Anybody use a Battery Tender® for their house batteries?

[Mex-Busnut]

Dear Friends,

As in most things bus related, I don't have the foggiest idea what I am doing, but really enjoy trying new things, and certainly appreciate learning from all of you.

My friend up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area who used to do bus conversions suggested to me when I was up there that I should consider a Battery Tender® for my house batteries. Now, I am not the brightest lite on the Christmas tree, and never thought there would be as many models of Battery Tender® as there are dishonest politicians. I failed to ask him what type.

On Flea Bay, there is a ton of models available, from cheap, to real expensive. My 3,000-watt inverter goes from 12 volts to 120 VAC. What would you recommend, that hopefully wouldn't cost a tank-full of diesel fuel?

For the mean time, I have a small 5 amp trickle charger, and a Craftsman® auto battery charger that can go up to 70 amps

Thanks in advance!

[Joe Camper]

Your inverter is not an inverter/charger and you need that capacity is what I think you are asking?

[belfert]

A Battery Tender is not a replacement for a bulk charger for your house bank.  The largest Battery Tender I can find is 20 amps and you'll almost certainly want more amps than that to charge your house bank.

I use a Battery Tender on my starting battery bank for storage, but it is only 2.5 amps.

[Joe Camper]

I will agree with that. I am not sure if I know all those styles tenders but assumed if a converter was suggesting a battery tender he was addressing storage issues. Do they have 75 amp and bigger  models?

I have also seen when storage only provides 15 or 20 amp installing 2 of the 24volt 2.5amp tenders and the second one put on the house bank as well when the house side of the bus is 24 volt.

Way better than having the inverters powered and practically idling during long term storage as well as for a whole bunch of other good reasons.

As for the right charger for camping the bus............

Not knowing anything about who you are or where your going 70 amp min. 100amp would be better.

[buswarrior]

Yes, there is a big difference between battery maintenance while using the coach, and when the coach is parked for storage.

You want an intelligent, low amperage charger for storage, and a 3 or 4 stage high amp charger for using while the coach is in use.

The savings can be measured in years of extra battery life, if you become a disciple of battery maintenance.

There are busnuts who can get 10 years of life out of golf cart batteries. On the other hand, there are busnuts who can't get a single season out of a set of golf cart batteries...

Keeping them topped right up is key for lead acid batteries.

Home Power Magazine,  http://homepower.com/home/
Alt E store, http://www.altestore.com/store/

are just two places to learn how to save a lot of money wasted on batteries poorly maintained.

"Batteries don't die, they are murdered"

is the phrase that inspired me a decade ago to pay better attention to the batteries in the coach, as well as the lawnmower, and the farm tractor.

For instance, my lawn mower battery lives 4-5 years now, instead of 2-3. Off season and in season charging has been key to this. Magneto based charging doesn't do the job well enough.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Tikvah]

I just pulled the start batteries out of my coach for winter storage.  Should I top off with water/acid before leave them for the winter?

What do I use to fill them?  Battery acid?  Distilled water? 

I'll keep them on a 2 amp trickle charger.

[Dreamscape]

Boxcarokie wrote an article over on the Eagles International forum that might help. I have not used these on our system. I did buy a couple of tenders at Harbor Freight, which seemed to not work as well as Don described on his choice.

http://www.eaglesinternational.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1182&hilit=battery+warmers

Good luck on what you choose!

Paul

[luvrbus]

You can buy the Black and Decker smart charger at Lowes for around 50 bucks it works like a charm plug it in forget it

good luck

[junkman42]

Distalled water only!  Top them off and charge before storing so the added water mixes into the electrolyte,  Regards John L

[Mex-Busnut]

Thanks to  all for your input!

Your inverter is not an inverter/charger and you need that capacity is what I think you are asking?

Mister Joe Camper Sir:

My inverter does NOT have a built-in charger. I understand the Battery Tender® is not so much for heavy-duty charging, but rather maintaining the batteries in top shape. That is why I am mentioning my Sears 70-amp smart charger as a possibility.

[thomasinnv]

For a conversion you really should use an rv style power converter/charger if your inverter does not have charging capabilities. The shop type battery chargers are not usually very clean power, if your parked somewhere plugged in with a shop type charger going you may get buzz and such on tv/stereo equipment, cb radio, laptops etc.

[Mex-Busnut]

For a conversion you really should use an rv style power converter/charger if your inverter does not have charging capabilities. The shop type battery chargers are not usually very clean power, if your parked somewhere plugged in with a shop type charger going you may get buzz and such on tv/stereo equipment, cb radio, laptops etc.

Actually, I wish I could find such an animal down here in old Mexico. However, I do have a 35-amp ham radio power supply that, although old enough to vote, has very clean output, and I could probably wire it so it powers my stereos, TV's, when I am plugged in to AC. I doubt the 12-volt water pump would mind too much.

[Mex-Busnut]

An update on this subject:

After scouring ebay, I finally found a seller who would do U. S. Mail to Mexico, and got me a 55-amp converter/charger. The model is "WFCO 55 AMP RV Power Converter/Battery Charger WF-9855".

Hopefully it will be shipped Monday, and arrive in less time than it takes a politician to become corrupt.

[Ace]

Here's one for you. I have a heart out maybe a trace 2000 watt invertor/charger that maintains my house bank which consist of six 6v golf cart batteries.
They still work good and noticed the last time out that they are dated 2004. I think I got my monies worth!   

Forgot to mention, they are bulging a little on the sides but figure I am too so for now, its no big deal!

And, just tonight at dinner with another bus nut, he mentioned that there is a solar panel now available that is installed flat on the roof our even on the side of any surface. You can even walk on it if its on the roof and the dealer might be at the Arcadia rally as a vendor. I said MIGHT!

[artvonne]

They still work good and noticed the last time out that they are dated 2004. I think I got my monies worth!   

  No kidding. What brand of batteries??