Hi guys
Situation :
Have several machines in unheated garage - in upstate NY
Temps in garage down to maybe zero or max 10 below
Garage is not always that low - have my truck and wifes SUV in there.
Run Salamander a lot.

Problem:
Have several Schumacher Maintainers hooked to everything.
Lead cords all over the place.
Tired of tripping over them with snow boots on !

Question:

I meet with a few guys every Tues for coffee to lament winter
and when spring is coming.

One guy says I can wire these chargers in parallel - or maybe in series

whatever that means -

Every machine -
2 riding mowers
1 John Deere Garden tractor with snow blower
3 wheeler
couple of ATV's
and my favorite around yard machine - 1986 Honda TRX 350 Fourtrax

Can you wire all this stuff together ?

Every machine has one of those things you just bolt to battery and other
end just plugs to maintainer

Thanks Guys

I love watching what you are up to !!

Senior

 

I don't think it works that way unless you have a charger capable of maintaining several batteries. Look at boat chargers. I use one on my boat to maintain the trolling battery and starting battery. It is a 2 bank charger. Maybe one maintainer will do 2 batteries but I doubt more than that. And it may harm it. You would have to hook one battery to the next to the next etc. so you'd still have wires everywhere. Parallel means + to + and - to -. I think you'd be better off putting some overhead hanging recepticles in. Just my 2 cents.

 

Yeah I would agree to put the tender above the machines hanging from ceiling. Another thought is that they make 4 bank tenders and you could do all of your equipment with a couple of those. I would not wire them all together! But I guess I am not the one tripping on the wires either!
Mudslinger2

 

Maybe something like this will do. I have one of these and think it's great compared to running several chargers. They also make a 5 bank and a 10 bank but they're pricey $$$ .Deltran Battery Tender Plus 12V 4 Bank Charger Station - eBay (item 130497528518 end time Mar-19-11 18:52:12 PDT)http://www.batterytender.com/

 

Something like that would be the ticket.

I would not connect batteries of different type (flooded, AGM, gell) or different capacity (amp hour rating) in parallel.

 

To all - Thanks for the feedback.

I never knew those 4 bank chargers existed.

I think I am going to combine your suggestions -

I already have ceiling receptacles, so I am going to get 2 of those chargers
and work from the ceiling. No more cords on the floor.
A bit pricey way to fix this, but still cheaper than breaking my neck.

The way I add this all up is
7 batteries
8 ports

Now, how do I convince wifey I need one more toy so last port
is not wasted ?????
Thanks again Guys,
Senior

 

If you don't have a BMW R1200GS Adventure, you really should get one...

 

You could always get the 10 bank charger (wow they're expensive! $500) , but then you'll have room for 3 more toys! LOL

 

Multiple bank charger is the only way to go.

If you wire everything in parallel you will end up with all of your batteries as strong as the weakest one.

 

Just use the outlets on the celing. Buy a lot of 10$ harbor frieght chargers and get wires to extend them.