Need Help Selecting Auto Battery Charger/Tender

As a first shot, you might check out Grainger Industrial Supply, which is on line and surely has a branch near you.

Hey Capt were you happy with the Schumacher? Auto-Zone carries them their best model is less then the limits you placed on cost. It well exceeds the output you request.

Thanks guys for the leads.

I accidentally stumbled across this unit this morning during a Google search: VDC Electronics, Inc. "BatteryMinder", Model #12248 (12 VDC w/ 2A 4 A & 8 A charging modes) , that simultaneously charges, conditions (desulphurator), and maintains the battery.

www.thebatteryminder.com

What do you personally think of this choice?

The last few years my major concerns and problems with car and lawn tractor batteries is that they are short lived. I think that with my older technology battery charger I may have been "boiling" the batteries, hence shortening their lives considerably. It's been getting costly to replace them due to diminished charge capacities. The last car battery for my Dodge only lasted 2 years. Even less for the lawn tractor battery @ about 1.5 years.

Since I'm not an EE, any advice and comments are more than welcomed! I need to be certain that this would be a wise investment. TIA!!!!!

Doesn't have the boost cycle you were looking for. As far as just a charger and to maintain batteries looks fine. Only thing else I can say, is look for away from aviation products. The word Aviation pushes up the cost.

Having remarkable similarity without the "aviation" I use the model at the right top corner of sceen.

Hello bwire,

So how do you like the performance of your BatteryMinder unit? Is it as they advertise, like providing De-sulphate or "conditioning"? I'm pretty much sold on their model #12248 unit or a similar model manufactured by Diversified Power International, LLC. I wish someone would post side-by-side reviews of each unit on the web so I can make up my mind!

One last question: Is the BatteryMinder capable of providing a jump-start of a dead car battery, especially on a cold cold (say 0 Degrees F.) winter night, or is it only meant to be operated like a "trickle-down" and conditioning charger?

Other business: It's getting crazy around here in our town (Red Hook) and in next door v/o Rhinebeck, what with the Chelsea Clinton wedding being held here this upcoming weekend.....already feel like a prisoner in our own home....US Secret Service popping out of woodwork and trees literally.....reminds me of Robin Hood's "Merry Men" (in tight tites)! LOL

Gotta get out of town this weekend. The freaking media circus is already in full bloom. Anyone have a great get a way idea they can share? LMAO

Think of the battery minder unit as more of a trickle charger/maintainer than a jump start unit. In respect to desulphation and the like all I can say is that I've never had a problem with single cells going bad using these units.

Both my father and myself use these and Dad has the same batteries for the RV's eight years I believe. I use to keep up battery in my once in a great while truck, 2-1/2 months since last run and maybe I'll use before snow flies

I don't use it for a booster this I always use for that

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200331941_200331941

Harbor Freight Tools (www.harborfreight.com) has a battery charger/engine starter (up to 50A) for $27.99, till Saturday. They have another one, more powerful for $89.99

Here is the little one:

Hi CaptMoosie,

A good friend of mine actually designs and builds battery management systems. He is very successful in setting his unit to meet your requirements to maintain your battery at peak performance and getting the best out of your system.

Send Tony a note to the email address below and tell him that Mac at AdeptRep, Inc. sent you.

CR4 Admin - E-mail address removed

From the Site FAQ: Do not post phone numbers or email addresses. The CR4 Admin will delete all phone numbers posted in threads or comments, and we strongly urge you not to put up email addresses.

You can visit his web site also at www.dpipower.com

We have defense contractors and others working with these tough systems. I am sure they will work for you.

Good luck,

Mac

http://batterytender.com/

I have had a lot of experience with many different make/models of battery charger/tender units over the past few years. In my opinion there are two different types of chargers:

Type A) Converter/Inverter type chargers that will take line power (120v/220v) and convert it down to about 12v to power mobile electronics. These type of chargers are primarily designed for use as converters, and do not have the faculties to perform trickle charging, desulphating, or some other "battery charger" type functions.

Type B) Smart Chargers: these little buggers are supposed to desulphate, trickle charge, and jump through all sorts of hoops and rings of fire.

I have witnessed the mis-application of both types of charger, here are the most common mistakes. Using a type A charger system when the low voltage system is not intended on being used. Although no actual damage is done, most type A chargers are designed just to provide power - and their "charging" function is more of a "bonus" - batteries do better with a type B. Conversly, the use of a Type B charger when there is going to be any type of load draw. Most type B chargers use the resistance and electrical properties of the battery to determine charging rate, desulphation and more - so putting a "smart" charger on a battery that is going to be used will cause problems.

I use Iota brand inverters for my type A applications (manlifts, forklifts, other apparatus that will use power while being charged). The Iota product line does not boil the batteries, reducing maintenance time (just yesterday I checked/added water to my industrial batteries and only needed about 3 fl/oz for the batteries using an Iota as opposed to the others on generic chargers which took more than 64 fl/oz total). There's a lot of engineering behind the Iota inverter line, and why it works so well with batteries - but if you want a charger to use while your batteries are in use, I would buy an Iota.

For my Type B chargers (the generator batteries, mule batteries that are plugged in overnight, lot trucks that sit to be charged) I use the "battery tender" product line which has already been recommended. The important fact to remember is that these are not designed to power a load, just to charge a battery.

Hope this helps.

Chris

check the yahoo groups on alternate power and solar power. Also, there is a batteryconversion group on yahoo who can teach you how to revive dead auto batteries by changing them from lead/ acid to lead /alkaline, greatly extending the time between new batteries. These groups are on top of all the best charger and charge control units (and prices)to make batteries last longer. There are probably a few schematics available in these groups also, should you care to build your own.