only buy Parts Master batteries anymore. You can get them through Auto Value. 5 year full warranty. No quibbles and just as reliable as any Interstate I have had. I replace everything with them as they go bad and never even so much as look at them in 5 years. Hope the ones in my truck go bad real soon as it is coming 5 years this spring on them, have never touched them since they went in. Only got 1/2 that time out of 2 sets of Motorcrafts.

Had a battery go bad this week after 23 months. Took it in. Thought there was a 36 month warranty, but they had reduced the warranty to 18 months...

 

[Aaron]

Only buy Parts Master batteries anymore. You can get them through Auto Value. 5 year full warranty. No quibbles and just as reliable as any Interstate I have had. I replace everything with them as they go bad and never even so much as look at them in 5 years. Hope the ones in my truck go bad real soon as it is coming 5 years this spring on them, have never touched them since they went in. Only got 1/2 that time out of 2 sets of Motorcrafts.

Had a battery go bad this week after 23 months. Took it in. Thought there was a 36 month warranty, but they had reduced the warranty to 18 months...

I think pretty much all of them other than Parts Master are 18 months or less now.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I think pretty much all of them other than Parts Master are 18 months or less now.

Any idea why?

 

[Atimm693]

I have a few of those and don't have any problems with them. They do exactly what they're supposed to.

 

[D2Cat]

I had someone tell me automotive batteries don't last as long as in the past because so much of the lead is recycled. I guess the lead looses some qualities after so many melt downs, probably contaminated with other metals.

 

[ez14.]

I had someone tell me automotive batteries don't last as long as in the past because so much of the lead is recycled. I guess the lead looses some qualities after so many melt downs, probably contaminated with other metals.

It also has to do with how fast their charged. We use the batteries more then they used to and charge them faster then they used to wearing them out faster

 

[Aaron]

I think pretty much all of them other than Parts Master are 18 months or less now.

Any idea why?

No money in giving out warranty replacements. Only reason Parts Master is so great is because they are working hard to take market share. They too may eventually cut the warranty period.

 

[jltrent]

Got these on several batteries

http://www.truevalue.com//catalog/produ ... 4622122499

IMO Schumachers are good as I have three of them in 10A and they want over charge your battery like some of the HF and others I have heard/seen complains will do. IMO you get what you pay for in these.
Complain once and buy one of these and your battery will last.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Schumacher-XCS ... Sw4Z5aJ25M

 

[ddd75]

i picked up a stanley 'fatmax' charger / maintainer.

it's pretty nice.. has a quick 8amp charge and a slow 2 amp trickle.

charges up batteries quick and does a lot better job then my diehard one.

 

[cfpinz]

Thanks, I appreciate everyone's response.

 

[Clod Hopper]

I just bought two new John Deere strong box batteries for my tractor and they are leaking acid down both sides of the tractor. I guess they were overfilled but I am not too impressed with them. I guess that is the dealers fault as they are shipped dry.