BATTERY TENDER

My 1987 328 sits in the garage for weeks at times (not by choice), I like to get a battery tender and connect to the sigarette lighter so the battery will stay constanly charged to proper level, can anyone help me with wich battery tender would be best for the 328? Thanks in advance. Lee

 

This one http://www.ctek.com/us/home.asp

Here is a description http://www.dreamcargarage.com/ctek.html

 

You should probably be specific as to what type of battery you are using...a standard battery or a Optima type battery. I had read some place that the Optima batteries may not play well with battery tenders / trickle chargers. Maybe there is someone here that can back that up or say there is no harm.

 

I have an 86 328 with a Battery Tender brand model # 012-0123. that has worked good for me. I also have it on a motorcycle and Miata. No problems in the past.

 

Thats something worth looking into, I use an optima battery, on the dream garage link they refer to a Us3300 thats suitable for the Optimas

 

Deltran Battery Tender. The Best. Period. End of Story.

 

Absolutely. No question.

 

Here is an example of what he's looking for......

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Genuine-Porsche-Charge-o-mat-II-Battery-Charger_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ46093QQitemZ4639766411QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I don't know if it is good or not, but you simply plug it into the cig lighter which is much easier to get to!

 

If I am not going to drive it for a week or two, I just pull the quick release battery cable in my 328.

 

I had a problem with 2 battery tenders not keeping m/c batteries charged properly. I emailed the company, they said they had a new model and replace both of them for a s/h charge ($16?? ea.). I asked 3 times if the original ones I had had a defect, they would never say that, they did say the updated one would solve my issues and was compatable with all types of batteries, unlike the earlier model.
They seem to work fine now.
FYI, the updated style has the blinking led at partial charge, original did not have that feature.

 

Do a search on this board for "battery tender", and you'll find at least a dozen threads describing how many of us have used Deltran and/or Schumacher chargers, and which ones have cigar plugs and how to make your own too.

vty,

--Dennis

 

I use VDC Electronics' BatteryMINDer (Model 12112). Charges, maintains, and dissolves sulpahation with the latest technology.

www.vdcelectronics.com
www.batteryweb.com

 

I agree !!! Big time !!!

 

When I needed one, Algar Ferrari of Philadelphia supplied it and it was a Deltran. Great product. Many Ferrari garages I see have this Battery Tender...no overload. Works great. In fact, many Ferrari dealers include a Deltran tender when you buy a Ferrari...at least that's what a couple dealerships told me.

 

Ferrari NA service in San Rafael, CA installed an Interstate trickle charger within my 575M's factory wiring harness. Interstate part #920008

 

I have in Interstate on my 360 which is very good.

I think there is fundamentally one manufacturer and multiple labels applied.

I have seen 2-3 units that look identical to mine with a vendor different label.

It's around $60 and it is very good.

 

Does that mean it has short circuit protection?
Thanks

 

Agreed!

 

With my 88 328 I use a Deltran Battery Tender with a 25' cable extension and cigarette lighter adapter. Works great! And the extension cable lets me leave the tender on the shelf instead of inside the car and the cable is thin enough that I can easily close the car door with the cable running out the bottom of the door opening.

 

How much?

 

These are great. I have 13 vehicles, boats and stuff to keep the batteries up. They work well an are cool so less fire hazard.

The other option you may want to use is the Ford Gt has a charger that comes with the car. it is made to plug into a lighter socket. I have three of these for my cars that are in my garage at home. The cars I have stored offsite i use Battery Tender. The FGT plug in may save you money if you have to have someone connect the pigtail. I did this for my F430 and it is easy. I am not sure on your model.

Be sure your lighter socket power stays on when the ignition is off. my 360 Modena did, my F430 does not, hence BT for the F430.

The Bt is about $67 and the Ford GT charger at a dealer is $95.

Good luck,

lee

 

I have a tender set up permanently in the trunk with an ex cord running to a timer on the wall, 2 hours a day it charges. Plenty of time to keep the battery fresh.

 

Go straight to the source

www.batterytender.com

I use a bunch of the "junior" tenders for the newer cars and I have some of the regular size for the cars with older OEM batteries from the 50's and 60's
I have 24 Deltran Battery Tenders in total and I've never had a battery problem with a car hooked up to any of them. The Tenders come with several different options to hook them up. Most of my cars have a connector wired permanently to the battery posts, but I also have a couple of clip on connectors. In some of the more modern Ferraris, the batteries can be inaccessible, but there is always a connector block somewhere in the car that's easy to get to.

 

I'm going to agree with that. Hard-wire it, check the green light daily, unplug before driving (don't laugh) and have a nice day.

 

Deltran is the manufacturer of the Battery Tender.

I prefer the Battery Tender Waterproof 800. It has all the features of the Jr., but it also has " The interior is completely encapsulated, protected from shock, vibration, and moisture by an electrically insulating, thermally conductive, flame retardant, UL recognized, synthetic epoxy resin compound."

A bit safer and 800ma

http://batterytender.com/product_info.php?products_id=36&osCsid=7f4b218184b489668527beee00b4feba

I own four