Battery charger (1 Viewer)

[Trunk Monkey]

Need to get a 12 volt/auto battery charger and don't know what to look for or what the differences are in them. It'll be infrequent use, don't need anything too heavy duty.

Any recommends?

 

[Planet_X]

This one, summit racing is one place that has em:

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/battery-charging.shtml

 

[miked]

i like the "battery tender plus"
http://batterytender.com/product_info.php?products_id=2

i've got two of them and could use a third.
they are a bit expensive but i've had batteries last an unusually long time by charging and storing them with this unit. the battery in my sport bike costs $100 so i try and treat it as nice as i can.

edited to add: the only draw back to the BT+ is the 1.25 amp limit. while it will charge a full size battery, it takes for ever. i often use a cheap 10amp for the bulk charge phase. about a half hour brings the current draw down to 2 amps and then i switch it over to the battery tender.

 

[offrd63]

It's been 11 years since this post came out. I'm wondering what people think these days. Smart charger vs. battery tender? I believe you can get a tender that's stronger than 1.25 amps now. but some smart chargers have a 2/10/50 amp option. Any thoughts?

 

[e9999]

get one with desulfating capability...

 

[Output Shaft]

CTEK Multi US 7002 smart charger

 

[offrd63]

Pulse technology? interesting. I was reading up on the CTEK before I posted up. The idea of desulfateing is/was new to me though. Thanks. I've been using an AGM type battery's and lately the old yellow top's haven't been lasting as long as they used to and the price is getting way up there.

 

[JCruse]

I recently got an expensive and mega feature 50amp smart charger - the ProMariner 1250p. It's for after a one or more day/night of pulling amp-hours out of my one house battery. When I get home I hook up the 1250 and it puts back whats been taken out, not just charge to a voltage like 12.8 or 12.9 or 13V and then call it done. It slams the 125Ah AGM with 50 amps (51.6 actually) and brings the battery up to 13.4V. More importantly it leaves a battery that holds it's voltage very well under load the next time out. There really seems to be a difference between it and the few other under $100 chargers I have had.

Also after three years of using solar to help maintain the battery while in use I got rid of the charge controller that came with the panel. In it's place is a Battery Minder SCC-180 ($100). A great little under hood unit that bulk charges at 14.3V and drops to 13.3V when full, just like an AGM charger should, unlike the old controller. The result is that I need the $400 ProMariner less than I thought I would, based on the previous three years. It's all good though. I'm just armed to the teeth when it comes to battery maintenance. LOL

The SCC-180 also has full time pulse desulfation









A surprisingly nice budget charger I have is a Pro-Logix PL-2320. It's a 20A battery selectable 5 stage charger made by Clore, with proper profiles, desulfation, and a weird but cool stage where every so often in long term maintenance mode it will put a small load on the battery and then charge it back up. It's the "exercise" phase. They say it's good for a battery. Best part is it's only $69.

 

[spressomon]

Related and an informative read: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/sulfation_and_how_to_prevent_it

 

[JCruse]

Related and an informative read: http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/sulfation_and_how_to_prevent_it

Yes, always keep your battery(s) fully charged to keep the acid from forming crystals on the plates.

This is what I'm trying this time around. I never did that deeply discharge my old battery (below say 12.5-6v) but I was unknowingly undercharging it. Not any more!