Battery Charger recommendations?

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Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Temperature compensated Battery Minder. 2012 or 12248.

I love my 2012 model. Temp compensated, desulfation, smart charging, etc. The only downside is that max charging current is only 2A, so if you have a heavily depleted car battery, it would take a very long time to charge it. That's where the 12248 has the advantage.

BTW, the 12248 has now been discontinued. The replacement model is 128CEC1:
http://www.batteryminders.com/batterymin...ner-desulfator/

If I ever need a new charger/maintainer, I'll probably get the CTEK MUS 7002.
 
I have a grip of chargers now.

Ctek - I have several
Noco
Optimate
Granite
Schumacher

Of all the small (sub 10 amp) smart charger the optimate 6 is the one I prefer.
No buttons to push- and auto chemistry detection - this is the charger I reach for most often.

The Ctek 7002 would be next in the small category.

The 25 Amp Ctek has a temp sensor in the positive clamp and is a good compromise between power smarts and safety.
 
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/traveller-2-6a-manual-battery-charger

We have about 20 installed 12 volt batteries around the place and this $20 when on sale annually manual charger is my Go To charger.

It is the best battery tester that I have found. If overnight or in less time a car or tractor battery charging rate is not down to 1 amp on the 12v/6 amp setting then its service life is in question. The output voltage should be hitting 16 volts when the charging rate is this low. If it only drops down to 1.5-2 amp range this time of the year I know to replace it before next Christmas if it last that long. The voltage output will be less than 16 volts too.

It will be function as a equalizer at the same time.

We have a few old Black and Decker automatic chargers with the DeSulf feature that I I really like for that feature. Typically twice a year I try to use both at the same time on each battery. With the manual set on 6 amps and the B&D running in the Desulf mode for 24 hours.

I have forgot and left the manual charger on for 2-3 weeks at the 6 amp setting without any battery damage. In the heat of summer this could be an issue but so far it has not been an issue. Running this equalizing voltage also acts to desulfate the flooded lead acid batteries.

Automatic battery charges I have found will never fully charge a battery because the software is taught to play it safe but I do like having one around the place but with a Desulf feature they are typically over $100 and can not recharge a totally discharged battery.

On the 2 amp setting this $20 will maintain a battery that may only be used once or twice a year but there are better $20 options for that need.
 
What are your needs? Car with dead battery? Garden tractor battery? Float charging a battery over the winter? Jump start a car?

Batteryminder makes some excellent chargers but they are low amperage. However BatteryMinder probably makes the best float chargers & desulfating/temp compensating chargers
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
The Noco Genius G3500 gets high reviews on most websites.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LWVEKS?psc=1

I wish the OP would come back and provide more detail on what exactly he needs this for. For maintaining car batteries, this Noco G3500 would be great, but if the OP needs to charge dead automotive batteries, then it could take a pretty long time with it. In this case the Noco G7200 would be better, IMO.
 
Sounds like your Sears probably has a shorted diode or two. If it's a larger model it will have stacked diodes in it to handle the current.
 
Just ordered both ProLogix 2320 and Noco G7200. Will decide which one to keep. And if I don't like either, I might try Ctek 7002 next.

I managed to completely drain the battery in my 530i, and it is taking forever to charge it with my BatteryMinder 2012.
 
Wow... I didn't expect I'd have such a hard time deciding which one to keep. I kind of like them both. The Noco G7200 is nice because it only requires one button press to start charging and the display, while not overly detailed, still does give good indication of charging progress. It also has a Supply mode that might come in handy if wanting to preserve various car settings while swapping batteries.

The ProLogix 2320, on the other hand, requires more button presses (it does not remember the last used settings), but I like the digital voltage and % charge display, plus it's capable of higher charging currents.

I wish I could combine them into one.
smile.gif


Also, after I got done charging my battery with the G7200, I then connected the 2320 and it showed that the battery was only 95% charged. Either I did not keep the G7200 hooked up long enough (it did indicated 100% though) or it just does not charge as fully as the 2320 does. Either that, or the 2320 tends to overcharge.

