12v car battery charger recommendations?

[SrMachoSolo]

I think I just blew up my trusty old battery charger earlier tonight. I've been in the market for a new one; however, not impressed with what the usual scumbags have to offer.

What are you using, and how do you like it? And where can I buy one...

-Robert

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[Termin8r]

I was looking into this:

 

[The Heretic]

I use the Battery Tender smart slow chargers to keep batteries charged on vehicles that don't get used much.

They also make a fast charger. I will have to get one as my neighbor borrowed my older conventional charger.

The key to not blowing up a charger is not to use it to jump start a car unless it has a booster/starter function.

Most of your $30 conventional chargers only put out about 10 amps while most cars start at about 200 amps when starting so it is easy to put a lot more load on them than the charger can handle - i.e., they are not meant to jump start a car, so I always disconnect the charger when starting a car. If I need a boost I use another battery.

 

[bill1225]

Battery Tender - Costco sells them inexpensive on occasion.

 

[Spitpatch]

I was in the same spot as you not long ago. "Ol' Sparky" had been left under the porch overhang and under the hood of a car overnight too many times and just didn't have the juice anymore.

Boy have chargers come a long way since I bought that ol' tin can!

I did stick with the same brand (Schumacher). New one is SC-1200A. Pretty well plug n play and since I operate it, foolproof.
Option switch for Automotive/Power Sport (12amp/3amp). Option switch for wet cell/gel. Digital readout gives you draw amperage and percentage of full charge. Shuts down at full charge to "maintain". (I assume this is a trickle mode).

Another advantage over the old one is I can run a relatively light duty extension cord from power source to the unit and it operates just fine. Ol' Sparky wanted to be close to Mama or attached via heavy-guage apron strings.
There was one or two models above this one with more "features", but this does all I want with no B.S.

 

[Mikej]

I currently use this style of charger...https://www.amazon.com/Vector-VEC1088A-Smart-Battery-Charger/dp/B00009RB0R I don't think "VECTOR" is a brand anymore. They've been made by Black & Decker for some years. My Vector is the 2-10-15 amp model.

I have a boat with a deep cycle battery for the electric trolling motor. Not that that would be an issue for you. For me it was because I was using the old "Schumacher". I ruined two deep cycle batteries in a 5 year period because of improper voltage and amperage output. The old Schumacher had been fine for plain old car starting batteries but cycling batteries require a bit more specific charging protocols.

The "Smart" chargers put out a 3 stage charge which is better for the batteries. As far as the so-called "Starting" booster, or what ever. Do the math and look at the leads on a charger that claims high amperage boost/starting. 200 amps through some of those wires would fry 'em. So I don't know what they're talking about there. A battery "Tender" is not a battery charger. Smart chargers have the ability to "Tend" batteries. They'll might call it "Maintainer" meaning it cycles on and off. You have to be careful with some of those so-called "Tenders" some of them my stay on at low amperage constantly. Oh, yeah, "Trickle" Those can slowly cook a battery to death. Personally, I top off the batteries in the boat a couple three times during the winter. I don't care to leave something plugged it and running 24/7 for months.

Bottom line. Look for the terms Three Stage, Automictic, Smart. It should have multiple amp settings. If you might get a different type starting battery e.g. GEL, AGM, get a unit that has settings for those. They require different types of charge. "Battery Recondition" is another option. "Equalization" is another function. IMO those last two functions are probably more important to the Bass Boater type with $1000.00 worth of batteries on board. The general vehicle owner, unless they're a ditz and always killing the battery in their car, probably wouldn't use recondition and equalization features.

I'd say you ought to be able to get a decent charger that will fit the bill in the $60.00 to $75.00 range. If I were buying again I'd go the Black & Decker route.

 

[Provincial]

One thing to remember about newer chargers is that most will not start to charge a dead-flat battery. They need at least a little voltage in the battery to decide what to do. I have an old charger that I put on the flat batteries. If I want a feature of the newer one, I'll let the old one work for 15-20 minutes, then switch to the new one.

You can also jumper the flat one with a charged-up battery for a few seconds to build up a little voltage, but that can cause sparks.

 

[Mikej]

One thing to remember about newer chargers is that most will not start to charge a dead-flat battery. They need at least a little voltage in the battery to decide what to do. I have an old charger that I put on the flat batteries. If I want a feature of the newer one, I'll let the old one work for 15-20 minutes, then switch to the new one.

You can also jumper the flat one with a charged-up battery for a few seconds to build up a little voltage, but that can cause sparks.

Oh, this! ^^ I forgot about that point. That's why I keep the old Schumacher around.

 

[The Heretic]

One thing to remember about newer chargers is that most will not start to charge a dead-flat battery. They need at least a little voltage in the battery to decide what to do. I have an old charger that I put on the flat batteries. If I want a feature of the newer one, I'll let the old one work for 15-20 minutes, then switch to the new one.

You can also jumper the flat one with a charged-up battery for a few seconds to build up a little voltage, but that can cause sparks.

Yes, my Battery Tender conditioner/slow chargers are that way.

