What brand of trickle chargers are you guys using?

I don't drive the Buick that much and need to get a trickle charger. There are so many out there so I'm looking for recommendations? Thanks!

 

I kept losing Batteries in 3 cars and had 2 different trickle chargers…..I don’t know if they were the reason, but for the past 2 years I have been just unhooking the positive cable and haven’t had a problem yet and I go around 6 months at a time between driving them.

 

Buy a Battery Tender, you'll be glad you did.

 

To be honest, I have an actual Battery Tender brand charger/maintainer and 3 cheapo $5 Harbor Freight float chargers. The Battery Tender is used for a low battery when I have time and don't need the big 10A charger to get going NOW.

The HF float chargers are used on my lawn mower and both Buicks when I put them away for the season. They start every spring when I need them to run. The current battery in my 70 Stage 1 is 8 years old last week and it starts like new since I pulled it off the float charger in March.

The battery in my 71 GS was the one that was in it when I bought it in in 2014 and it has been on the same kind of HF float charger.

I tend to get about 5 years out of the mower batteries between replacements.

So, the cheap one works pretty good for me. This is what I have but it looks like they are $8.99 now:

Automatic Battery Float Charger (harborfreight.com)

 

Thought I was the only one!

 

Battery Tender Jr. here - shop for best price.

 

https://www.batterysaver.com

 

I use the older version of the Schumacher SC1319 on my Buick and my motorcycles.
Got 14 years out of my last Buick battery.

 

I think that if you are in a very cold climate a trickle charger is more important. Freezing temps will kill a low or dead battery.

 

I just disconnect the negative cable when my car won't be driven for a while. I had a Summit battery disconnect several years ago, but my car started having strange, intermittent electrical problems. The lights would go bright and dim, alternator would over or under charge at times. I found that the five month old disconnect was corroded. I removed it and no more problems. I would never leave a battery unattended with a battery charger in use. That's a fire waiting to happen. During the winter, I just put the charger on for a few hours every month or so while I'm in the garage. More than likely, most chargers are made in China now so just get a cheap one and use a volt meter to monitor charging voltage.

 

I too have the thumb screw QD terminals on my negative posts. In the winter I throw a battery tender Jr on and haven't had any issues to date. I also keep one on my mower and generator. Handy little gadgets for ~$20 a pop on Amazon.

 

I know people have alluded to this already, but a trickle charger is different than a battery maintainer. Sounds like you're looking for the latter.

-Bob C.

 

Thanks for the input guys! I forgot to mention I pull the negative cable off after every drive because the clock will run continuously and drain the battery. I bought a new battery and when they checked the old one, it was from 2013! I guess I got my money out of that one!

 

I have a side question….What’s the advantage of pulling the NEGATIVE side vs. The POSITIVE side?

 

Safety. There won't be a spark if the wrench touches the body. Hook the positive up first.

 

This gem from Harbor Freight. I have 3, one for each car.

 

They say it's the heat that kills batteries, the cold just seals the coffin.

 

I use nothing but battery MINDER (not tender). I've saved a lot of batteries with it. The battery in my TTA is 16 years old.

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