G7200.jpg


DSC_3585.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Just ordered both ProLogix 2320 and Noco G7200. Will decide which one to keep. And if I don't like either, I might try Ctek 7002 next.

I managed to completely drain the battery in my 530i, and it is taking forever to charge it with my BatteryMinder 2012.


Yeah, a 2012 isn't the right tool for that job. You really want a 10-20A charger for that.

I just bought a 2012 AGM dedicated for my AGM that I recoded in my 135i. For kicks, I also bought a ctek 4.3. Honestly I'm somewhat disappointed.

As a weatherproof 4A charger, it's decent. But the connections are far smaller and flimsier than the sae bullet plugs, and the multi-step, while seemingly nice, has not yet done a desulfation mode operation (the minders do it all the time). Further, temperature compensation is just one set point, and not automatic (minders have a thermistor), and the LEDs are too small to easily follow. I am NOT a fan of the normal and cold/AGM settings as my only options. Temperature compensation should be inherent to the design, with an AGM setting that is switchable separate from the temperature adjustment. Battery under does this flawlessly.

I'd buy an updated 12448 minder over a ctek or anything else. The pro logix is a good buy for a 20A unit if you're so inclined. While I liked my Schumacher, the consistent rise to >15.6V was troubling...
 
I don't care if I have to press a button or 2 buttons, I care about whether it can indeed 100% fully charge a battery.

Most every automatic charging source will not hold absorption voltage for long enough to complete that task.

I'd draw the same battery down to 12.1 volts under a 50 watt load and then recharge it until the charger drops to float voltageand shines that human soothing green light, then measure the specific gravity on all cells.

Do the same thing again with the other charger.

Highest specific gravity wins.

My adjustable voltage 40 amp power supply is the ugliest thing on the planet with additional heatsinks and computer fans for electronics longevity, but it will blow away most any other charging source in performance, but it is not automatic either, and Egad, I have to use my brain and twist a dial at the appropriate time.

But then again I do not have to trick it into actually doing its job.

When Automatic charging sources get the battery to absorption voltage, a timer usually dictates how long to hold absorption voltage.

How long absorption voltage is to be held to achieve 100% is dependent on so many factors, a simple timer has almost no chance of being programmed correctly for any specific battery.

Will it be good enough?... for a starting battery, most likely.

But for a deeply cycled battery, not even close, and battery longevity will suffer greatly when the charger flashes the green light at 92%, instead of a true 100%.

If you care to actually test the performance, not just the ergonomics of these 2 chargers, then you need an ammeter, and a hydrometer, and the will to actually perform the tests devoid of favoritism.

Otherwise choose the one whose green full charge LED indicator has a more pleasing color to you
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
has not yet done a desulfation mode operation (the minders do it all the time).

Somewhat OT, but have you ever seen the Desulfation light go out on your 2012?

The reason I ask is that BatteryMinder's tech support told me the light will go out once the battery is desulfated, but I have never seen that happen, even after having the 2012 connected to a battery for two weeks straight.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
then measure the specific gravity on all cells.

How do you do that on a sealed battery?



Obviously you can't.

The flooded 'maintenance free' sealed batteries have a higher percentage of calcium in the plates to reduce water usage. they intend the battery to fail before excessive charging voltages causes so much water loss as to expose the plates which usually will push a battery over the edge.

If deeply cycled their charging requirements are different from regular flooded batteries, with absorption voltage at 15 volts and held there until amps taper to near zero.

The marketers would have a blast if any manufacturer decided on a dedicated maintenance free flooded charge algorithm.

AGM batteries can only be determined to be full by the amperage they accept at absorption voltage, or if one has an amp hour counting battery monitor, or if one can actually perform a 20 hour capacity test keeping the battery at 77F the whole time and applying the exact load for that 20 hours, then see how short the battery falls.

But for a starting battery, likely not important. The deeper a lead acid battery is cycled the more important its recharging is.

