Installing battery tender
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 381
Likes: 13
From: Marietta, GA
Installing battery tender
Has anyone installed a battery tender in their SD? I don't use my truck every week and I'm considering installing a battery tender or just the cables in my truck to keep the batteries charged up. I mostly use my truck on the weekend, but lately I've been travelling a lot and it will be 3 weeks between uses and I'm worried about the batteries.
Edit - the truck is stored outside.
Thanks!
Edit - the truck is stored outside.
Thanks!
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 622
Likes: 6
From: Gladys, VA
I installed the BatteryMINDer Ring Terminal Assembly on my passenger side battery:
I plug in to the 1.5 Amp Maintenance Charger-Desulfator when not driving. I use these on all my vehicles and small engines. All are outside except the small engine and motorcycle. Been using these for over 10+ years -- No issues.
Attachment 286396
I plug in to the 1.5 Amp Maintenance Charger-Desulfator when not driving. I use these on all my vehicles and small engines. All are outside except the small engine and motorcycle. Been using these for over 10+ years -- No issues.
Attachment 286396
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 381
Likes: 13
From: Marietta, GA
Joe - thanks. That's pretty much what I was considering, but wasn't sure if running the battery tender cables from the charger was safe or if there was a better way of setting it up.
Tuned
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 298
Likes: 2
I had wondered about a solar charger too since I want to put a dash cam in and run it when parked. Thought that might be a good way to keep the batteries topped off. Figured I could try it inside the windshield with a sunshade behind it so it was less obvious.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 5,955
Likes: 1,360
From: NY/Canada border
Exactly what I was going to suggest. I've installed this pigtail on 3 motorcycles and 2 lawn tractors. Makes it easy to circulate a couple of tenders among multiple machines.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 130
Likes: 2
I used the above one in my 7.3 for a couple of years. I was just running the extension cord under the hood to the charger. Through the grill.
NO problem with rain or snow
I would plug it in when the truck will sit more then 2 weeks
NO problem with rain or snow
I would plug it in when the truck will sit more then 2 weeks
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 471
Likes: 4
I've installed just the cable to the passenger side battery on my old truck as this was to be the main battery. Then I just hung it just out the hood so that I could just plug in with out opening the hood. I have not attached the harness to my 17 as of yet but I will soon. They make a small weather proof tender if it's going to be outside, but I would plug the extension into a ground fault just to be safe.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 906
Likes: 107
From: Seattle area
The batteries are electrically connected, so connecting to one is also a connection to the other. No need for two connections.
Elder User
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 622
Likes: 6
From: Gladys, VA
No. Since the batteries are connected in Parallel you only need to connect to one battery. Running your batteries in parallel doubles the capacity (amp hours) of the battery while maintaining the voltage of one of the individual batteries.