Posted: 4/12/2009 5:21:04 AM EDT
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I tried out a Battery Tender Jr on my EmComm box, which is still under construction.
How long should this charge a new set of 12-volt 12 Ah Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries paralleled together? It's been charging all night and is still on the "Bulk Mode" (Full charge power, constant current, increasing battery voltage, battery is 0% to 75% or 80% charged). Should new batteries normally take this long to reach their full charge? ETA: Doh! RTFM, again! 
TIME REQUIRED TO CHARGE A BATTERY: The Battery Tender® Junior charges at a rate of 0.75 Amps (0.75 Amp-Hours per hour). The Battery Tender® Plus charges at a rate of 1.25 Amps (1.25 Amp-Hours per hour). Therefore, a fully discharged 15 Amp-Hour battery will take approximately 16 hours or 9.6 hours respectively, to recharge to 80% capacity with a Battery Tender® Junior or a Plus. Some large automotive or marine, deep cycle type batteries may take several days to fully recharge. 
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Quoted:
I use one of those chargers to keep my motorcycle batteries topped off. I do not leave it connected all the time however . I am a little apprehensive about leaving it connected indefinitely, but apparently it was designed for just that. AUTOMATIC CHARGING AND BATTERY STATUS MONITORING: The Battery Tender® Junior and Plus Chargers are completely automatic and may be left connected to both AC power and to the battery that it is charging for long periods of time. However, it is prudent to periodically check both the battery and the charger for normal operation during these extended charging periods. |
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Quoted:
I am a little apprehensive about leaving it connected indefinitely, but apparently it was designed for just that. AUTOMATIC CHARGING AND BATTERY STATUS MONITORING: The Battery Tender® Junior and Plus Chargers are completely automatic and may be left connected to both AC power and to the battery that it is charging for long periods of time. However, it is prudent to periodically check both the battery and the charger for normal operation during these extended charging periods. The charger output power, voltage, and current all depend on the condition of the battery that is being charged. Battery Tender® Junior and Plus Chargers have status lights that indicate the operating mode of the charger, and the condition of the battery that is connected to the charger. The chargers operate in one of the 3 primary charge modes: the bulk mode (full charge power, constant current, increasing battery voltage, battery is 0% to 75% or 80% charged), It took 2.5 Days for the Battery Tender Jr. to complete this mode on my new batteries the absorption mode (high constant voltage, decreasing current, battery is 75% to 100% charged), It stayed in this mode for another 0.5 days or the storage/float maintenance mode (low constant voltage, minimal charge current, battery is fully charged, typically 100% to 103%). When the battery is fully charged, the green status indicator light will turn on and the charger will switch to a storage/maintenance charge mode. This is the mode it remains in while fully charged and still connected to AC power. Battery Tender® Junior and Plus Chargers will automatically monitor and maintain the battery at full charge. In summary, I'm very satisfied with the Battery Tender Jr. operating as the charger for my EmComm box. 
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| Is the battery tender any better than the batterminder? I have a good friend who is charging a huge bank of batteries that have clear housing. You can actually see how the build up in the batteries has dissolved over time. I bought myself a batteryminder (should be delivered tomorrow) but I'm curious about the battery tender. |