Battery Tender/Maintainer

Kendrix

New member

Equipment
BX23S, Excavator, Loader, Snow Blowing
Apr 23, 2019
29
0
1
PA
I am looking for everyone's setups for battery tendering/maintaining. What do you use, and how are you setup? I saw older posts where they drilled and mounted a plug. What are your recommendations? This will be my first winter and will be using my bx23s with the snow blower attachment and I want to try to set it up with the best option to quickly attach, and remove when needed for use during the winter months.

Show me your setup, and provide links to where you purchased your items, and explain why you chose the option.

I do greatly appreciate your feedback.
 
Last edited:

Roadworthy

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Lifetime Member

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L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
526
113
Benton City, WA
I suspect many people do use a battery maintainer. I'm not one of them. My tractor charges when it's running and doesn't seem to lose its charge when parked. I think my last battery lasted about twelve years that way. The only time it ran flat was when I had starter problems. I replaced the starter, charged the battery, and all was well.
 

RonBoyBX25D

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B2650, LP Grapple, Bro-Tek spacers, QH, Box Blade, Landscape Rake, RB, and 1560G
Aug 1, 2015
477
3
18
Minneapolis, MN
I don***8217;t have pix, but went with a Noco Genius 750 for mine. Wired in the terminal rings and ran it out the side next to the block heater. I doubt I really need it, but my experience is the battery will last longer with a trickle charger on it. And you don***8217;t ever have to, worry of the battery is low and now start with a big snowstorm.
 

Lil Foot

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1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,486
2,494
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Peoria, AZ
On my full size batteries, (toy hauler, golf cart, Rhino) I use these, with excellent results:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schumach...MI147JnuXe5AIVyiCtBh1wJQRPEAQYASABEgLa8vD_BwE

On my motorcycle, one of these:
https://www.cyclegear.com/accessories/megaboost-pro-series-4000-charger-and-maintainer

And on the B7100 tractor, one of these:
https://www.cyclegear.com/accessories/duraboost-battery-maintainer-750

My motorcycle stays in the Phoenix area, (lots of heat) and the tractor (which has a motorcycle size battery) stays in the high country, much cooler.
All tenders are connected with a two wire polarized plug like the one that comes with the last tender shown.
 

bearbait

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Equipment
L3560, 64" snowblower, 72" back blade
Dec 9, 2011
4,057
831
113
New Glasgow Canada
I don***8217;t have pix, but went with a Noco Genius 750 for mine. Wired in the terminal rings and ran it out the side next to the block heater. I doubt I really need it, but my experience is the battery will last longer with a trickle charger on it. And you don***8217;t ever have to, worry of the battery is low and now start with a big snowstorm.
Keep a close eye on them, I had to return 2 of them now. The problem I had was where the wire goes into and out of the charger split on both of them leaving bare wires. I would have thought a bad batch maybe but they were bought at 2 different stores. This is what I use on all my batteries now and they seem to work well.

https://www.amazon.ca/Mroinge-Autom...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
 

skeets

Well-known member

Equipment
BX 2360 /B2601
Oct 2, 2009
14,525
3,264
113
SW Pa
I tied right to yj terminals and snaked the lead out the side of the side panels,, I cant say how good it worked as I only got 10 years out of the OEM Deka battery
 

dirtydeed

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B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
3,012
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113
Wind Gap, PA
ditto what skeets said.

battery tender juniors on all my stuff. Pigtail should be long enough to make it between the air screen and the dash. That's what I did on my BX as well. I do believe that there is also a plug in type socket if you want to get creative.
 

johnjk

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B3200 w/loader, Woods RC5 brush hog, 4' box blade, tooth bar, B1700 MMM,
Apr 13, 2017
1,450
1,235
113
West Mansfield, OH
I went with a Battery Tender Plus for mine. Instead of the clamps, I wired in a weatherproof connector and mounted on the side panel up front. The Tender sits on the hood or a shelf next to the B and has plenty of length to connect. I initially wanted to run it up to the console but had issues with removing the plastic and went with plan B. There is enough slack to remove the side panel without disconnecting the pigtail if needed.



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troverman

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MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,188
275
83
NH
I suspect many people do use a battery maintainer. I'm not one of them. My tractor charges when it's running and doesn't seem to lose its charge when parked. I think my last battery lasted about twelve years that way. The only time it ran flat was when I had starter problems. I replaced the starter, charged the battery, and all was well.
I agree. I never use a maintainer; there really is no reason to. My 2002 L4310 had it's original battery until I replaced it early in 2018. That's 16 years. Never went dead until 2018 and I replaced it.

My 2013 B2920 - traded it this spring, original battery, never ever charged or maintained.

My current 2018 MX and 2019 L2501 will never see a tender either. I live in NH and the tractors sit outside or in unheated spaces. One of the two tractors sits completely unused from November 1st until May...not even started...and always starts up.

If it makes you feel better, than do it, but you really aren't gaining a thing.
 

Lil Foot

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1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,486
2,494
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Peoria, AZ
Probably depends on your time between uses and the weather it lives in. I'm in Arizona, arguably the hardest climate for batteries on the planet. And I sometimes have to go 2 months without starting some of my vehicles due to family obligations.
In my situation, I know for a fact I'm gaining battery life & reliability.

