Don't want to step on the truck batter thread so... I am in need of a quality battery charger. I really need some help on this as I have used an old Craftsman charger that recently went belly up after 45 years. This Newer stuff confuses me. I do have one of the Harbor Freight cheapo chargers I got at a yard sale. Need a good one though..Any recommendations??
Battery Charger Question
- Thread starter Skeet 028
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Schumacher...
Schumacher is stilll a big name. So is Nexpeak and NoCo.
Schumacher is stilll a big name. So is Nexpeak and NoCo.
squirrelnest
Member
You want a booster or maintainer?
For maintenance I use Deltran, for boost I use NoCo.
For boost be sure to get enough amps to get the device you are boosting to start. More amps usually mean more expensive but why cheap out on a necessary device.
Those ones you see at Costco or Sam’s that are the size of your palm aren’t going to work other than to power your smart devices if you are away from an electric source, ie in the boonies.
I have a single, double and, four bank Deltran. The four was for my lawn mower, motorcycle and vette. Now just need the single
For maintenance I use Deltran, for boost I use NoCo.
For boost be sure to get enough amps to get the device you are boosting to start. More amps usually mean more expensive but why cheap out on a necessary device.
Those ones you see at Costco or Sam’s that are the size of your palm aren’t going to work other than to power your smart devices if you are away from an electric source, ie in the boonies.
I have a single, double and, four bank Deltran. The four was for my lawn mower, motorcycle and vette. Now just need the single
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Battery Tender brand (have two of them) has worked very well for battery maintenance.
You may need both types, a charger and a maintainer. I've had a Battery Minder brand maintainer for at least 10 years. It does an excellent job of keeping a battery topped off, and it will not overcharge. It automatically begins to de-sulfate the battery after a full charge is reached. However, it will not recharge a near-dead battery. I left it plugged in to a battery I thought was dead, just to see if it could revive it. After 48 hours the Battery Minder could only add about one volt to the battery, not enough to make the battery work. I then attached my nearly 50 year-old Schauer 8 amp charger, and within 3 or 4 hours the battery was good as new. Six months later, it is still working great.
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I actually need a Battery Charger...what i always called them anyway. I would prefer a charger I can carry...rather than one on wheels. something I can charge 6 and 12 volts and have 50-100 amps booster for starting. I had a battery go dead and the newer charger would not even charge it at all. I jumped the truck and put the charger on it and the charger kicked in...charged the battery overnight. Been good ever since. I have/had a battery I kept here to use to jump start vehicles(trectors old trucks 4 wheelers...even the Troy Bilt tiller. It is at least 19 years old. Kept it on a trickle charger. Worked till the last time I used it. Put one of the straps on the electrodes to carry it... one post broke loose. All done. I am going to get one of the battery jumpstarters. Mainly to keep in the vehicles. How many amps should I get??
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I was using NAPA 12V deep cycle batteries to run test well blowers in 3" 30-foot-deep sub-surface soil gas wells. To recharge them we used plane old NAPA battery chargers. 8 years almost daily usage on 3 chargers, and not a single problem. I'd leave the charging over a weekend, and they wouldn't over charge! You can use them as a tender but not as a 12V power source.
Ivan
Ivan
I have a NAPA. Works most excellent and has for the last 15-20 years.
Autonomous
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All three of my Battery Tenders have ended up overcharging batteries when left on as advertised.
The old buzz box chargers will put amps into a dead flat battery unlike a new digital charger. They will also cook your battery in short order.
I have a newer digital charger that was in the $50-$60 range and it works great.
The old buzz box chargers will put amps into a dead flat battery unlike a new digital charger. They will also cook your battery in short order.
I have a newer digital charger that was in the $50-$60 range and it works great.
The older chargers will charge a battery from a very low state. Newer ones will not charge one with less than 11 volts or so.
It's probably best to go with a portable jump starter and then a charger if you have a new charger.
It's probably best to go with a portable jump starter and then a charger if you have a new charger.
30-30remchester
Member
Having a construction company since 1974, and with multiple truck and several shops, a battery charger in each was a necessity. I must have bought a dozen over the years. Forgot to turn the key off in my truck last Saturday while programing the radio. Dead as last year's love in the morning. Got the charger out of its case and hooked it up. When getting it out of the case, the instructions fell out, which is odd as they are the first thing I usually throw away. As it was charging, I was bored and decided to read the instructions. Fifty years I have been using battery chargers and found out I was doing nearly everything wrong. Makes me wonder what other tools I have used incorrectly all these years.
What, you mean we have to read instructions before we tear things apart and put them back together?
I have a Deltran Battery Tender on my bike, mower, and truck right now.
Got a NOCO jumper that has performed flawlessly for jumping weak batteries.
Got a NOCO jumper that has performed flawlessly for jumping weak batteries.
I know it's no help, but I have a cheap Craftsman that I bought back when Sears was still around. It works well.
My son bought an Energizer branded one at Walmart (I think it was Walmart). It seems okay as well.
Both are portable and charge in a few hours - they are definitely not fast chargers like the ones on wheels. Also they are not "boosters" that will start a vehicle with a dead battery - just chargers.
My son bought an Energizer branded one at Walmart (I think it was Walmart). It seems okay as well.
Both are portable and charge in a few hours - they are definitely not fast chargers like the ones on wheels. Also they are not "boosters" that will start a vehicle with a dead battery - just chargers.
Finding a good charger that can be carried seems to be a bit harder to find. I may end up with one that is on wheels. I may also get a maintainer from HF or somewhere else just for the tractor(diesel) and the 4 wheeler. Got a jumpstarter coming from Amazon...
Farmer17
Member
There are some really cheap battery tenders out there and based on my experience I would not go really cheap again.
those HF tenders are really bad. Spend the money and get a decent one.
