Battery Charger Question and Recommendation

Joined
Jun 26, 2019
Messages
2
Location
IN
4 amps is too much for that little guy. Ideal charge rate would be 1/10 capacity or 1.5 amps.
 
Thank you. I was thinking I read somewhere that you can charge up to 20% of the amp rating but I am not really sure of what I am doing when it comes to this.
 
The nameplate on the front indicates that "initial current" in cyclic use can be 4.5A. Generally the chargers will start dropping current quickly, just due to Ohm's law. But you could cause irreversible gassing that doesnt recombine, which is deadly for this type of battery. So its better to use a lower rated charger just in case.

Id prefer one of the 0.8-2A chargers that is on the market. The NoCo latest temperature compensated 1A is a good option, and the BatteryMinder temperature compensated unit (1510, IIRC) is another. Both operate in different ways, and the NoCo doesnt actually float charge the battery, but unless its sitting in standby for long periods, that may not matter much to you.

Links:

Noco 1A

Battery Minder
 
A resistor in series between the charger and the battery can reduce the current so you can use a larger charger on a small battery.

Now if I could only find a Radio-Shack store to buy a power resistor at. All kidding aside, a 12 Volt accessory or brake light bulb will work fine as a resistor to reduce the current flow, assuming you know enough to be able to wire it in series between the charger and battery. NOT in parallel.
 
Last edited:
4A is too much continuous current for that batter as El Jefino states

charging at 20% of face AH value is pretty safe at the correct voltage.

I have several of the little Shumacher 3Amps and they work pretty well, but I think hey top out at 40AH where their "smartness" stops, but Ive had them maintain small car batteries before, so they cover your small stuff pretty well, but have to stay on the shelf for anything substantive.

The battery minder product is also pretty solid.
Nocos late offering in the last two years have been pretty solid - prior to that not so much.

I'll stick to the optimate 6 being the best overall value in a throw down charger.

UD
 
The charger is a smart charger it wont actually charge at 4amps or at least not for very long.

it will auto switch to float etc.

IMO its fine to use with that battery on the 4amp setting.
 
Originally Posted by Rand
The charger is a smart charger it wont actually charge at 4amps or at least not for very long.
it will auto switch to float the. IMO its fine to use with that battery on the 4amp setting.



In theory it is smart. In practice I've seen problems with them.

This product line is OEM'd to Black and Decker from Vector. Im ny experience they are only so so at charging and they are poor at maintaining.

I no longer use these for unsupervised charging after a string of logic and fan failures causing overheats.


They pretty much stay on the shelf these days. Mine are circa 2010. Maybe the newer ones are better.


UD
[Linked Image]
 
Last edited:
i have the vector in the rear of the pic.
the fan and output cap cause 90% of the problems.
the other issue is the idiots at the factory did a lousy crimp job on the clamps.
this all confuses the "smart" functions and makes the device stupid.
Originally Posted by UncleDave
Originally Posted by Rand
The charger is a smart charger it wont actually charge at 4amps or at least not for very long.
it will auto switch to float the. IMO its fine to use with that battery on the 4amp setting.



In theory it is smart. In practice I've seen problems with them.

This product line is OEM'd to Black and Decker from Vector. Im ny experience they are only so so at charging and they are poor at maintaining.

I no longer use these for unsupervised charging after a string of logic and fan failures causing overheats.


They pretty much stay on the shelf these days. Mine are circa 2010. Maybe the newer ones are better.


UD
[Linked Image]
 
Back
Top