Battery Tender for Optima

[jims427400]

I'm in the process of buying tenders for the 67 and 04.
04 Z06 has factory battery,67 has red optima. My question is do I need a different maintainer for the gel batteries???
The reason I ask is that the Battery Tender brand has a unit specifically for gels.. Any recommendations. Jim

 

[bradfordsvettes]

battery butler has maintenence float chargers and would probably be ok for both of them. you could contact them via the web they are short money I have 4 of them and they seem to work fine Steve

 

[vetzs]

Take a look at Cetek, I've heard good things about them and am about to switch from Battery tender's to this.

http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm/fa/p/pid/3480/sc/7542

Later...vetzs

 

[Kid_Again]

OK, won't be the first time that I'm criticized for bottom feeding. I bought a smart charger/tender at WalMart. $29.95. No problems over 5 years, I leave it plugged in all winter.

Flame away!!!

 

[grapeknutz]

OK, won't be the first time that I'm criticized for bottom feeding. I bought a smart charger/tender at WalMart. $29.95. No problems over 5 years, I leave it plugged in all winter.

Flame away!!!

Why? if it works!

 

[ldf44]

I have used a charger/maintainer for several years that I bought from our local Farm and Fleet store for $24.00. Use it year around and have had no problems. I do not see any reason why these units would not work on gell type batteries, one doesn't change the charging system in their car when they change to a gell battery.

 

[firstgear]

I have used a charger/maintainer for several years that I bought from our local Farm and Fleet store for $24.00. Use it year around and have had no problems. I do not see any reason why these units would not work on gell type batteries, one doesn't change the charging system in their car when they change to a gell battery.

thats a good point, the charging system doesnt know the difference....why would the batery tender know the difference?

I have a couple of Battery Tenders (name brand) and then I also bought a couple of tenders from the auto parts store. I hook them up every winter on all the batteries that aren't being moved around (garden tractor, Corvettes, trailer electric winch). So far, since I have done that, no problems at all.

This will be my first year with Optima in one of the Corvettes and it will get a Battery Tender.

If someone finds out that is a bad thing, I hope they share it.....

Herb

 

[Vette66AirCoupe]

Take a look at Cetek, I've heard good things about them and am about to switch from Battery tender's to this.

http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm/fa/p/pid/3480/sc/7542

Later...vetzs

Why are you switching if you already have a Battery Tender?

 

[vetzs]

I don't completely trust the one I have on my 89. I'm watching it closely. I will say this, since using a battery tender I've not had to replace an alternator or battery on either the C-2 or C-4. The C-4's are famous for burning the alternators up, too much work for the alternator to take a battery from a low charge to fully charged. I've been running the tenders since 99, love em! Later...vetzs

 

[vetzs]

Something else that may be of interest to the battery tender users. I hard wired my battery tenders.

On the C-2 I used a RV receptical under the front bumper, this goes back to the tender mounted near the battery. I also use the green battery switch to kill power to the rest of the car before I plug in the battery tender.

On the C-4 I have the tender mounted on the inside fender well by the battery and just flip the electrical either over and into the wheel well for hook up to A/C or fold it into the space between the tender and the relay that is adjacent to the tender. I also use the green battery switch to kill power to the rest of the car before I plug in the battery tender. This does cause me to reset the clock and radio.

This is all a small price to pay for the benifits derived... battery is always fresh (and I believe they last longer). Plus I like knowing my vettes are sitting out in the garage with little chance of an electrical fire.

Later.....vetzs

 

[jims427400]

Herb,
Just curious if the optima is in the Z06 or 66..
If Z06, did you get red or yellow,and what is the #on battery,and while I'm at it,where did you buy it..
I just bought one for my Denali,the red model for $169 at Murrays..
Jim

 

[firstgear]

Herb,
Just curious if the optima is in the Z06 or 66..
If Z06, did you get red or yellow,and what is the #on battery,and while I'm at it,where did you buy it..
I just bought one for my Denali,the red model for $169 at Murrays..
Jim

it is the red one and it is in Sharon's 01 convertible.....I will have to go see what the number is and let you know.....I got it at
auto zone, seems to me I paid around $130 or so......

