<VV> Battery Minder Advice

[FrankCB]

Jim,
     I use a "Battery Tender Plus" which charges at 3 levels as the battery "comes up" to full charge, it keeps the final charging rate at about 13.5 volts.  Using this enabled me to keep my ORIGINAL factory Delco battery going for 11-1/2 years on my 1995 TransSport before I recently had to finally replace it.
     Whatever unit you choose, make sure the FINAL charging rate is 13 to 13.5 volts so you don't decompose the water in the acid electrolyte and have to frequently add water. 
     Battery Tender now has a cheaper version ( Battery Tender Jr.)  available that only uses 2 levels but cost less than $30.
     Big batteries at full charge are like charity in that they cover a "multitude of sins" like driving home with no fan and no functioning alternator which requires frequent stops to cool off and frequent restarts.  
     Frank Burkhard   

In a message dated 09/01/08 19:13:56 Eastern Daylight Time, jimster1 at earthlink.net writes:
Hi all, 

I know a lot of Vairists keep their batteries in a charged state in cars not 
frequently driven with a battery minder\trickle charger.  Is their a 
consensus as to what to buy and maybe more important, what not to buy. 

Any advice is welcomed, my battery will love you for it. 

Jim