Battery Charger


Beach-GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 8, 2006
887
Seminole Florida
Here is a terrific Trickle Battery Charger that I have used for a number of years on my batteries. I was able to obtain a few of these but I don’t know how long they will be available. The Charger will provide 500 milliamperes (one half amp) to bring a battery up to full charge and taper off to as low as 5 milliamperes so it won’t bake your battery dry. A red light indicates charging and a green light indicates the charge has dropped below 25 milliamperes. I have it plugged into the GT service plug and after my battery tops up and the green light comes on, if I open the door and cause the courtesy lights to come on, you see the charger switch to red. If you have alarms or other things that need a few milliamperes of current to operate, this charger will provide that and still keep your battery in top condition. The GT battery seems to be easily damaged by allowing it to discharge and trying to re-charge it rapidly. This trickle charger is the perfect solution. I have had a J.C. Penny Lifetime battery in my 1967 Mustang since 1975 and it used to die and have to be replaced every 5 or 6 years, mostly from non-use. Since I put a trickle charger on it, the last one is 11 years old and still working fine. J. C. Penny is happier and so am I. The charger plugs into a 110 volt AC outlet or extension cord and has a 15 ft lighter plug cord. Just roll the window down an inch and plug the plug into the service outlet on the dash on the GT. For other cars, use the Cigar lighter outlet. You can order one of these by sending a check for $60.00 to Suntech International, 9404 131st Street North, Seminole, Florida 33776. Postage is included for Forum members. (USA only)
If the picture does not load try this link:
http://64.62.242.228/GT/Kit2.jpg
 

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nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
Or you can get the #1 name-brand float charger on the market with a full 5-year warranty with the cigarette lighter adapter and a 25' extension for the same price as a no-name here.
 

Beach-GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 8, 2006
887
Seminole Florida
What brand name is that?
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
Battery Tender? I know where you can the the Battery Tender Jr. for about $20. I just got 4 for all of my cars.

BlackICE
 

Red Rocket

GT Owner
Aug 31, 2006
410
Pacific North West
Beach-GT said:
Here is a terrific Trickle Battery Charger that I have used for a number of years on my batteries. I was able to obtain a few of these but I don’t know how long they will be available. The Charger will provide 500 milliamperes (one half amp) to bring a battery up to full charge and taper off to as low as 5 milliamperes so it won’t bake your battery dry. A red light indicates charging and a green light indicates the charge has dropped below 25 milliamperes. I have it plugged into the GT service plug and after my battery tops up and the green light comes on, if I open the door and cause the courtesy lights to come on, you see the charger switch to red. If you have alarms or other things that need a few milliamperes of current to operate, this charger will provide that and still keep your battery in top condition. The GT battery seems to be easily damaged by allowing it to discharge and trying to re-charge it rapidly. This trickle charger is the perfect solution. I have had a J.C. Penny Lifetime battery in my 1967 Mustang since 1975 and it used to die and have to be replaced every 5 or 6 years, mostly from non-use. Since I put a trickle charger on it, the last one is 11 years old and still working fine. J. C. Penny is happier and so am I. The charger plugs into a 110 volt AC outlet or extension cord and has a 15 ft lighter plug cord. Just roll the window down an inch and plug the plug into the service outlet on the dash on the GT.
Beach-GT said:
Question for you fellas - why wouldn't you just use the battery tender that comes with the car?
 
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BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
The only thing I have against the stock charger is you don't know that state of your battery, or even is the charger is working. One day your charger may break and you won't know until your battery is dead. Also you have to plug it into the cig lighter not a hidded port somewhere. Of course I haven't found a good place to hide a charging port for an 05 yet.

For only $20.95 the Battery Tender Jr. does the job and gives me some feedback and confidence that it is doing its job.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-02101..._1_1/104-0776360-1783153?ie=UTF8&s=automotive


BlackICE
 

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
BlackICE,

Indeed that is a terrific price for the Battery Tender Jr. In fact it is even a bit lower than my "dealer price". I clicked on the link and went through the ordering process to learn that the shipping (to my address) was $11.75. So, the effective price is $32. (Personally, I really detest this increasingly popular trend of merchants to advertise one price and then to gouge for shipping to make the necessary profit margin.)

Also, I think the standard Battery Tender is not very user friendly for a GT owner. It ships with the battery clips as well as short terminal leads. It is impractical to routinely use the clips on a GT as the boot liner needs to be removed each time to access the battery. The short terminal leads aren't long enough to get to an externally accessible point. I suppose you could rig it up to the boot liner - but then you would have to open the boot to access it each time. Likely you may have the skills/tools to create a solution that works for you. That's great.