 

[Jeff Farrar]

I also use the green battery switch to kill power to the rest of the car before I plug in the battery tender. This does cause me to reset the clock and radio.

If you use the switch with the inline fuse. That lets just enough juice pass to keep the clock and radio going without burning anything up.

 

[Kid_Again]

a buck-30 is not a bad price

 

[TGC4]

I just picked a Battery Tender jr,label info indicates gell or acid makes no difference.You can visit their website and read the instructions for each model

 

[firstgear]

I just picked a Battery Tender jr,label info indicates gell or acid makes no difference.You can visit their website and read the instructions for each model

hey Medina Ohio,......not far from Norwalk!!!!

 

[critchie]

I'm careful. Neat. Usually buy the best, and then take good care of it. Always put my stuff away. (Everything in its place, and a place for everything.) Save the receipts. Read the owner's manual. Usually buy the service and parts manual too. Do things myself rather than have somebody else do them. (If you want it done right, do it yourself.) I'd rather fix something than buy a new one. I keep stuff until it's good and worn out. I don't change for fashion. I've worn the same style clothes since 1964.

But I don't understand babying batteries or buying expensive ones. $169, $130 for a friggin battery!?!?!? $50 for a charger? Leaving something electrical hooked up in an unattended garage for a few months!?!?!?

The best battery is a new one. Batteries convert chemicals into electricity. In doing so, they deteriorate. You can slow that deterioration down, but not that much. Why bother? Batteries are one of the cheapest things we buy for these cars. I buy 'em every 5 years or so. Usually come in 3 grades. Get the best one. Around $50.

 

[IH2LOSE]

I'm careful. Neat. Usually buy the best, and then take good care of it. Always put my stuff away. (Everything in its place, and a place for everything.) Save the receipts. Read the owner's manual. Usually buy the service and parts manual too. Do things myself rather than have somebody else do them. (If you want it done right, do it yourself.) I'd rather fix something than buy a new one. I keep stuff until it's good and worn out. I don't change for fashion. I've worn the same style clothes since 1964.

But I don't understand babying batteries or buying expensive ones. $169, $130 for a friggin battery!?!?!? $50 for a charger? Leaving something electrical hooked up in an unattended garage for a few months!?!?!?

The best battery is a new one. Batteries convert chemicals into electricity. In doing so, they deteriorate. You can slow that deterioration down, but not that much. Why bother? Batteries are one of the cheapest things we buy for these cars. I buy 'em every 5 years or so. Usually come in 3 grades. Get the best one. Around $50.

I think I can answer this.

I have a couple of cars, Not all of them are used so often, As a matter of fact you just dont know when a car will sit for a year with no use. anyways nothing is better then getting into a car you may not of driven for a while, turning the key and she starts wright up, and off you go. Not having to get out the jump box to start it, then having to recharge the battery before you put the car away again.

And yes I could purchase a battery every 5 years but even then I may have a dead battery if the car sat for the year thru a cold new york winter

this is why I use a battery tender on all of my cars,(except Daley drivers)

 

[firstgear]

I think I can answer this.

I have a couple of cars, Not all of them are used so often, As a matter of fact you just dont know when a car will sit for a year with no use. anyways nothing is better then getting into a car you may not of driven for a while, turning the key and she starts wright up, and off you go. Not having to get out the jump box to start it, then having to recharge the battery before you put the car away again.

And yes I could purchase a battery every 5 years but even then I may have a dead battery if the car sat for the year thru a cold new york winter

this is why I use a battery tender on all of my cars,(except Daley drivers)

me too...got tired on not knowing when I was going to drive one and then when jumping in, having to battle the battery...UGH....I hate that....since Battery Tenders I have never had to battle one since, jump in and go....same thing with my lawn tractor, hook it up and leave it all winter, in the spring, hit the key and she is running....before battery tenders...UGH

 

[jims427400]

I decided to buy from walmart, $17.88.. Bought 10 of them. Boy do I have alot of batteries.
Hope I dont ever have to buy tires either at the same time,I counted 33.. and I still have room for that 69 conv. now that the Backyard buddy is working,just need to sweet talk the wife 1 more time. Anyone know of a nice 69 conv. BB...