Trickle Charge over winter

[Navajo350]

I have a 12V battery charger/maintainer. I am purchasing more for multiple tractor batteries. Can I use that on a connected to a tractor, battery, or do I need to disconnect it to charge/maintain?

What about a 12V battery charger/maintainer for 2 12Vs connected in series? Do I need to disconnect them from each other and charge them separately?

Thanks
Robert

 

[Janicholson]

If the tractor is new enough to have a computer, the answer may be to disconnect the battery for charging. I would Ask the manufacturer/dealership service manager for recommendations. If not computer equipped, no need to disconnect in my opinion.
A 24v maintainer connected end to end is fine. Some 12v maintainers will work correctly when attached on 2 series 12v. batteries. Jim

 

[Blackhole49]

I have a 12V battery charger/maintainer. I am purchasing more for multiple tractor batteries. Can I use that on a connected to a tractor, battery, or do I need to disconnect it to charge/maintain?

What about a 12V battery charger/maintainer for 2 12Vs connected in series? Do I need to disconnect them from each other and charge them separately?

Thanks
Robert

I currently have 13 of these in use during the winter. Mine are on smart plugs and do not run 24/7. No battery is disconnected; boat, vehicle or tractor. On the 2 12s in series, that means a 24 volt system. I think you can put a maintainer on each battery, but I would do some research before I tried it. My electric truck is 8 6 volt in series (48v). I charge with a 48 volt charger, but can jump a tractor from the + and - of 2 batteries in series. That's how the truck powers the 12 volt acc. (wipers, lights and horn). https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER...39&sprefix=battery+maint,aps,145&sr=8-27&th=1

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I have a 12V battery charger/maintainer. I am purchasing more for multiple tractor batteries. Can I use that on a connected to a tractor, battery, or do I need to disconnect it to charge/maintain?

What about a 12V battery charger/maintainer for 2 12Vs connected in series? Do I need to disconnect them from each other and charge them separately?

Thanks
Robert

When it comes to charging two 12v batteries in series I would charge one at a time.
Wheelchairs use two 12v in series. When they age and the batteries are not equal one battery will never get up to full charge and the other will be overcharged. I was told to replace both batteries if you have a problem with one. Each to their own. Do what works for you.
I don't own a trickle charger because a smart charger will shuts off when the battery is fully charged and charge if battery drains a little.
This charger does everything.
I read in my Kubota owners manual the battery will discharge 1/2 a percent a day. So yes keep a charger on it if you are going to let it sit over winter.

 

[wore out]

I currently have 13 of these in use during the winter. Mine are on smart plugs and do not run 24/7. No battery is disconnected; boat, vehicle or tractor. On the 2 12s in series, that means a 24 volt system. I think you can put a maintainer on each battery, but I would do some research before I tried it. My electric truck is 8 6 volt in series (48v). I charge with a 48 volt charger, but can jump a tractor from the + and - of 2 batteries in series. That's how the truck powers the 12 volt acc. (wipers, lights and horn). https://www.amazon.com/BLACK-DECKER-BM3B-Automatic-Maintainer/dp/B0051D3MP6?crid=375L9PMCON53G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6dja_1EE7oy7uDwpKuq0BmY13Q51tYBni8Zvq8DF5Q43XX08cgdoBobemBecVDYP1YcWvNWan1oWnUzf6oWEDVEFKKH52FdBES0THnsFIDRRuZ8VB_LqEAkhFlGFsAnGz3m3POml62fF9uBw95_HqbfYXrQUux2ob9mbak4ivXnZMRZstEgMCuUT8DfQk83bgGbwK8Pf3PJi83Y4AxSDJtTNakunmo4tmTDe2EAu8YX8p8VN_KFGph9iAK-rTT_pkGdTQNVVWVhyMuZNRgf2IfkIyn_PLSte-4JnXSKLRFk.g_DsXU6HGUp9KsiqwMx-_fkOezMZ5LhDKbRUtVShNM0&dib_tag=se&keywords=battery+maintainer+12+volt&qid=1733506339&sprefix=battery+maint,aps,145&sr=8-27&th=1

Charging two 12 Volt batteries connected in series with 2 float chargers works just fine, just match the polarity of the individual chargers to their respective battery polarity and charge away!

 

[JD Dave]

For charging at 12 volts, leave the battery connected to the tractor. The smart charger will maintain it at about 13.2 volts which is a happy medium for 12 volt batteries and the computer. For 24 volt hookups in series (achieving 24 volts across two 12 volt battieries), you must charge each battery individually with a 12 volt charger, or find a 24 volt charger and hookup at the final terminals (24 V) with correct polarity. And also, no need to unhook the batteries from the machine.

