I had initial bad luck with NOCO 5 amp- Liked to really overcharge the battery. Replaced under warranty. Good so far for a year or so
Trickle charger recommendations?
- Thread starter Rykertest
- Start date
I've got a NOCO 5 amp charger. Works great. I use it weekly on various batteries and it's always charged them up right.
I used a CTEK for my bmw in storage this last winter. Held up fine during the MN winter.
Must have gotten a bad one.
I also have a 5 amp NOCO. It has worked flawlessly, even though I prefer the CTEK.
I ended up purchasing the 2 amp NOCO to replace the CTEK as the winter trickle charger on my Mustang because after 12 years, I felt that the CTEK had had enough. I'd have bought another CTEK if the price hadn't doubled.
Exactly the same for me. The 2A NOCO has been doing the job for me and seems to satisfy the needs of multiple AGM batteries in cars, an SUV and a motorcycle. Recognize they are NOT cheap. Did not find any deals and the cost varies depending on retailer.
I'm a firm believer in that you generally get what you pay for.
I've had my 2A NOCO for two years. Looked yesterday, and they are $50. on Amazon.
With some prudent shopping and patience, some deals can be had. I paid $33. for the one that I have now on a prime day sale.
For what it does, IMO it is a good value.
When I purchased the 2A, it had better reviews than the 1A, for a marginal increase in cost.
I use it purely as a maintainer. I have about five other chargers that I can use if I need to fully charge a battery.
I have two "Battery Tenders". The old original, metal body unit that survived about 25 years. Approx. 7 yrs ago, I bought a second one from Amazon ($30) with the water proof body. Both are still working and not caused any issues.
I've used these at near full power for quite a while. Whatever you dial in is what they stay at. 120vac-12vdc 30A, $23 multiple outputs (all the same voltage). They have a 5v adjustable range.
ALITOVE AC 110V/220V to DC 12V 30A 360W Universal Regulated Switching Power Supply Transformer Adapter LED Driver for LED Strip, CCTV Camera System, Radio
CTEK is expensive, but I've been happy with mine. It is more than just a trickle charger, more of a "re-conditioner". I've had it revive batteries I thought were too far gone.
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- Sep 2, 2016
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I scored a SC1355 for $10 off Amazon many years ago that still works today with daily usage. It even survived a few drops too. Meanwhile a 4A Battery Tender failed after a year of occassional use...
CTEK is over priced, decades of using battery minders on vehicles, MC, and OPE with no issues. Temp. compensated ones perform flawlessly in sub zero temperatures also. Mowers crank up fine in the spring for instance.
I have a CTEK MXS 5.0 hooked up almost continuously to my Jaguar for the last 3 years. It has an AGM battery and those cars are notorious for doing odd things when the battery is not at full charge or starts to degrade over time. The car is not a daily driver so keeping the electrical system in top condition is essential.
I also used it to put a full charge on a brand new AGM battery that I bought for my Mazda CX 5 before installing it and if the 5 year old battery in my Generac generator starts to go out I'll try it to recondition the battery before I spend the money on a replacement.
Sure the CTEK units aren't cheap. They currently run about $100. But the difference between a CTEK and a lot of the others is what a couple or three combo meals at McDonalds cost these days. I'd rather spend the money on quality tools than on fast food.
I also used it to put a full charge on a brand new AGM battery that I bought for my Mazda CX 5 before installing it and if the 5 year old battery in my Generac generator starts to go out I'll try it to recondition the battery before I spend the money on a replacement.
Sure the CTEK units aren't cheap. They currently run about $100. But the difference between a CTEK and a lot of the others is what a couple or three combo meals at McDonalds cost these days. I'd rather spend the money on quality tools than on fast food.
I have been using the cheap $10 Harbor Freight trickle chargers for probably 25 yrs. They put out about 1-2 amps and they are not as technical as the more expensive ones and people have said they can overcharge a battery if on too long. What I do is have them on a timer set to turn the chargers on and run them 2hrs a day. Seems to work for me and I run 4 of them like this. They usually go bad in a few years but for $10 I am still ahead.
+1
Buy once cry once. I went through a few HF trickle chargers before I got annoyed with the clamps for the battery terminals falling apart from the wires. I soldered one or two of them back together before just buying the CTEK.
I like this one and have it: https://a.co/d/27X5Jwk
Probably one of the best made low current chargers out there. $29 is not bad for what you get.
I have this one for my BMW
Which is the same as this but $200 cheaper.
Same one I have.