Do any of you use trickle chargers on a vehicle with two Platinum or Odyssey batteries? What do you use, and how well is it working?

I have two vehicles that don't see much use in the winter. The Excursion is driven once a week, my 4Runner is just pulled in and out of the garage a few dozen times between November and April. That lifestyle is tough on batteries.

Both now have newish Diehard Platinum (Odyssey AGM) batteries that are in good shape, and I also have an old Diehard 10/2/60 automatic battery charger. I've read a lot about how to keep these charged, and there seems to be some voodoo involved.

Can I just charge these on the 10a setting 'till they are fully charged, then leave them on the 2a setting for a day or so on the weekends when I'm out in the garage? That seems like it would work fine on regular batteries. Are these Platinums really all that special? Is 2a enough to trickle charge two big Platinum batteries?

Mark

 

Mark, like you my truck sits for weeks. I keep a charger on mine at the 2amp setting. I might be wrong, but I believe the lower setting is best for the batts. Mine are always up.
Jim.

 

Jim, do you have Platinums or Odysseys? They seem be "special", or at least the manufacturer wants us to think so.

Mark

 

There is a couple of inexpensive chargers that can be plugged in and automatically will keep the batteries at their optimal levels. One is Battery tender. I use the battery tender jr products on lawn equipment/atvs and they work wonders to keep the batteries ready.

 

battery tender with there quick disconnect on all the vehicles not used regularly is very nice. these chargers very safe to leave hooked up long term they use less than a amp.if you want to mount on vehicle than the sealed marine version would be an option.

 

No Mark, I have Napa Legends. They are made by Decca in PA. (spelling may be wrong) but a battery tender should work on any rechargable battery, especially with low amp charge.

 

I am not going to google to figure out if your battery is lead acid or AGM(Absorbed Glass Mat) If lead acid then the different levels of batteries is the surface area of the plates in the batteries which determines the cranking amps. The type of plates/thickness determine if it is a 3 year battery, 4 year or more years. It is no more special than any other battery. It is only advertising. There are only about 3 major battery makers. Every other battery is rebranded. Current is supplied to desulfate the plates or you are using current which sulfates the plates.
I would install the battery tender with the quick connect which will be much less of a hassle for keeping up with.

 

I bought a 4 bank battery tender to charge my motorcycles wave runner and whatever needs it at the time. It claims to desulfate the batteries and not overcharge them. Only charges when needed. Said to increase life by a lot.

 

I'm interested in this also. My truck gets driven once a week at most and is parked outside.

What is the proper method to use this?

Waterproof 800 International - 12V @ 800 mA - USA & Western Hemisphere - Automotive - Products - Batterytender.com

OP, not trying to high-jack your thread.

 

that is almost a goofproof charger you can leave it connected until the green light ,or leave it on until you need the vehicle.

 

So you don't have to move it back and forth from battery to battery?

 

If you are just maintaining the charge on the battery ....no ....if the batteries are dead you need tl disconnect them fort and charge them with a normal charger. The battery tender is only for maintaining te charge

 

Okay, thanks. I was making sure hooking it to ONE would maintain/tend both.

 

The batteries on our trucks are parallel (+ to +, - to -), so hooking up to one battery properly will maintain both.

 

That is what I thought.