Quote:
Originally Posted by Strangler
Sorry for bringing an old thread back up but I was just wondering how safe battery tenders are? I read their manual and it mentioned that it needs to be in a well ventilated area or there could be an explosion. I believe that my garage has some ventilation but I'm not sure how much I would need. There are no windows or anything in the garage to ventilate.
So my dilemma here is if a battery tender is worth the risk or should I just disconnect the negative battery terminal? Also, what was it that you weren't supposed to do with the windows when the battery is disconnected? It was something about the windows not rolling back up and it could damage the door frame.
Thanks.
|
If the battery is charged when you start, the battery tender will not charge the battery "hard" enough to produce much Hydrogen. You should still make sure that there is some ventilation to minimize the danger of explosion. Propping the hood open a few inches with the battery cover off should be enough.
The main explosion hazard is when you dis/connect the tender clamps and a spark is produced. This can be minimized by unplugging the tender before dis/connecting.
For maximum safety, there is also a "trick" to the sequence you dis/connect the tender. To connect, put the + tender clamp on the + battery terminal. Then put the - tender clamp on a chassis or engine ground a foot or so away from the battery. Turn tender on. To disconnect, turn tender off and reverse process, ie, disconnect ground first.