For the record, the "Generic" Battery Tender kit that I sell for GT owners includes both the cigarette lighter adapter and a 25' extension. Both of these are optional accessories on other low-cost sites. As such, when you compare my price of $59, it is price competitive AND it is pragmatic for a GT owner.

Out of fairness to to Beach-GT, his solution also features a charge indicator light AND a cigarette lighter adapter.

Finally, while I can't speak for Beach-GT, I paid for the right to advertise on this forum and I am proud of the products/service I offer to members. Neither myself or Beach-GT are here to rip anyone off - in which your post of, "I know where you can the the Battery Tender Jr. for about $20" would seem to imply. Apples and oranges.
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
Sorry, no implications implied. I bought 4 of them, so the shipping was not so bad. I fully understand the work you and others have put into your products and price them accordingly. For example I have been F???ing around with a breather solution and still have not completed it yet. When done I think it will be a great solution, but for the time and cost for experimental parts bought and not needed I should have bought a solution from a one of the forum members for not much more money and I would have saved a lot of time. But, I like to tinker and that doesn't bother me.

I will post pictures of the breather when I finish and parts as well. I expect the price to come in at under $100 if you don't buy parts you don't need as I have. But then again you can save yourself a boat load of time and buy a better looking product from a forum vendor for about $160.

BlackICE
 

BlackICE

GT Owner
Nov 2, 2005
1,416
SF Bay Area in California
I also should have been looking at the category of the post and thus I should have never posted here in the 1st place. To all that I may have offended, please accept my humble apologies.

Thats what I get with over zealous fingers and responding to all of the "new posts".

BlackICE
 
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nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,176
BlackICE,

Please note that if you elect to use the terminal connector "eyes" to attach to the GT battery, you should first modify them to make them a "C" (slip-on) connection instead of an "O" connection. On the battery terminals for the GT, Ford crimps the end of the battery clamp bolt presumably to prevent you from ever losing the nut. If you don't notice this, it's possiible to strip and/or break either the bolt or nut. (This is one of the small mods I make before shipping to GT owners.)

No harm, no foul. Take care.
 

Beach-GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 8, 2006
887
Seminole Florida
Cheap Charger

If all you want is a cheap charger...Harbor Freight has one for $4.95 on sale. It even has a red light to tell you that it has not shorted out yet and is flatlining your battery. And if it catches on fire all you have to do is look for the smoke. I figure a $20 charger is right up there with superior electronics and voltage regulation too. As long as it has a light on it, it must be good to go. Just keep your eye on it and watch for smoke. I'll pay a little more and use something I trust. Can't comment on the tender that came with the GT. I'll look this weekend. If it is indicitve of the car cover....well I'm not using that either. :thumbsdow Good grief.
 

Beach-GT

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
May 8, 2006
887
Seminole Florida
Stock Battery Tender

BlackICE said:
The only thing I have against the stock charger is you don't know that state of your battery, or even is the charger is working. One day your charger may break and you won't know until your battery is dead. Also you have to plug it into the cig lighter not a hidded port somewhere. Of course I haven't found a good place to hide a charging port for an 05 yet.

For only $20.95 the Battery Tender Jr. does the job and gives me some feedback and confidence that it is doing its job.

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-02101..._1_1/104-0776360-1783153?ie=UTF8&s=automotive


BlackICE




I got the stock charger out this weekend and tested it. It provides 17.75 volts output unloaded. This will vary with your house voltage a little since it is unregulated. I connected it to a small lead-acid battery so I could measure it's characteristics with out having to wait for a full size car battery to charge. The battery was at rest at 13.2 volts and had a near full charge. The charger charged at 300 MA initially and as the voltage increased to 14.5 (too high) it dropped off to 200 MA charging current. If this charger is put on your GT battery it will certainly charge it, but once it reaches 13.6 volts where it should "float" at around 25 to 50 MA, this charger will continue to charge at around 250 MA and start to boil off water. If you want to use this charger, I would only use it every other week or the first 10 days of a month and then un-plug it for the ballance. I would not plug this charger in and just leave it charging. I think you will find most cheap chargers are of this same design. There is no switching circuitry to detect full charge and reduce charging current. The charging current is designed high because if it were set for 50 MA, it would take for ever to bring up a battery that was run down to any extent. Cheap chargers are useful. They just need more monitoring than one that is automatic. :wink