If you have read my blog in the past you would know that I picked up my first classic car about six months ago. A 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS! So far it has been a blast to drive and I have been enjoying it every chance I get. However through the month of November I was away for a couple weekends and the weather was poor for the rest so my SS went unused for about 6 weeks. Finally in mid December I had an opportunity to take the car out only to find the battery was drained and not enough juice left to turn her over. After talking to a few friends that also own classics they recommended I keep the battery topped off with a Battery Tender!
What is a battery tender and why do I need one?
There are a number of devices that can assist you with tending to your battery and starting your car.
- There is a good old fashion battery charger, that applies a continuous charge
Battery Charger to the battery and will top off the battery to full capacity in a short amount of time. These devices work very well, however they are not good for long term use as they could OVER CHARGE your battery. – About $90 at Amazon
- Then there is the JUMP BOX. This is a portable battery that can give you the
Battery JUMP box extra cranking amps you need to turn over an engine that has a weak or dead battery. Great to get the car started but not going to maintain your battery over the long term. – About $100 at Amazon
- Finally the Battery Tender. This device will bring the battery back to full
Battery Tender capacity over a day or so (depending on how low the battery was) then it will switch to storage mode which will continuously examine the condition of the battery and only apply a trickle charge as needed. This is the device you need for long term maintenance for a car that is not driven often. – About $ 50 at Amazon
Easy to do!
I went with the Battery Tender! For my purposes I want the Super Sport to be fully charged and ready to go when I’m ready to go. I don’t want to have to worry about jumping it or if the battery is being damaged by over / under charging. According to my classic car buddies that have been doing this for a while the Battery Tender will maintain a car battery for 60 months!
Installation couldn’t be simpler! Just plug the battery tender in and hook up to the positive and negative terminals of your car battery. There is even a safety for reverse polarity (in case you accidentally hook it up backwards)
They come in a few different current ratings, and really the only advantage is how fast it can bring the battery up to full capacity. Once you are at fully capacity these devices go into maintenance mode to keep the battery topped off.
Thank you for reading my blog, I hope this information was helpful.
-Joe