 

[Buffalo Pete]

If you don't want to buy multiple maintainers, move the maintainer from battery to battery once a week. If a battery can't hold a charge for a month or so on its own, it is soon to fail anyway. My friend used to line up all of his batteries on a bench in his basement, and just move the maintainer from battery to battery every couple days.

 

[old_bc]

I have a 12V battery charger/maintainer. I am purchasing more for multiple tractor batteries. Can I use that on a connected to a tractor, battery, or do I need to disconnect it to charge/maintain?

What about a 12V battery charger/maintainer for 2 12Vs connected in series? Do I need to disconnect them from each other and charge them separately?

Thanks
Robert

J have a quick disconnect cable for my Battery Tender. It hooks to the battery and I can plug and unplug the tender,

 

[caterpillar guy]

Frankly I would just during the winter if not using the equipment in 24 volt just move a couple of the jumpers on the batteries so I had 12 volt and charge them both together. Then put them back to the 24 volt configuration before starting . I don't currently have or use any maintainers on equipment. Most see enough use during the winter to keep charged. the rest set till spring.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

In series absolutely they need disconnected to charge with a maintainer that’s 24v. Unless you are talking a caterpillar item bigger than a skidsteer or cnh industrial item your 12 volt batteries are in parallel to get 12 volts right? Then no unhooking needed. Series has a jumper cable between one negative on battery and positive of the other battery

 

[wore out]

In series absolutely they need disconnected to charge with a maintainer that’s 24v. Unless you are talking a caterpillar item bigger than a skidsteer or cnh industrial item your 12 volt batteries are in parallel to get 12 volts right? Then no unhooking needed. Series has a jumper cable between one negative on battery and positive of the other battery

Read my reply, (#5). Been doing what I wrote with diesel 4020's for many years with no issues whatsoever.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Frankly I never gave it a moment's thought. I just clip the maintainer to the battery and plug it in, every time.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Read my reply, (#5). Been doing what I wrote with diesel 4020's for many years with no issues whatsoever.

Yes I read it before replying. You can do it on that specific tractor with 2 maintainers and would in fact be better than one 24. that didn’t sound like what he was up to. It sounds like he’s looking at a row of batteries in something newer. You can do it on new stuff even with a master switch. But the safe way is to disconnect the cables I’ve found people to have bolted cables together behind a non functioning master switch before. The 4020 it’s all pretty isolated starter and generator is the only thing 24volt. All those wheel loaders and dozers for cat when the alternator went out you would pull the batteries out or disconnect it if the cables would reach and charge them one at a time with your service truck then put them back in. If you had a master disconnect that you knew worked you could also do it but had to be more careful more for your pickups sake. The same rules apply on a smaller scale with the trickle charger you are just way less likely to melt something if done wrong. And if you do melt something it’s a lot smaller trickle charger wiring. If you touched frame ground for instance on something that’s actually 24v frame instead of the 4020 where it’s 12. ZAP! I’m betting his application is 12v but I’ve been wrong before

 

[Richard Nixon]

I have a 12V battery charger/maintainer. I am purchasing more for multiple tractor batteries. Can I use that on a connected to a tractor, battery, or do I need to disconnect it to charge/maintain?

What about a 12V battery charger/maintainer for 2 12Vs connected in series? Do I need to disconnect them from each other and charge them separately?

Thanks
Robert

I've been reading on these pages over the years about folks using battery maintainers. I've never used one and never will because much of the time during winter I'm far, far away from my tractors, truck and combine. I have no electricity on in my shed when I'm away although I do have a well ventilated and fully enclosed shed located on my Wisconsin farm which is half way to the North Pole. I have battery disconnects on all my equipment and prior to starting after a long time sitting I will bring the battery up to full charge prior to starting. I've never had any bad issues doing this. In fact, here's a pic of a 20 year old battery that got treated that way. I replaced it -- after 20 years. In my personal opinion, the use of battery maintainers is an unneeded expense.

 

[moresmoke]

Unless you are talking a caterpillar item bigger than a skidsteer or cnh industrial item

Have to watch the 24v start CNH items. Some are in series, and some have a series parallel switch.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

Have to watch the 24v start CNH items. Some are in series, and some have a series parallel switch.

Yep agco the yellow challenger fendt 1000 series that showed up as I was leaving were that way starting on 24 then 12. It’s becoming more common to do what they did on the 4020 just with an electronic relay component. There was a bunch of office people studying the diagram one really cold February morning trying to figure out how to safely jump it. They were a little more worried than they should have been there were picture instructions in the battery box but better safe than sorry I guess it was new. I’m assuming Fendt does a lot more of it as well but the brand changeover happened as I was moving on to different things.