If you're like me and don't like paying $$ for something that can be done cheaper, read below. The de-facto standard is the Battery Tender. However, it is upwards of $50.
Enter the DIY solution:
The optimal trickle charge for a vehicle at 12v is between 1amp and 1.5amps. What do we have here? A charger that outputs 1.3amps and has overcharge protection? Perfect - Car Truck Motorcycle 12V Smart Compact Battery Charger Tender Maintainer NEW
(note, I tested on my craftsman digital multi-meter and it puts out 1.27amps and does stop charging when the battery is full.)
EDIT: For those that don't know, overcharge protection means that the charger is smart enough to know when the battery is full, and switch to just a maintenance mode. If the battery drops below full, it swaps back to "charge mode"
But wait, alligator style clips don't help us. Right you are. What we need is a way to permanently attach leads to the battery with a quick disconnect.
$2.18 with free shipping AND its fused for us? FANTASTIC. Battery Tender SAE DC Power Automotive DIY Connector Cable with Fuse 68cm
Finally, we need a way to get the power from our charger to the quick disconnect plug. That'll run you a whopping $1.18. Battery Tender SAE DC Power Automotive DIY Connector Cable 2x0.75mm 30cm 300mm | eBay
1. Take charger, cut off alligator clips
2. Strip back approximately 1" of wire
3. Red to Red, Black to Black with the bare end quick disconnect wires. Solder or twist together. Cover with heat shrink or electrical tape
4. Install the ring terminal connections to the battery (the nuts are 10mm for removal). Tuck the extra wire and the fuse into the battery box. Run the quick disconnect out from the battery box and allow to hang out with the grounding cable that runs through the grommet
5. Plug your charger into the quick disconnect and into the wall.
Total cost (assuming you have some heat shrink or electrical tape laying around) - $7.xx
When you are ready to go for a drive, just unplug, close the hood and take off.
I've got 4 of these that I made and they've been running perfectly for about a year now.
Enter the DIY solution:
The optimal trickle charge for a vehicle at 12v is between 1amp and 1.5amps. What do we have here? A charger that outputs 1.3amps and has overcharge protection? Perfect - Car Truck Motorcycle 12V Smart Compact Battery Charger Tender Maintainer NEW
(note, I tested on my craftsman digital multi-meter and it puts out 1.27amps and does stop charging when the battery is full.)
EDIT: For those that don't know, overcharge protection means that the charger is smart enough to know when the battery is full, and switch to just a maintenance mode. If the battery drops below full, it swaps back to "charge mode"
But wait, alligator style clips don't help us. Right you are. What we need is a way to permanently attach leads to the battery with a quick disconnect.
$2.18 with free shipping AND its fused for us? FANTASTIC. Battery Tender SAE DC Power Automotive DIY Connector Cable with Fuse 68cm
Finally, we need a way to get the power from our charger to the quick disconnect plug. That'll run you a whopping $1.18. Battery Tender SAE DC Power Automotive DIY Connector Cable 2x0.75mm 30cm 300mm | eBay
1. Take charger, cut off alligator clips
2. Strip back approximately 1" of wire
3. Red to Red, Black to Black with the bare end quick disconnect wires. Solder or twist together. Cover with heat shrink or electrical tape
4. Install the ring terminal connections to the battery (the nuts are 10mm for removal). Tuck the extra wire and the fuse into the battery box. Run the quick disconnect out from the battery box and allow to hang out with the grounding cable that runs through the grommet
5. Plug your charger into the quick disconnect and into the wall.
Total cost (assuming you have some heat shrink or electrical tape laying around) - $7.xx
When you are ready to go for a drive, just unplug, close the hood and take off.
I've got 4 of these that I made and they've been running perfectly for about a year now.