Battery Tender vs generic battery tender

[LMT]

I went to Search but did not find the exact match. Question is: is the Battery Tender that much better than say a Black & Decker tender that also charges and goes to float mode?

[katana bob]

I have the b&d one. works fine for half the price of the battery tender.

[The CyberPoet]

Depends on the model.

The most important criteria for you is that the max charge rate not exceed 900 milliamps (0.9 amps), because that's the most your battery is designed to take without overheating. As long as the black-n-decker one floats/trickles with a max charging rate at or below this level, it's fine for an 98+; if it's got a higher rate, you don't want it. Odds are that the black-n-decker also won't have the MC industry standard attachment system (see pic below), which is a specific type of quick-disconnect cable with battery terminal mounts sized correctly for a motorcycle battery; the wired-in standard cable can do double-duty as the power-source for many brands of heated clothing & a few accessories.

You'll also note that all the dedicated MC chargers have in-line fuses between the charger and the battery in case something goes wrong, like if you have a dead-short anywhere on the bike.

As for the Battery Tender and other brands, here is the breakdown (strictly IMHO):

1. OptiMate3 Battery Optimizer. This is the high-end of all motorcycle-oriented battery chargers, with sulfation control/knock-down capabilities, intelligent charging, great notification of status, and various battery testing procedures built into the unit that will tell you if your battery is borderline toast. Pricy at around $70 - $120 last time I priced them (weak US$ makes them pricier than they out to be). It's not water-proof, but aside from that is the bomb. A bit large too... comes with a permanent wall mount option to make it readily accessible if you park in a garage. Sometimes hard to find in the USA, very common in Europe. 2 Year warrantee, non-standard power plug for the battery terminals (not compatible with the industry standard cable shown above).

2. Deltran Battery Tender WaterProof 800. This is probably the ideal charger for your battery; the charge rate is slightly lower than the max rate your battery can take, and it's fully submersible (meaning it can sit in the rain & snow without issue and keep doing it's job). Won't get hurt by a three-foot drop onto concrete (been there, done that). It's also small enough to fit under the seat of the 98+, so you can take it with you if you travel. 3 year warrantee. Because I live in Florida and park outdoors, this is what I normally use.

3. Deltran Battery Tender Jr. Another good flat/trickle charger, appropriate charge rate (0.75 amps), but really not intended for wet outdoor duty. Not an issue if you park in the garage or live in a very dry place (AZ, NM, etc). Not quite small enough to fit under the seat. 10 year warrantee.

4. Yuasa YUA1200901 900mA battery charger. From the same people who made your battery.

5. Small car trickle-chargers (probably including the black-n-decker you're looking at). As long as the charge rate isn't higher than specified by your battery manufacturer, there isn't any reason not to use it.

6. Dedicated generic motorcycle trickle/float chargers. These can be as small as a tiny power-brick, and do the job reasonably well, but will lack basic features like polarity sensing (ability to turn the charger off automatically in case you hook it up with the terminals reversed), no sparking. As cheap as $8 at HarborFreight, sometimes Walmart.

7. And finally, solar chargers. Although you may want to laugh at that concept, they do work if they have sky exposure, and should more than offset the gas-gauge/clock draw on the 98+ units (won't offset the heavy drain from the California models' after-run fans though).

So, 1 is in a class of it's own, 2-4 are the next level, 5 is ok but you have to watch out for the warnings, 6 has some problems, and 7 is a park-n-forget method that works reasonably well outdoors in many places just to stay topped up.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[StevieB]

Cyber, you missed one: Wall warts for electronic equipment that produce 12 VDC. You can find those at garage sales and such for about a buck, or less- that and one of the plugs you mention on MC battery tenders- available at NAPA auto parts stores, and you are in business for three bucks!

[woobie]

What ever you buy make sure it has the autoshut off or float mode. Mine keeps charging so I need to time how long it's on and make sure it get's shut off.

There's a few posts on the local forum each year from guys that fry thier battery from just using a trickle charger rather than a proper battery tender.

[professorman]

I have a walmart battery tender that I got from the motorcycle section of walmart. I dont know much about battery tenders though, but it did bring back my battery that autozone declared 'dead' after charging it (the didnt know jack). I have yet to use it for extended times.

[The CyberPoet]

Cyber, you missed one: Wall warts for electronic equipment that produce 12 VDC. You can find those at garage sales and such for about a buck, or less- that and one of the plugs you mention on MC battery tenders- available at NAPA auto parts stores, and you are in business for three bucks!

That falls under #6 (note the mention of power-bricks?).

Also: I found the OptiMate3 (120v version) on Amazon for $50. If I didn't need to save every penny this month (& next) for home improvement, I'd buy one now and install it upstairs in my new condo. Do motorcycle maintenance parts that install permanently onto the wall count as home improvement?

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[StevieB]

That falls under #6 (note the mention of power-bricks?).

Well, Okay, I'll give you that one, altho I think they are a bit different- my idea cost half as much, and is sourced from a different place- a garage sale!