Sometimes batteries need a little help regaining power
The battery is an essential component to ensure your vehicle stays healthy and runs smoothly for many miles to come. Here’s a brief overview of what a battery tender is and how to use it, so you can extend your battery’s shelf life.
Simplify Service: Schedule your vehicle’s maintenance appointment online
What is a battery tender?
If you seldom use your car or plan on keeping it parked for more than a month, the vehicle’s battery will lose power. That’s where a battery charger (like the Battery Tender Plus Charger and Maintainer available from Amazon) comes in.
Sometimes referred to as a maintenance charger or float charger, a battery tender is a device that puts out small amounts of electricity to repower a low battery or a battery that recently died. Unlike a trickle charger, it uses microprocessor technology to protect the battery if you accidentally leave the charger on for longer than you intended.
It takes about 10 minutes to hook up a battery tender to your vehicle’s battery. If you’ve never used one before, follow these simple steps.
Shut it down and disconnect the terminals
Make sure to turn off your car, then pop the hood. Using an adjustable wrench, disconnect the black (negative) battery terminal from the battery and place it to the side, out of the way. Do the same with the red (positive) terminal.
Connect the battery tender
Clamp the battery tender’s red (positive) clamp over the red battery terminal. If your vehicle has a negative ground (most of them do), attach the tender’s black clamp to wither the vehicle frame or engine block. (If you’re not sure, though, consult your owner’s manual and/or call a local dealership’s service department).
Turn it on and wait
Turn the amp switch from 2 to 6 if the battery tender model you’re using has this option. Next, plug it into an electrical outlet, using an extension cord if you need to. Wait for the battery to charge. Many battery tenders have a green light that signals when the battery has completely charged and a red light that indicates that it’s still charging.
Unplug and detach
When the battery is charged, simply unplug the tender from the electrical outlet. Then disconnect the black and red clamps from the battery. Set the battery tender off to the side.
Reconnect the terminals
Hook up the red battery terminal to the positive of the car battery and the black terminal to the negative. Use a wrench to tighten the connections. Close the hood and enjoy having a fully-charged vehicle battery.
Here are some strategies to keep your vehicle’s battery functioning during this summer’s warmer weather.
Maintenance Checklist: An easy way to stay on top of car care
Whitney Russell is a current resident of Dayton, though her spirit can be found beach-bumming in Puerto Rico (the land of her half-Puerto Rican heritage). When not adventuring through the exciting world of car news, she can be found hiking with her husband and their two dogs, motorcycling, visiting nephews and nieces, discovering new memes, thrifting, decorating, crafting, woodburning, researching random things, and escaping into a great movie. See more articles by Whitney.
