Just saw an Ebay ad that claims a float charger caused a fire. I use these on several of my cars. Any input/opinion or advice on what is alleged in this ad?
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
I too have several, 5 to be exact, on my collection. I have had them for years, no problems, they don't even get hot. However, he doesn't say what brand or model, and states it was on the tire. I have all on mine on the floor, or plugged into the wall socket, it is no where on or even near the car.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New Mexico -
Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
I have 10 cars on Deltran Battery tenders. I have had them for over 6 years with no issues.
Mine are mounted on the wall away from the cars. I have them on isolated circuits and all with
power strips to prevent spikes.Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
Never had a fire, but I did have one that was defective and wouldn't shut down when the battery was charged. I left it on my boat over the winter, and when I came back in the spring, it had boiled the battery dry. I called the manufacturer, and the said "Yeah, that happens sometimes" and sent me a new one. So, "No", I've never had a fire, but "Yes", from my experience, it could happen, especially if you left the charger on a flammable surface. I'm with the rest of these guys; set up properly.Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
I have used Deltran Battery tenders for a number of years on my Corvette and John Deere tractors and never had a problem until recently one I had to send one back after it died, I got the warranty replacement in and it too died within weeks. Time to check the other options out there.Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
I use a Battery Tender, a Ctek and 3 Harbor freight float chargers.
Never a problem.
The battery in my 62 was a Delco 60 series and I kept the Battery Tender on it. The battery failed me once (I left the lights on), I replaced it last year after 15 years and 3 months, it still worked fine, but with my converted Hilborn injection I figured I would step up to a new one. It cost me $71.95 on 7/7/11 the old one cost me $58.78 on 4/6/96.Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
I have 42 in use for 6 months straight on Boats and cars in a collection that I'm the custodian of and never had any issues with any of them over the past 7 years. I keep them on the floor and plug in 4 per strip. some Battery Tenders, some Deltrans. Have one Batery tender keeping 3 batterys at once for a display trailer. works just fine. Strongly recomend for all batterys!!Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
Guys always remember...if its says so on the internet...it MUST be true!
Pete Bergmann
2005 - 2013 C6 National TeamleaderComment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
I had read about a year ago that some guys were having over heating problems with the Harbor Freight float chargers. In my case a HF charger over charged my bike battery and boiled off the electrolyte. I now have Deltrans with no problems.Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
I have about 30 Deltran Battery Tender Plus. We use 'em on lawnmowers, all the cars, 4 wheelers, batteries in the car trailers, forklift at work, etc. My '96 Viper got it's first battery replacement in late 2010 after being on one since new. That having been said, I had a battery explode last year in a stored car, taking the whole side and back out of it while hooked up to one. I don't know what the cause is, and I've still got 'em on everything else (although I trashed that charger). I do think the BT plus gets warm enough that I don't put 'em on anything flamable. I hope I never have another battery go boom. It is going to take pulling the engine on the ole' Camaro and detailing EVERYTHING under the hood, including re-ceramic coating the headers, refinishing intake and carb, repainting air cleaner and inner skirts PLUS the engine itself to clean up the block. The battery acid on everything may have been undiscovered for several days or several weeks, not sure.Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
Norris,
The replacement I got for my BT Plus seemed to run much hotter than any previous model I have owned but I kept an eye on it and seemed to charge just fine until it quit after a couple of weeks. Two going bad on me in a short time just has me thinking of other options.
I can remember working at my brother in law's Ford dealership while in high school as a lot boy and a flooding creek was submerging the really cheap used cars on the and I was standing in thigh deep water trying to jump an old Falcon and that battery exploded in my face and if I hadn't fallen over backwards in the water I'm sure the acid would have done a job on me.Comment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
Pete,
You raise a good point about safety. I am told (in my company safety classes, and NOT on the Internet or at a Holiday Inn
) that the second leading cause of blindness is battery incidents. Wear eye protection around batteries.
I used to work around stationary storage batteries. Some of the cells (yes one single cell) was about the size of a medium aquarium (a couple of cubic feet) and some of the batteries had 52 cells. When the cells degraded (sulphate build-up) they were prone to exploding, but the maintenance chargers that were on them were significantly greater capacity than a battery maintainer.
The Camaro I got form the North Carolina Highway Patrol has the evidence, and the maintenance records bear out, a battery explosion early in its life. Given the amount of auxiliary electronics installed in these service vehicles it is no surprise the battery is severely stressed.
TerryComment
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Re: Battery Float Charger Fire?
i had a battery blow up in my face and i was glad i have to wear glasses to see so i had them on. i was out side and the garden hose was near by so i sprayed myself down with water. the starter had shorted out and when i open the hood the battery cable was glowing orange and then the battery blew upPete,
You raise a good point about safety. I am told (in my company safety classes, and NOT on the Internet or at a Holiday Inn) that the second leading cause of blindness is battery incidents. Wear eye protection around batteries.
I used to work around stationary storage batteries. Some of the cells (yes one single cell) was about the size of a medium aquarium (a couple of cubic feet) and some of the batteries had 52 cells. When the cells degraded (sulphate build-up) they were prone to exploding, but the maintenance chargers that were on them were significantly greater capacity than a battery maintainer.
The Camaro I got form the North Carolina Highway Patrol has the evidence, and the maintenance records bear out, a battery explosion early in its life. Given the amount of auxiliary electronics installed in these service vehicles it is no surprise the battery is severely stressed.Comment
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