With a deeply cycled AGM, the ~2 amp trickle charge, touted by so many, is not beneficial. Approach a c/3 rate, or 33.3 amps for a 100AH battery will return an AGM to a higher level of energy potential than days as 2 amps.

Higher$$ AGMS have no easily achievable limit on charging amperage and explicitly say the more amps the better when deeply cycled.

Odyssey say 40 amps minimum for a 100AH battery cycled to or below 50%. Trickle charge a deeply cycled Odyssey and it will prematurely nosedive into the nearest ditch for 300+ dollars
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
has not yet done a desulfation mode operation (the minders do it all the time).

Somewhat OT, but have you ever seen the Desulfation light go out on your 2012?

The reason I ask is that BatteryMinder's tech support told me the light will go out once the battery is desulfated, but I have never seen that happen, even after having the 2012 connected to a battery for two weeks straight.



Ive left it attached for months and not seen it stop...
 
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
I don't care if I have to press a button or 2 buttons, I care about whether it can indeed 100% fully charge a battery.


I couldn't care less if it were 2 buttons or 20. The fact that the CTEK "temperature compensation" is lumped into some programming associated with one button that doesn't know if its an AGM or less than 41F outside isn't particularly reassuring to me. Ill take a thermistor with a mapped temperature compensation, thank you. Almost as good as calculating it by hand and turning a knob, except that I don't have to... and I can leave it connected to my vehicle for months without thinking about it for a second.

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight

If you care to actually test the performance, not just the ergonomics of these 2 chargers, then you need an ammeter, and a hydrometer, and the will to actually perform the tests devoid of favoritism.

Otherwise choose the one whose green full charge LED indicator has a more pleasing color to you


While I generally agree with this, we aren't talking submarine batteries here... Were talking car batteries which will be killed by use and heat far sooner than some fractions of a percent of SOC.

And the SOC and float charge from any charger, is WORLDS better than sitting there with none, and the vehicle parasitics pulling down on it.

The time spenmt on doing something other than ensuring that a reasonable float charge is maintained, at a level consistent with the battery's temperature, is fine if that's your hobby, and fine if you want to spend a lot of time scrutinizing this in detail. I personally have plenty better things to do, and the few Ah Id gain from a fully optimized charge (assuming it is actually Ah worth) wouldn't do anything for me in the world of SLI batteries in cars anyhow...

Keep them in good shape while sitting for weeks to months, get 10+ years out of a battery and change without any fear or problems on MY schedule is good enough for me...
 
Hey OP,

I currently own four smart chargers:
- BatteryMinder 12248
- CTEK MUS 4.3
- Pro-Logix PL2320
- Schumacher SP2

I bought and returned two chargers this year:
- Schumacher SP3
- DieHard 71321 (made by Schumacher)

After playing around with these six chargers, I would advise anyone to get either a BatteryMinder, a CTEK, or a Pro-Logix, depending on where and how you plan to use the charger. I would avoid Schumacher (they seem to be hit and miss for me).

For use primarily charging dead or deeply discharged batteries the PL2320 wins due to the higher amperage rating. It is a very well built piece of equipment, very solid. On the other hand, this charger is a bit of a pain to use in cold weather (the power cord becomes very stiff), the temperature compensation algorithm isn't terribly aggressive, and this may not be the best battery maintainer. The instruction manual is lacking as well, so you might be left wondering what the charger is doing at any given time, or how long it might stay in each charging stage (for example, the 'completion' phase can take a long time, but the manual does not explain this). After really coming to understand how this charger works, I plan to only use this when I have a battery that is discharged to less than ~85-90%.

For use in cold weather, the 12248 wins by a landslide. It has a more aggressive temperature compensation profile, an external temperature sensor, a low temperature power cord, and full-time desulfation. The instruction manual is pretty descriptive but can also come off as overly complicated. A couple of potential downsides: physically, the charger feels dense and oddly balanced. This is a small unit, but I wouldn't cite portability as one of its strengths. You will want to mount this charger to the wall, as it doesn't feel like it would survive a 2 foot fall to the garage floor. This is also the most expensive charger I own (over $100) and has recently been discontinued so it will not be easy to find if you want one (Northern Tool still carries them). I do consider this to be the best charger I own.