Found a pic of the tender connector on the tractor:
 

Attachments

troverman

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Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,188
275
83
NH
Hot weather tends to kill batteries, but you don't notice until the cold.

I'm surprised though...hot weather boils electrolytes out of batteries. How will a tender prevent this?
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
554
83
USA
It won't. Only visual checking of the levels will. Even 'maintenance free' batteries can be checked by removing the plastic cell caps.

I don't use a battery tender on mine at all and both reside in an unheated barn all winter. I make sure the batteries are fully charged (14.2-14.5 volts) and then I break the circuit with a battery post knife switch and let them sit. Flooded cell batteries lose very little charge while sitting idle for long periods.

What I do works fine on the pre 4 engines I have, may not work at all on a post 4 electronically controlled engine though.
 

johnjk

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B3200 w/loader, Woods RC5 brush hog, 4' box blade, tooth bar, B1700 MMM,
Apr 13, 2017
1,450
1,235
113
West Mansfield, OH
Hot weather tends to kill batteries, but you don't notice until the cold.

I'm surprised though...hot weather boils electrolytes out of batteries. How will a tender prevent this?
Good question, I never use mine in the warm months. I use it in the winter when it will set for weeks at a time. If I don't get snow or need to cut wood, she rests. The original battery died and was replaced this past spring so I may just be more for my piece of mind at this point. There never was a starting issue in the winter without it, just looking to keep it topped off and ready to go.

I have one on my quad as well year round. It doesn't get ridden that much and it tends to die if not on a tender. Probably need to look at replacing that battery here as well
 

Freeheeler

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Equipment
b2650 tlb
Aug 16, 2018
706
523
93
Knoxville, TN
Personally, I don't use one on the tractor. It gets used often enough to not need it most of the time. If I know it's gonna sit for more than a month I just disconnect a terminal. I have not added anything so unless there is a starter or alternator problem, it should be good. If you've added extra lights, radio, winch, backup cam, etc, then you might want to consider a tender.
 

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
554
83
USA
Personally, I don't use one on the tractor. It gets used often enough to not need it most of the time. If I know it's gonna sit for more than a month I just disconnect a terminal. I have not added anything so unless there is a starter or alternator problem, it should be good. If you've added extra lights, radio, winch, backup cam, etc, then you might want to consider a tender.
I think you'll find a knife disconnect switch is a lot easier than taking off the battery terminal all the time. You are removing the negative one correct? Kike 22 bucks at Autozone and Amazon.
 

GreensvilleJay

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Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,266
4,831
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
re: How will a tender prevent this?

'tenders' use a small microcomputer and test the batteries voltage, then use 3 'modes' to top up the battery, once 'full' it shuts off the charging power, so it cannot 'boil away' the electrolyte.
Regular 'old school' battery chargers always pump power into a battery, SCR based ones do shut off, 'tenders' or 'maintainers' have smarts in them BUT they are 'trickle' chargers ( low current..usually 2 amps or less )
 

John T

Well-known member

Equipment
2017 BX23S
May 5, 2017
801
278
63
under a rock
I don’t use my tractor as much in the winter as I do in the summer.

And there is no electricity in my storage shed.... yet

So I use a small 30 watt Solar panel with a battery tender solar controller.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

degoniaorange82

New member

Equipment
l2501hst, 5ft. tiller, box blade and finnish mower, subsoiler and plow
Nov 9, 2017
28
1
3
southwest indiana
I'll have to agree with a few, but I have never owned a battery tender, and probably never will. being in the car industry, I do have a jump start box for my job. I use it year around, and properly maintained, it is still on the job six years later. I get 90 degrees plus in the summer, and 10 degrees in the winter. not the worst, but a good spread of temp. a properly maintained battery can handle that temperature spread no problem...but I wonder about our Alaskan friends...
 

Freeheeler

Well-known member

Equipment
b2650 tlb
Aug 16, 2018
706
523
93
Knoxville, TN

William1

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Equipment
BX25D
Jul 28, 2015
1,111
302
83
Richmond, Virginia
I went with a Battery Tender Plus for mine. Instead of the clamps, I wired in a weatherproof connector and mounted on the side panel up front. The Tender sits on the hood or a shelf next to the B and has plenty of length to connect. I initially wanted to run it up to the console but had issues with removing the plastic and went with plan B. There is enough slack to remove the side panel without disconnecting the pigtail if needed.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I did similar, except mine is in the side of the dash and not in the hood. I got mine from Amazon - Tecmate.
https://www.amazon.com/Tecmate-Opti...s=gateway&sprefix=techmate+SAE,aps,162&sr=8-1
You will also need:
https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tend...817Z660CRWS&psc=1&refRID=V9D163Z79817Z660CRWS

I have a pickup I do not drive much (2,000 miles a year.) I had the battery go dead a few times (Alarm, ecu-vehicles do not truly shut off 100% anymore) so I installed one these on t as well, in the bumper in a cavity. Battery is 100% every time now.
My tractor does not get as much use as I'd like, last year, just ten run time hours. Also, I do not have power where it is stored so... no ability to plug it in to a maintainer. I did install a voltmeter on it. Over the last year, the voltage has dropped to under 12 volts. 11.8 yesterday and I could noticably tell it was not a happy camper, it just started. It will not start once it gets cold. New battery in the next thirty days. The existing one is just three years old.