Can you use a trickle charger on a diesel?

[Pookster]

More specifically, can you use an automatic float charger (like a battery tender) on a GM Diesel, which has two batteries in parallel?

I know there's something not quite kosher about it, but since the batteries are the same age/brand/type/capacity... I dont see a reason to say no right?

 

[cegusman]

Not to sure, but I think It should work fine.

 

[RustBuket]

I believe you'd just effectively have 1/2 the amperage to each battery.

 

[diesel4me]

no problem...

I've used one on mine before with no ill effects..I cant see how the charger would know if its charging 2 batteries in paralell,or one big 12V battery ..as long as neither battery has a dead cell or short,I see no problem using one..be aware a "tickle" charger will only maintain a battery,I've left mine on a dead one for days,and it barely cranked the engine over a few times..2 hours with my 10 amp charger,and it spun like a new battery..

I had a charger off ot an electric warehouse "cart" that was 24V,similar to those used on a forklift..I simply hooked another 12V battery in series to the one I wanted to charge (after disconnecting it from the vehicle of course) and used that to charge my battery(s)..
I think it worked better than my usual 10 amp 12V charger,it had the "pulse" charging in it,to "de-sulphate" the plates in the battery..I let a "freind" borrow it,and never saw it again..he claims he left it at the junkyard I worked at that closed a year ago..probably still there,locked inside the building..

 

[steve_kibbe]

Why not just get two?

 

[Pookster]

cant use two, they are in parallel. There's no issues when they charge battery banks, so Im not real concerned about that- just double checking.

You cant use two , because one charger would be confused by the presence of another charging source. It would certainly bounce around a lot.

 

[rjfguitar]

More specifically, can you use an automatic float charger (like a battery tender) on a GM Diesel, which has two batteries in parallel?

I know there's something not quite kosher about it, but since the batteries are the same age/brand/type/capacity... I dont see a reason to say no right?

Yes, it should be fine. The one charger will keep up both batteries. When they are wired in parrallel like in almost all diesel applications the batteries all work together to make up basically a much larger battery in a sence.

You are just trying to charge a battery twice as large.

I prefer charging two batteries together, I think it's easier on the batteries when the power is split to both.