- Battery Tender is a brand of products for maintaining a car battery’s charge, generically known as trickle chargers.
- A trickle charger delivers a slow and steady energy stream to maintain a car battery’s charge during storage.
- Maintaining a charge helps prevent damage caused by depleting a car battery.
Battery Tender is the brand name of battery-charging-and-maintaining devices from automotive technology company Deltran. If you frequently go for weeks or months without cranking your vehicle, a battery charger and maintainer may be helpful in your garage. Keep reading to learn more about this type of trickle-charging device and how it works to help keep your battery healthy in storage.
What Is a Battery Tender?
Battery Tender products and similar devices are automatic battery chargers and maintainers for motor vehicles. Commonly called a trickle charger, a Battery Tender device sustains a battery’s charge level during extended periods of inactivity. When you’re not using your car regularly, the battery will slowly drain and eventually die. The lower the battery charge gets, the more susceptible it is to damage. This kind of device helps prolong battery life.
The Battery Tender can charge smaller batteries. For larger car batteries, the maintainer tops off the battery as it starts to drain stored energy, helping to keep a full charge.
Charges and Maintains
- Motorcycles
- ATVs
- Lawnmowers
- Dirt Bikes
Maintains but Does Not Charge
- Cars
Many motorcycle owners use a battery maintainer during winter months when they’re not riding as frequently. Classic car owners and collectors may use trickle chargers when their vehicles are in storage. The devices are also great for riding lawnmowers and ATVs in their respective off-seasons.
How Does a Battery Tender Work?
There are different kinds of battery maintainers. The branded Battery Tender works by plugging directly into a standard household outlet, like similar products. You can remove the vehicle battery and connect the two terminals as you would for a jump-start. If your outlet is close enough to the vehicle, you can leave the battery installed.
Some models must be turned on. Others start charging as soon as they’re connected. The device will not charge when the battery is full. It’s only activated when the battery percentage drops below 100%.
Battery Tender vs. Trickle Charger
A battery maintainer is a long-term way to keep the battery charged. Comparatively, a battery charger is a device you’ll only need if the battery is dead. Trickle chargers can also be left connected for long periods to give a slow and steady boost. Still, the products will not keep the battery charged at a healthy level for the long term unless the model is labeled as a “maintainer.”
