Costco battery tender

[$hot]

Any reviews on this one

 

[76 Hondo]

I’ve had one for 2 years, keep it plugged in to the pontoon( 2- 12 volt & 2- 6 volt), keeps the batteries maintained. After sitting a month or more just put the regular charger on for 30 minutes and all batteries are at 100%.

 

[SIK-06]

Its not a Costco Brand. Those have been around forever. I use them on all my toys! Works great!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Yep Battery Tender is solid. The .75 amp Junior model is really good as well.

 

[dave29]

Been using them for years on cars, boats and motorcycles.

 

[TPC]

I bought 2 - one failed out of the package. 4.5 amp For full sized batteries only.

 

[Activated]

I am sticking with these from now on. I tried a C Tech and after a power outage, it charged my battery at the wrong setting, frying it. You have to set it to the correct setting each time it loses power.

The simpler the better.

 

[HB2Havasu]

I’ve ran BT Juniors on all the Off-road Toys and the Boat Batteries for the last 5 years. Pretty sure they’ve paid for themselves many times already. You can get a 3 Pack on Amazon for a good price

 

[jet496]

I see mostly 1.25 amp on Amazon. Are those good enough? I just need to keep a charge going to my already fully charged batteries. I would think that would 1.25 amps would work. 4.5 amps seems overkill.

Thoughts?

 

[Taboma]

I am curious why the Deltran / Battery Tender web site shows a 4 amp and 5 amp model, but no 4.5, apparently it's a Costco Only item ??

According to the Costco web site, this charger / maintainer is for automotive, motorcycle, marine and power sport batteries. The instructions for the BT 4 Amp state the same thing, one CYA prudent caution being --- for Marine battery charging, remove the batteries from the boat as these chargers are not "Marine Rated".

I can't find anything indicating for full sized batteries only ??

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I see mostly 1.25 amp on Amazon. Are those good enough? I just need to keep a charge going to my already fully charged batteries. I would think that would 1.25 amps would work. 4.5 amps seems overkill.

Thoughts?

Yep. Even the .75 amp Junior version will be fine unless you have some amp draw on the batteries while in storage. I have been using the .75 Amp version for years on my race car and RZR.

 

[Taboma]

I see mostly 1.25 amp on Amazon. Are those good enough? I just need to keep a charge going to my already fully charged batteries. I would think that would 1.25 amps would work. 4.5 amps seems overkill.

Thoughts?

I have a shit-ton of various BT tenders, most are the 1.25 Amp 12V and are perfect as maintainer / tenders. But like their larger brethren, the instructions still state to remove Marine Batteries from the boat prior to charging --- I just keep the charger out of the bilge and only use a tender with the cover on, never a charger. I doubt many of us boaters will remove our batteries for charging.

 

[Taboma]

Yep. Even the .75 amp Junior version will be fine unless you have some amp draw on the batteries while in storage.

You mean like a bilge pump running or lights on ?? I'm sure a .75A will cover any milli-amp discharge from auto electronics.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

You mean like a bilge pump running or lights on ?? I'm sure a .75A will cover any milli-amp discharge from auto electronics.

Yes exactly. just don’t leave your bilge pump on lol.

And less likely to cook your batteries or itself.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I have a shit-ton of various BT tenders, most are the 1.25 Amp 12V and are perfect as maintainer / tenders. But like their larger brethren, the instructions still state to remove Marine Batteries from the boat prior to charging --- I just keep the charger out of the bilge and only use a tender with the cover on, never a charger. I doubt many of us boaters will remove our batteries for charging.

I have a Minnkota dual bank 5 amp charger for the boat. I leave the charger on the step of the trailer and plug the charger into SAE fused dongles off each battery. Batteries stay in their vented boxes with the hatch open a few inches.

It’s a charger/maintainer so it drops to 1 amp when the batteries are charged.

 

[Taboma]

Yes exactly. just don’t leave your bilge pump on lol.

And less likely to cook your batteries or itself.

I put all my BT's on timers, most because I wanted to limit the time duration the charger could explode and burn our house down.
Since they only Maintain during the day, I'm sleeping much better.

Last time I'm taking advice from you At least the batteries weren't cooked

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I put all my BT's on timers, most because I wanted to limit the time duration the charger could explode and burn our house down.
Since they only Maintain during the day, I'm sleeping much better.

Last time I'm taking advice from you At least the batteries weren't cooked

View attachment 940017

LoL sorry, I was thinking you stored your boat in rack storage

I’ve thought about throwing the dual bank boat charger on a timer in the off season.

 

[Taboma]

I have a Minnkota dual bank 5 amp charger for the boat. I leave the charger on the step of the trailer and plug the charger into SAE fused dongles off each battery. Batteries stay in their vented boxes with the hatch open a few inches.

It’s a charger/maintainer so it drops to 1 amp when the batteries are charged.

Does it fully shut-off after float charging ? This is why I've put all mine on timers after the rocket scientist at the battery shop warned that many so called tenders or maintainers weren't completely shutting off and the constant charging was damaging batteries. I also did it to possibly mitigate charger overheating and possible fire, should the charger fail --- BUT, it just might be bullshit goobly gook battery stories and there's no shortage of battery stories.

The universe has taught me after 26 years of garaging my shit at Havasu, I'm going to be replacing most of my batteries every two or three years, regardless of what I do or don't do or how much I spend on them

 

[Taboma]

LoL sorry, I was thinking you stored your boat in rack storage

I’ve thought about throwing the dual bank boat charger on a timer in the off season.

I used to have an big boy docked sports fisher before my wife complained about being a fishing widow So out of love and having already been divorced twice prior, I sold that boat, went to the desert and haven't fished since 1995 ---- the things we do for love and financial preservation.
Not rack, storage condo, but I've seen the mondo racks up at Lake Arrowhead in the miid-60's, in Florida and Hawaii, the whole storage and fork lift process looks scary as hell to me. It's not like they hire operating engineers !!!

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Does it fully shut-off after float charging ? This is why I've put all mine on timers after the rocket scientist at the battery shop warned that many so called tenders or maintainers weren't completely shutting off and the constant charging was damaging batteries. I also did it to possibly mitigate charger overheating and possible fire, should the charger fail --- BUT, it just might be bullshit goobly gook battery stories and there's no shortage of battery stories.

The universe has taught me after 26 years of garaging my shit at Havasu, I'm going to be replacing most of my batteries every two or three years, regardless of what I do or don't do or how much I spend on them

It has temperature compensation and goes into maintenance mode after charging. I don’t think it ever fully shuts charging “off” but it drops to a trickle/maintenance charge.

My $69 Duralast Marine batteries last 4-5 years stored in Havasu, so I am a believer.

 

[TPC]

Yep. Even the .75 amp Junior version will be fine unless you have some amp draw on the batteries while in storage. I have been using the .75 Amp version for years on my race car and RZR.

Safest way to roll.

 

[Jay Dub]

View attachment 940000
Any reviews on this one

I have two of the 5amp models hard wired in my boat. just plug into extension cord when I leave Havasu. 5-6 yrs no issue

 

[Voodoo GT350]

Nice thing is about this new model Costco is carrying is that it also charges lithium batteries as well.