But if your vehicle battery has close to zero voltage, it is probably toast. Most starting system batteries for vehicles are not deep cycle and discharging them completely will damage them long term. In fact, if you discharge them below 8-10 volts you probably damaged them.

I've seen a lot of people go thru the cycle of replacing a battery, then having to do it again because they didn't check if the charging system was actually charging the battery. Then they get a clue (or a mech/tech looks at the car) and get a new alternator/etc., and the battery has been discharged so bad it won't hold a good charge so they have to replace the battery again.

A few minutes with a voltmeter will tell you what the problem is with a charging system and battery. In fact, IMO, every car should have a voltmeter in the dash. Most do not. Having one plugged into the cig lighter works ok, they are only about $10, and may save you a lot of hassle.

 

[Mikej]

Yes, my Battery Tender conditioner/slow chargers are that way.

But if your vehicle battery has close to zero voltage, it is probably toast. Most starting system batteries for vehicles are not deep cycle and discharging them completely will damage them long term. In fact, if you discharge them below 8-10 volts you probably damaged them.

I've seen a lot of people go thru the cycle of replacing a battery, then having to do it again because they didn't check if the charging system was actually charging the battery. Then they get a clue (or a mech/tech looks at the car) and get a new alternator/etc., and the battery has been discharged so bad it won't hold a good charge so they have to replace the battery again.

A few minutes with a voltmeter will tell you what the problem is with a charging system and battery. In fact, IMO, every car should have a voltmeter in the dash. Most do not. Having one plugged into the cig lighter works ok, they are only about $10, and may save you a lot of hassle.

Like the people on the roads these days would know a volt meter from a milk bone? As far as the full discharge goes. I don't think you'd do significant damage to a healthy battery with a complete discharge. As long as you don't let it sit. The longer you leave it like that is where damage comes. And repeated discharging high %. And like you said, "Batteries dead! I need a new battery" Derp.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

I was in the same spot as you not long ago. "Ol' Sparky" had been left under the porch overhang and under the hood of a car overnight too many times and just didn't have the juice anymore.

Boy have chargers come a long way since I bought that ol' tin can!

I did stick with the same brand (Schumacher). New one is SC-1200A. Pretty well plug n play and since I operate it, foolproof.
Option switch for Automotive/Power Sport (12amp/3amp). Option switch for wet cell/gel. Digital readout gives you draw amperage and percentage of full charge. Shuts down at full charge to "maintain". (I assume this is a trickle mode).

Another advantage over the old one is I can run a relatively light duty extension cord from power source to the unit and it operates just fine. Ol' Sparky wanted to be close to Mama or attached via heavy-guage apron strings.
There was one or two models above this one with more "features", but this does all I want with no B.S.

Ha, I loved those ol' Schumachers. They certainly don't make 'em like they used to. Also, you're right, they have come a long way. My current one was supposed to be a "smart" charger, however the cheap components and/or design made it pretty dumb and detecting a full battery was only a hope and dream for it. I manually monitored voltage/amp input myself, but this wasn't the best method and led to some over charged batteries... for some reason (stubborn), I stuck with it until now.

It's 2021, and the future is now. Thanks for the recommendation.

-Robert

 

[ma96782]

I have an old Schumacher that I found for cheap at a garage sale. But....that was when 12v auto batteries were a simple affair.
Nowadays the battery game has changed.

Besides the typical Lead-Acid there are:
Gel or Glass mat types.
Li Ion (though I haven't actually seen one yet).

Anyway.....If I were in the market.....I'd get a charger that will (should be able to) work with the latest styles.

Aloha, Mark

PS.....I thought I was smart by buying that Glass Mat 12v replacement battery for my Prius. LOL. My old charger won't do it (so I'm told).

 

[Mikej]

I have an old Schumacher that I found for cheap at a garage sale. But....that was when 12v auto batteries were a simple affair.
Nowadays the battery game has changed.

Flooded lead-acid starting batteries are still pretty much the same. The old Schumacher will still get you back on the road, where the cars charging system, if working properly, will keep you going.

 

[bigbearbear]

I recommend CTEK, they are very good at keeping your batteries charge. I have 3 cars, 1 I left in my CA property and 2 in my WA home which is my main residence. As I work from home full time and wife doesn't work, we really only use 1 car so the other 2 cars have CTKE battery charger connected on them to keep their 12v batteries topped up.

 

[The Heretic]

Discharging a vehicle battery deeply will damage it. I've seen car batteries basically become useless after the owner left their lights on 2-3 times.

I am not talking about a discharge where the battery won't start the car but the starter relay clicks and the dome light comes on dimly.

I am talking about where the voltage is below 8-10 volts.

Why You Shouldn't Let Your Car Battery Die

Batteries might be made to die, but there's a difference between a dead battery and a battery that actually has to be replaced.

www.lifewire.com

Car batteries are not made to be so deeply discharged. They are not like RV batteries or solar power bank batteries or trolling motor batteries <- examples of "deep cycle" batteries. Car batteries made to provide high amperage output in a short time, for starting the car, and then the alternator takes over providing the power to run the car.

