# DieHard Battery Charger



## swchang (Oct 5, 2003)

It seems the general advice on this board is a Battery Tender (or Battery Minder) model, but my in-laws have a DieHard model 200.71222 fully automatic battery charger/engine starter for 12 volt batteries that they want to use to maintain their Honda CR-V battery while they're gone for a few months. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...ssories&psid=FROOGLE01&sid=IDx20070921x00003a

Got a few questions:

1. Is it okay to leave it plugged into the wall outlet for 3-4 months at a time? Seems that's what people do, but isn't anyone concerned about a short causing the house to burn down?
2. I imagine they leave it set at 2 amp/slow charge mode, as opposed to 10 amp/fast charge or 50 amp/engine start mode. What about battery type? Is it conventional/low maintenance or maintenance free/deep cycle mode?
3. This model should work as a trickle charger or battery tender, right?
4. They plan to leave it charging with the battery still in the car. Should they leave the negative pole disconnected or connected?

TIA.


----------



## BmW745On19's (Aug 12, 2005)




----------



## swchang (Oct 5, 2003)

BmW745On19's said:


>


That was ALMOST what I meant by DieHard...


----------



## swchang (Oct 5, 2003)

Bump. Anyone?


----------



## Penforhire (Dec 17, 2005)

Not as good as a real BT. I have both but I'd never use the Sears charger as a tender. 2 Amps isn't really "trickle" when you're talking weeks or months at a time. I wouldn't worry about burning the house down, just less life on the battery being abused.


----------



## TeamM3 (Dec 24, 2002)

1 - 2 amps with auto-circuitry is pretty standard for most trickle chargers

these are ok for maintaining charge, but a full blown charger is also a good idea for restoring a dead battery in a reasonable amount of time, again always buy one with auto-circuitry charging


----------



## Sakukurata (Nov 30, 2007)

My experience with battery.
There is bad or good core battery. I have both example. My pickup was not running for almost a year. I just disconnected the terminal both Pos and Neg. When I ready to used it and the voltage just drop a little bit and I charged it less than 1 hour. The second one I have the battery from my Datsun 240Z that was sitting almost six month. I disconnected when I didn't used it. When I want to used it, then I cannot charge it. so I waste that battery. Both battery is from Sears (Die Hard). I am lucky because it is still under waranty from Sears and pro rated. I still have three un used batteries that sitting in my garage almost a year whenever i want to used to swap other car I can used right away. I don't know about battery but this is from my experience. Please give me advice if you know better. Thanks.


----------



## Penforhire (Dec 17, 2005)

Try this -- http://www.ibsa.com/www_2001/content/faqs/tech_talk/maintenance/storing.htm

The relevant section -- "Any unused battery, regardless of its chemistry, will self-discharge over time and, if allowed to remain discharged, will undergo severe positive grid corrosion and premature battery failure."


----------

