Battery Tender problem
 

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA



--
I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook.

Battery Tender problem
 

On 18 Apr 2018 17:50:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

Check the wire / clamp connections for the charger, if they are simply
crimp connections, you might want to unplug the charger, clean and
solder the wires to the clamps.

Mechanical crimp connections suck for low voltage DC especially if the
atmosphere is even mildly corrosive, as it would be around a charging
battery.

Battery Tender problem
 

On Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 1:50:17 PM UTC-4, KenK wrote:
I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA



--
I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook.

Not sure what's going on, but I'd check what the lights mean. I've
had Battery Tenders and I believe that red indicates charging,
green indicates fully charged.

Battery Tender problem
 

On 18 Apr 2018 17:50:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA


Read the instructions ?
... rather than posting your best guesses -
... for us to figure out and/or guess at.
... just sayin' ..
John T.

Battery Tender problem
 

On 18 Apr 2018 17:50:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA


The first google hit below - may or may not be useful.

http://www.batterytender.com/manuals

John T.

Battery Tender problem
 

On 18 Apr 2018 17:50:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA

Maybe the battery is fully charged and simply dont need a charge. My
cordless tool chargers usually go to green when I plug them in, but if I
just finished charging the battery, they go to red in a minute or less.

Discharge the battery some. Just put a car tailiight bulb across it or
something for 20 min or so. Then connect your tender. Could also be a
battery that is failing. Do you have a battery tester. A real one that
draws current, not just a multimeter.

Battery Tender problem
 

On Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 4:17:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On 18 Apr 2018 17:50:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA


The first google hit below - may or may not be useful.

http://www.batterytender.com/manuals

John T.

Just like I thought
solid red - charging
solid green - charged
blinking red - not connected or other problem
blinking green - 80%+ charged

He has the light meanings backwards.

Battery Tender problem
 

On 18 Apr 2018 17:50:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA
Try replacing the clamps with a more permanent connection since you
use it as a permanantly connected device.

Battery Tender problem
 

On 18 Apr 2018 17:50:12 GMT, KenK wrote:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA
Try replacing the clamps with a more permanent connection, since you
use it as a permanently connected device.

Battery Tender problem
 

KenK wrote in news:XnsA8C86E3CBA35Binvalidcom@
130.133.4.11:

I keep a deep discharge RV battery on a Battery Tender charger
all the time in my home for power outage light and fan. I've
been doing this for decades, going through two or three
batteries and chargers.

At present I am having an annoying problem. The charger red
light comes on - meaning no connection to the battery I
assume. If I press on the battery clamps so they dig into the
battery terminal for a good connection the green charger light
blinks, and soon glows steadily, indicating it is charging
and operating correctly. But soon the same situation reoccurs.
I tried a battery terminal wire brush and the terminals are
now shiny. I cleaned off the charger clamps as best as I
could. Problem continues.

Appears to be a charger clamp connection problem or, somehow,
a charger problem.

Suggestions?

TIA



A week or so ago checked water in battery. Found all cells a bit low, two
VERY low. Topped all cells off. Checked water again yesterday, same
thing. Took battery to where I bought it. Tested very bad. Got new
battery today. Bought a new Battery Tender to go with it - concerned that
old one might have been part of the problem.



--
I love a good meal! That's why I don't cook.

Battery Tender problem
 

On 19 Apr 2018 18:12:31 GMT, KenK wrote:

A week or so ago checked water in battery. Found all cells a bit low, two
VERY low. Topped all cells off. Checked water again yesterday, same
thing. Took battery to where I bought it. Tested very bad. Got new
battery today. Bought a new Battery Tender to go with it - concerned that
old one might have been part of the problem.


Unless there was a physical leak in the battery, which you would see
liquid under it, it should not lose water from only a trickle charge.
Sounds to me like that "tender" was over charging, which ruined the
battery. Good you replaced both!

Battery Tender problem
 

On Fri, 20 Apr 2018 00:21:38 -0500, wrote:

On 19 Apr 2018 18:12:31 GMT, KenK wrote:

A week or so ago checked water in battery. Found all cells a bit low, two
VERY low. Topped all cells off. Checked water again yesterday, same
thing. Took battery to where I bought it. Tested very bad. Got new
battery today. Bought a new Battery Tender to go with it - concerned that
old one might have been part of the problem.


Unless there was a physical leak in the battery, which you would see
liquid under it, it should not lose water from only a trickle charge.
Sounds to me like that "tender" was over charging, which ruined the
battery. Good you replaced both!

A shorted cell can cause gassing at low charge. 14.6 volts on a good
battery is 2.43 volts per cell. On the edge of gassing.
Short one cell and it becomes 2.92 volts per cell on the rest of the
cells - which WILL gas. Gassing means water loss.

Could the tender have failed?? Possibly - but in my experience
batteries fail much more often than good battery tenders (or other
decent chargers)

Battery Tender problem
 

On Friday, April 20, 2018 at 12:00:02 PM UTC-4, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Fri, 20 Apr 2018 00:21:38 -0500, wrote:

On 19 Apr 2018 18:12:31 GMT, KenK wrote:

A week or so ago checked water in battery. Found all cells a bit low, two
VERY low. Topped all cells off. Checked water again yesterday, same
thing. Took battery to where I bought it. Tested very bad. Got new
battery today. Bought a new Battery Tender to go with it - concerned that
old one might have been part of the problem.


Unless there was a physical leak in the battery, which you would see
liquid under it, it should not lose water from only a trickle charge.
Sounds to me like that "tender" was over charging, which ruined the
battery. Good you replaced both!

A shorted cell can cause gassing at low charge. 14.6 volts on a good
battery is 2.43 volts per cell. On the edge of gassing.
Short one cell and it becomes 2.92 volts per cell on the rest of the
cells - which WILL gas. Gassing means water loss.

Could the tender have failed?? Possibly - but in my experience
batteries fail much more often than good battery tenders (or other
decent chargers)

Before buying a new battery tender, I'd keep an eye on the existing one
with another battery, check the voltage, etc. I'd agree, there is probably
nothing wrong with it.