Ford GT factory battery tender

[Fast Freddy]

From the description on the OEM charger, it is simply a made-in-China transformer supplying a constant 500mA of charge to the battery. I haven't opened one up, but I would seriously doubt that it lacks any on-board electronics to cycle on and off as needed. That said, I'm sure that it does its job just fine and likely no harm would come from extended use.

There are, however, superior float chargers available at the same price point. The Battery Tender is one such popular brand. The Battery Tender (unlike the OEM charger) has on-board electronics to sense battery level and it will float on and off to maintain proper battery level. From an interface point of view, the Battery Tenders employ and LED so it is quite easy to see the condition of your battery at a glance - especially as your car sits idle in storage. A blinking red light will mean that there's some kind of connection failure and the Tender is not communicating with the battery. A constant red light signals that the Tender is, in fact, charging. A green light will mean that the Battery is fully charged and the Tender is in "monitor" mode.

So, if you walk by your stored vehicle you should most often see a green light. Occasionally, you may catch the Tender in charge mode with a red light but it wouild be rare. If you see the red light frequently, you know something is wrong.

This slow charging method is an excellent way to re-charge a partially depleted battery. It will take more time than a conventional or even a trickle charger but it will get the job done. So, the trade-off is time, but the benefit is that this slow charge is best for the longevity of the battery.

you are right on the money here :thumbsup

i have 4 battery tenders. 2 for cars and 2 for motorcycles. the cars are 1.5 amps and the motorcycles are .75 amps :cheers

 

[MK2_GT]

I use Deltran batter tender with cigarette lighter adpater. I need to see the green light / red light to get the warm fuzzy feeling. However I needed to place this charger where it belongs in my garage before someone plugs it in somewhere else and blows something up.

 

[PDiddy]

Ran over my charger!

Bought the NOCO G3500.

 

[Empty Pockets]

...the benefit is that this slow charge is best for the longevity of the battery.

True that.

'Just had the 6 volt in my '37 Chrysler load-tested. 100% charge. 'Bought/installed that battery in 2008.