Anybody done it? My K5 sits for long periods so the battery is usually low. I'm thinking about installing a tender with a plug in the grille so it could be easily plugged in like a block heater.
WWCK5D?
WWCK5D?
CK5
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Permanently installed battery tender
- Thread starter nvrenuf
- Start date
Done it on bikes. The other thing you can do is they make harness that stay with the battery that have quik connects to the tender so you don't actually leave the tender on the bike/truck but it's a quick plug in to turn on
That's good to know, I'll start searching for that too. Thanks!
George_Pimpdaddy
1/2 ton status
I've done this I just hard wired a connector that came with the battery tender charger to the trucks battery thru the grill so when its in the shop just sitting ill plug the tender in once and awhile and no need to pop the hood or anything.
I had one installed for quite awhile. It was nice. I had a nice small one that I had installed on a bracket on the battery tray so it held it up to the side of the battery so it didn't take up any room either.
I'm considering this one - http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000AXTUY?pc_redir=1414140311&robot_redir=1
It's got a really short 110v cord so I'd probably mount it behind the grille and then extend the battery leads to fit (battery is on firewall).
It's got a really short 110v cord so I'd probably mount it behind the grille and then extend the battery leads to fit (battery is on firewall).
George_Pimpdaddy
1/2 ton status
this is the one i run got it on sale awhile back http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/m...battery-charger-2a-0111506p.html#.VE5j1_nF8-U
Several companies make long term charger/maintainers. Especially for marine use. I have two Guest units. A dual and a triple.
The dual has two completely independent circuits. Its mounted on my big genset. Even though its a dual 12v charger, and the genset is 24v, it works fine. It does not care that the negative of one circuit is hooked to the positive of the other.
Each battery is charged and maintained separately.
In theory, I could even have two different types of batteries, since each circuit is selectable.
Not sure how well that would work otherwise with them hooked in series though.
The triple, is mounted in my shed. I have cables that plug into my riding lawn mower, my tractor, and my camper trailer.
There is a plug on each that matches the cable from the charger. During the summer, I don't often plug in the mower or tractor.
The camper stays plugged in until winter when I haul it to the swamp.
That gets reversed in the winter. The mower and tractor go on the central mounted charger, and the trailer goes to the swamp.
The camper is supposed to have a charger, but it got hit by lightning. The 12 volt circuit is fine, but the charger regulator was fried.
I could have fixed it, but it never did a good job of maintaining the battery. Charged it OK, but would overcharge it long term.
This system has tripled or more the life of the battery.
I think Guest has been bought out, not sure who makes them now.
The dual has two completely independent circuits. Its mounted on my big genset. Even though its a dual 12v charger, and the genset is 24v, it works fine. It does not care that the negative of one circuit is hooked to the positive of the other.
Each battery is charged and maintained separately.
In theory, I could even have two different types of batteries, since each circuit is selectable.
Not sure how well that would work otherwise with them hooked in series though.
The triple, is mounted in my shed. I have cables that plug into my riding lawn mower, my tractor, and my camper trailer.
There is a plug on each that matches the cable from the charger. During the summer, I don't often plug in the mower or tractor.
The camper stays plugged in until winter when I haul it to the swamp.
That gets reversed in the winter. The mower and tractor go on the central mounted charger, and the trailer goes to the swamp.
The camper is supposed to have a charger, but it got hit by lightning. The 12 volt circuit is fine, but the charger regulator was fried.
I could have fixed it, but it never did a good job of maintaining the battery. Charged it OK, but would overcharge it long term.
This system has tripled or more the life of the battery.
I think Guest has been bought out, not sure who makes them now.
I have one of those, and thus far (only had it a few months) it's behaved well. I haven't gotten around to making the cord clever to the grille, just leave the hood popped and run an extension cord from the shed to the truck.
I'd say you're on the right track.
-- A
Thanks, I was hoping someone with one of these would chime in. I really like the weather proof case. I'm probably going to grab one this evening.
if you plugged the charger into an inverter hooked to the truck battery... then you would have infinite energy 
I have a few solar powered chargers that I want to play with, but they're for 24v, so I don't want to install it and start messing up batteries. The same company that makes the 24v one I have makes 12v ones, but the 24v ones I have were free, so I'll give them a shot first. I can't think of the name of them right now, but I can tell you when I get home later.
This may not be of any use to you though, since yours lives inside now.
This may not be of any use to you though, since yours lives inside now.
Yeah, solar powered is out now. 
I picked up the little Schumacher unit I linked to yesterday. Hopefully I'll have it mounted with pics and charging in the next day or so.
I picked up the little Schumacher unit I linked to yesterday. Hopefully I'll have it mounted with pics and charging in the next day or so.89yimmiJ
1/2 ton status
I have a $10-20 solar charger that I leave on my dash plugged into my cigarette lighter. I believe it is rated at .25 - .5 watt so that it won't overcharge the battery. I've had it plugged in for about 10 years now and my truck fires every time even after sitting for months at a time. My Optima battery in the truck is 12 years old. So far the combination has held up. Simple, cheap, and reliable.
I have had battery tenders damage the rectifiers on Honda motorcycles. While, I have never verified it, I've heard that they still put out a weak a/c pulse as well as d/c and that is what causes the damage to the bikes. With the battery disconnected from the bike, no issues. But why spend the money when you can get the solar chargers for $10 at HF.
I have had battery tenders damage the rectifiers on Honda motorcycles. While, I have never verified it, I've heard that they still put out a weak a/c pulse as well as d/c and that is what causes the damage to the bikes. With the battery disconnected from the bike, no issues. But why spend the money when you can get the solar chargers for $10 at HF.
