Battery tender question (again)

427Carl

427Carl

Regular
2 You're 10
Jul 21, 2012
461
3
Clinton Ontario Canada
VetteCoins
610
Car
2000
I have been at CTC in Goderich twice, looking for CTEK (the one EVERYBODY uses)......no luck....

They have on sale....NOCO genius Smart Chargers from .75 to 26A

Anyone have experience with these???????:confused:
 
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Oh you mean CTEK, I think you wrote certified technician I should know I'm one.

Never used either CTEK or NOCO, I get by with motomaster eliminator chargers.

What's so special about CTEK?
 
lol EVERYONE has one.. silly.. just teasing....
The CTEK charges only when battery needs a boost?
The eliminators charge all the time?
I don't know
maybe I'll take battery out, and sit beside the computer for the winter:rofl:
 
Over the years, with our old cars, I would just disconnect the battery in the fall, hook it up in the spring and go. Quality batteries seem to last us on average about 7 years. How much longer they would last with something like a Ctek, I don't know. Even in our everyday vehicles seven years still seems to be the magic number. The odd time I have had the odd battery last a year or two longer.
 
I give the eliminator a little more credit than simply charging all the time. Even the eliminator trickle charges toggles back and forth telling you when the batteries actually charged or charging so it must know something.
I think over time a batteries reserve charge goes, so if you turned on the radio for what used to be half an hours worth and the car started fine, eventually over time you'd turn the radio on for only 5-10 minutes and the car wouldn't start. For that reason I don't trust batteries b/w 3-5 years old. Just to be safe, and if you never consider this radio thing then yeah sure a lot longer.
I like the idea of pulling the battery out and letting it sit.
 
Carl. my local Canadian Tire here in Owen Sound has one or two of the C-TEK's still in stock...$89.99 I believe. Looks like Canadian Tire has switched to the Genius brand. No longer listed on their website. I imagine the C-TEK will be marked down on clearance eventually. Not sure of the reason for the switch but probably better wholesale pricing for CTC. If you go on the C-TEK website there are listings of Canadian dealers and web dealers. I bought mine for $45 when they were half price in the summer.

Greg.
 
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thanks guys :D I will check.. I'd like a CTEK because of it reviews... :coolgleam:

When I changed the right front, headlight motor gear, I noticed the under hood light, was unplugged... I plugged it in... next time I tried to start car, battery was dead... charged it up... next time ...same.. So what to do? I unplugged the light and the battery stayed charged..

Should I leave it unplugged, or trade the car? (there's a story/joke here)
 
Probably a short in the circuit, Carl......until you can check/replace the wiring, best leave it unplugged. Did you notice if the light was still on with the hood closed? Checking in the dark and thru the grill may give some clue.

C.
 
As mentioned above is the light actually going out when you close the hood. In the old Chevelles, sometimes the light wasn't going out when you closed the glove box door. Mysteriously, the battery would drain. Some times it's as simple as a little adjustment to the plunger switch or what ever turns the light on and off. Some have mercury switches. If it were a dead short, fuses would blow when you plugged the light back in. I hate electricity. :mad:
 
Been using CTEK on my 07 for the past three years. Works awesome!....The vette fires up on a dime everytime after winter storage. I also hook it up in the driving season when I know I am not going to use the car for a few days(rain..lol).
 
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Now I can start a conversation........ Internet article describes Genius as the Best:eek:

CTEK Battery Chargers

CTEK Battery Charger, a leading global brand specializing in the care and maintenance of vehicular batteries makes their own way in venturing to smart chargers. The smart chargers they make can adjust power outputs automatically if the temperature changes. In that way, any type of battery will be safely charged and that will stop you from bothering whenever you charge overnight. Over-charging batteries is one of the major causes why it malfunctions and need to be disposed immediately. That simply means buying a smart charger under this brand can give you a worry and stress-free experience of battery charging.

Noco Genius Chargers

Noco genius Chargers is a multi-bank Genius charger that uses 8-step charge profile in extending your batteries
 
When I finally decided to sell my army truck I found that it had two dead batteries. These are large, about 14" square 1000 amp hour. I thought what the heck, I'll try the CTEK and see what happens. Well when I tried the first battery nothing happened. So I fooled the charger by clipping a 9 volt across the posts and away it went. Took a week to recover the first one and same for the second. That CTC flyer CTEK was the best buy yet. For a $50.00 investment it saved me $800.00 for two new batteries. Same thing happened to the Vette, accidentally left the radar detector on when I came to Ontario this fall. Put the CTEK on and the Optima is as good as new.
Rob
 
buckhorn76 said:
batteries discharge at the rate of 1% per day. so i was told by the interstate guy back when i was involved with winterizing and storing boats.
Click to expand...

I've never unhooked the battery from my Chevelle over winter when storing it and it fires right up each Spring like it just finished running. However, I use AC Delco batteries...maybe the Interstate batteries loose charge at 1% per day.:D

Or....maybe I'm just pushing my luck but with no radio, computer, or anything electric in the car, I find it hard to imagine there would be any draw unless there is a short somewhere.

As for the Corvette. Three weeks is pushing it as to whether it will start or not. I noticed my under hood light is unplugged as well. I figure the previous owner unplugged it for a reason so I've never plugged it back in.
 
one of the big things a tender does other than maintaining a charge,is to keep the battery from freezing. as batteries without regular use do not go through a freeze/ thaw situation they remain frozen. as a battery ages this can shorten it's ability to hold or maintain a charge on it's own. when i was in the marine bus. in the springtime customers would come in telling us their battery would not hold a charge. we would inspect the battery and sure enough,a big bulge in the side of it. i have one atv battery i use that is now 7+ years old.
 
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