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suprz's avatar
suprz
Explorer
Apr 26, 2019

Seeking advice

I recvd my BatterMinder plus today, and I was surprised that it did not come with a ring terminal extension along with the reg battery clamps. I'm thinking of just cutting the clamps off and putting on my own set of ring terminals. I can't get the polarity wrong (red to red etc...) this item will only be used for the RV. And I'm sure that if I needed to, I could cobble together some clamps for other batteries. IF I needed to... (and yes, I'm cheap and don't want to spend the extra 12.00 to get the ring terminal wire from the company... Cause I think it should have been included) I have an old school Schumacher 1 amp trickle charger that came with both, and when I called the company to get another ring terminal wire for my other motorcycle they just gave me one for free. That's how you do customer service

10 Replies

  • OK, got an email from the company and they apologized for the confusion and will send me a ring terminal wire
  • The tender stayed at the higher absorption voltage longer because it saw that the battery needed it. If you have a charger that will do it (to 16 volts), an "equalization" (desulfation) session would help with that.

    If a sealed flooded so you can't tell when to stop the 16 volts using an hydrometer, just give it a fixed time like 4 hours, similar to "conditioning" an AGM. Watch that the battery temperature does not spike if you have an IR gun or just feel it.
  • pnichols wrote:
    suprz wrote:
    I recvd my BatterMinder plus today, and I was surprised that it did not come with a ring terminal extension along with the reg battery clamps. I'm thinking of just cutting the clamps off and putting on my own set of ring terminals. I can't get the polarity wrong (red to red etc...) this item will only be used for the RV. And I'm sure that if I needed to, I could cobble together some clamps for other batteries. IF I needed to... (and yes, I'm cheap and don't want to spend the extra 12.00 to get the ring terminal wire from the company... Cause I think it should have been included) I have an old school Schumacher 1 amp trickle charger that came with both, and when I called the company to get another ring terminal wire for my other motorcycle they just gave me one for free. That's how you do customer service


    Your profile reads like you have either a Class A or Class C motorhome ... and I'm curious as to what motorhome battery are you wanting to use the BatteryMINDer on?

    I use mine to continuously take care of our Class C's chassis battery whenever the motorhome is at home and hooked up via an extension cord plugged into a 120V outlet on an outside wall of our home.

    I plug this model BatterMINDer into a 120V outlet inside on a coach wall: https://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDer-Model-12117-Maintainer-Desulfator/dp/B000P23HZS

    I then use this BatteryMINDer accessory adapter cable to plug the BatteryMINDer's 12V output into an always-hot cigarette lighter socket on the cab's dash: http://www.batteryminders.com/12-24-volt-vehicle-power-plug

    Using this setup, the chassis battery is kept in top condition 24/7 whenever our motorhome is not on a trip.

    I use another BatteryMINDer - with it's stock alligator clamps cable adapter - that I use in the shop for periodically keeping various other garden equipment batteries topped up.


    I have a 2007 Jayco Greyhawk 31SS on a 2006 Ford E450 Super Duty chassis. I will use this on the chassis battery. The batteryMINDer just went into maintenance mode this morning on the test battery I had it on. Total hours since plugged in = 65. It is now keeping the battery at 13.36 volts. I got this charger because I like the built in anti-sulfation technology it uses. The link you put in your post is what I thought I was ordering from Amazon, but got their "upgraded version" instead. So now that I at least know the charger works, let's see what they will do about their confusing advertising
  • suprz wrote:
    I recvd my BatterMinder plus today, and I was surprised that it did not come with a ring terminal extension along with the reg battery clamps. I'm thinking of just cutting the clamps off and putting on my own set of ring terminals. I can't get the polarity wrong (red to red etc...) this item will only be used for the RV. And I'm sure that if I needed to, I could cobble together some clamps for other batteries. IF I needed to... (and yes, I'm cheap and don't want to spend the extra 12.00 to get the ring terminal wire from the company... Cause I think it should have been included) I have an old school Schumacher 1 amp trickle charger that came with both, and when I called the company to get another ring terminal wire for my other motorcycle they just gave me one for free. That's how you do customer service


    Your profile reads like you have either a Class A or Class C motorhome ... and I'm curious as to what motorhome battery are you wanting to use the BatteryMINDer on?

    I use mine to continuously take care of our Class C's chassis battery whenever the motorhome is at home and hooked up via an extension cord plugged into a 120V outlet on an outside wall of our home.

    I plug this model BatterMINDer into a 120V outlet inside on a coach wall: https://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDer-Model-12117-Maintainer-Desulfator/dp/B000P23HZS

    I then use this BatteryMINDer accessory adapter cable to plug the BatteryMINDer's 12V output into an always-hot cigarette lighter socket on the cab's dash: http://www.batteryminders.com/12-24-volt-vehicle-power-plug

    Using this setup, the chassis battery is kept in top condition 24/7 whenever our motorhome is not on a trip.

    I use another BatteryMINDer - with it's stock alligator clamps cable adapter - that I use in the shop for periodically keeping various other garden equipment batteries topped up.
  • OK, here's an update. I called the company and spoke to a customer service rep. I advised her I wasn't happy about not getting the ring terminals, and that their website downloadable instructions shows the older version of the charger and BOTH sets of wires (clamps and ring terminals) she said that the one I recvd was their "updated" model with the ambient temp sensor.. (which is on a 5 inch cord coming out of the charger itself) now that's all fine and well IF the battery is right next to the charger! not 12 feet away under the hood of a car in the sun. I asked if there was an extension cord for the ambient temp sensor seeing how you can unplug it. I was told "no" even though their website accessories page shows an ambient temp sensor extension cord. So Amazon shows the old style on their website, the actual seller Northern Tool shows the older version with the red letter warning "this is not the temperature compensation model" on their site also. Also, I've had this charger on a battery for almost 22 hours with a digital volt meter showing 14.50 - 14.60 and it's still in charge mode even though the instructions that came with this charger shows the trigger voltage for the charger to go into maintenance mode is 14.60.... I have sent the company an email with my complaints. We will see what they have to say
  • It transformed into "The Source" up here in Canada. Still alive and well.
    Got any other discount electronics stores down there, like RS?

    I just looked it up and it's selling product through other stores as independent re-sellers. Not exactly the Radio Shack of old, no storefronts, but it still exists. For now?
  • Maybe Radio Shack or some other discount electronics shop, or even a Goodwill or other thrift store might have some ring connectors with the SAE connectors attached? It is strange.
    My Stanley Fat Max battery charger/maintainer came with all three type connectors, fused 12VDC cigar lighter male, alligator clamps, and ring connectors, all with SAE connectors for quick switches from one output type to another.
  • BFL13 wrote:
    The clamp set has ring terminals to go on the charger? So make up your own set of wires with ring terminals at each end - one for charger, one for battery. Save the OEM clamp set for when needed.

    the clamp wires have a SAE connector on the end the fits into a corresponding one on the wire that comes from the charger
  • The clamp set has ring terminals to go on the charger? So make up your own set of wires with ring terminals at each end - one for charger, one for battery. Save the OEM clamp set for when needed.