The MUS 4.3 is a good maintainer - and although it doesn't have an automatic temperature compensation feature (only a manual 'cold weather/AGM' mode), it makes up for that drawback with a good charge/maintain profile and superior 'comfort connector' plugs. It has a pretty good instruction manual too. It is more portable than the two above, and would be my top choice if you wanted to hard-wire leads to your battery instead of using clamps, or if you were primarily using the unit in a temperature controlled garage.

The Schumacher SP2 is a nice little unit, though quite underpowered for any charging activity outside small OPE batteries. It will work for topping off larger batteries and works just fine as a maintainer, too.

I did not like the SP3 or the DieHard 71321. I believe they are identical except for physical size and charging current - they seemed to function exactly the same. My problem with these chargers is they both seemed to undercharge batteries. I also did not like the charging profile or the maintenance profile, and the display was misleading. No room for these two chargers in my garage.
 
Yes the pro Logix charger can take longer to complete because it will apply a load to the battery before resetting which iirc is a 36 hour process or something
 
Originally Posted By: danthaman1980
Hey OP,

I currently own four smart chargers:
- BatteryMinder 12248
- CTEK MUS 4.3
- Pro-Logix PL2320
- Schumacher SP2

I bought and returned two chargers this year:
- Schumacher SP3
- DieHard 71321 (made by Schumacher)

After playing around with these six chargers, I would advise anyone to get either a BatteryMinder, a CTEK, or a Pro-Logix, depending on where and how you plan to use the charger. I would avoid Schumacher (they seem to be hit and miss for me).

For use primarily charging dead or deeply discharged batteries the PL2320 wins due to the higher amperage rating. It is a very well built piece of equipment, very solid. On the other hand, this charger is a bit of a pain to use in cold weather (the power cord becomes very stiff), the temperature compensation algorithm isn't terribly aggressive, and this may not be the best battery maintainer. The instruction manual is lacking as well, so you might be left wondering what the charger is doing at any given time, or how long it might stay in each charging stage (for example, the 'completion' phase can take a long time, but the manual does not explain this). After really coming to understand how this charger works, I plan to only use this when I have a battery that is discharged to less than ~85-90%.

For use in cold weather, the 12248 wins by a landslide. It has a more aggressive temperature compensation profile, an external temperature sensor, a low temperature power cord, and full-time desulfation. The instruction manual is pretty descriptive but can also come off as overly complicated. A couple of potential downsides: physically, the charger feels dense and oddly balanced. This is a small unit, but I wouldn't cite portability as one of its strengths. You will want to mount this charger to the wall, as it doesn't feel like it would survive a 2 foot fall to the garage floor. This is also the most expensive charger I own (over $100) and has recently been discontinued so it will not be easy to find if you want one (Northern Tool still carries them). I do consider this to be the best charger I own.

The MUS 4.3 is a good maintainer - and although it doesn't have an automatic temperature compensation feature (only a manual 'cold weather/AGM' mode), it makes up for that drawback with a good charge/maintain profile and superior 'comfort connector' plugs. It has a pretty good instruction manual too. It is more portable than the two above, and would be my top choice if you wanted to hard-wire leads to your battery instead of using clamps, or if you were primarily using the unit in a temperature controlled garage.

The Schumacher SP2 is a nice little unit, though quite underpowered for any charging activity outside small OPE batteries. It will work for topping off larger batteries and works just fine as a maintainer, too.

I did not like the SP3 or the DieHard 71321. I believe they are identical except for physical size and charging current - they seemed to function exactly the same. My problem with these chargers is they both seemed to undercharge batteries. I also did not like the charging profile or the maintenance profile, and the display was misleading. No room for these two chargers in my garage.


Great observations. The only thing I'd differ on is that the comfort connector plugs appear inferior to me on the basis of pin size and feel. Though I wouldn't sae that sae plugs are anything to write home about, they're good enou and I personally prefer them...
 
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