If a vehicle has a high quality oversized battery, then it may survive more or even deeper discharge cycles, but eventually those cycles will damage it beyond the point where it can recover, and/or you may not notice it as soon.

This is part of what I used to do professionally for a living, it is not just something I heard or read about - I actually have two degrees in this domain.

Most daily driver vehicles today come with the minimum quality/size battery and cables that the manufacturer can get away with - that will start the vehicle when new, in good tune and under warranty. About 3-4 years down the road, the battery nears its end of life, and the cables being minimal diameter with poor quality (equaling higher resistance and wasted power going into heat), one or two cold winters or one or two times the driver leaves the lights on, and the battery will be so damaged that the battery will not hold a charge for long, if it holds it at all.

This is where car manufacturers skimp and save a few dollars - over thousands of cars it makes a nice bonus check for the executives whose idea this was.

On top of that, the fact that a lot of cars today have systems in them that are constantly drawing a little power from the battery even when it sits off, and batteries do not last as long as they should.

Plus, car owners who cheap out and buy the least expensive battery they can, maybe even undersized...

I try to buy decent quality, and if it will fit, an oversized battery with a higher rating (e.g., for my trucks). I often will replace the cables with high quality larger diameter welding cables - you would be surprised how much faster the starter turns over with those cables - think of them as like a water hose; the larger the hose the more water can pass thru with lower pressure. Electricity is the same way - smaller cables have higher resistance, larger cables less resistance.

The quality of the cable makes a difference too - braided copper wire is superior to copper clad or even aluminum wire - that is why I use welding cables (a domain where having the most amperage over a longer distance makes a difference in the quality of the weld) for battery cables - same goes for winch power cables.

 

[The Heretic]

Li Ion (though I haven't actually seen one yet).

Do you have a battery powered power tool, a laptop or a phone? A recently made tactical flashlight or WML or laser?

Those generally have a Li ion battery. They are popular in motorcycles too as a replacement battery - some bikes come with them from the factory I think. I know most electric bicycles have Li ion batteries.

They require a different charger.

A couple months ago I replaced the Li ion battery in my Mac Book Air - it has lasted about 6 years before it wouldn't hold as much of a charge as before, but being cheap I kept using it until it would not hold a charge at all - lasted 9 years.

 

[ma96782]

Do you have a battery powered power tool, a laptop or a phone? A recently made tactical flashlight or WML or laser?

Those generally have a Li ion battery. They are popular in motorcycles too as a replacement battery - some bikes come with them from the factory I think. I know most electric bicycles have Li ion batteries.

They require a different charger.

A couple months ago I replaced the Li ion battery in my Mac Book Air - it has lasted about 6 years before it wouldn't hold as much of a charge as before, but being cheap I kept using it until it would not hold a charge at all - lasted 9 years.

I was talking about a 12v Li-Ion for the car. IIRC saw a picture of one, on the internet.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Provincial]

Little known fact: most of the current is carried on the surface of the wire strand. This is why welding cables are made up of a larger number of smaller wires than normal battery cables. This allows them to have less resistance or carry more current for a given size, because the strands total a bigger surface area. It also has the benefit of making the cable more flexible, which is a higher priority for welding.

 

[ma96782]

I currently use this style of charger...https://www.amazon.com/Vector-VEC1088A-Smart-Battery-Charger/dp/B00009RB0R I don't think "VECTOR" is a brand anymore. They've been made by Black & Decker for some years. My Vector is the 2-10-15 amp model.

I have a boat with a deep cycle battery for the electric trolling motor. Not that that would be an issue for you. For me it was because I was using the old "Schumacher". I ruined two deep cycle batteries in a 5 year period because of improper voltage and amperage output. The old Schumacher had been fine for plain old car starting batteries but cycling batteries require a bit more specific charging protocols.

The "Smart" chargers put out a 3 stage charge which is better for the batteries. As far as the so-called "Starting" booster, or what ever. Do the math and look at the leads on a charger that claims high amperage boost/starting. 200 amps through some of those wires would fry 'em. So I don't know what they're talking about there. A battery "Tender" is not a battery charger. Smart chargers have the ability to "Tend" batteries. They'll might call it "Maintainer" meaning it cycles on and off. You have to be careful with some of those so-called "Tenders" some of them my stay on at low amperage constantly. Oh, yeah, "Trickle" Those can slowly cook a battery to death. Personally, I top off the batteries in the boat a couple three times during the winter. I don't care to leave something plugged it and running 24/7 for months.

Bottom line. Look for the terms Three Stage, Automictic, Smart. It should have multiple amp settings. If you might get a different type starting battery e.g. GEL, AGM, get a unit that has settings for those. They require different types of charge. "Battery Recondition" is another option. "Equalization" is another function. IMO those last two functions are probably more important to the Bass Boater type with $1000.00 worth of batteries on board. The general vehicle owner, unless they're a ditz and always killing the battery in their car, probably wouldn't use recondition and equalization features.

I'd say you ought to be able to get a decent charger that will fit the bill in the $60.00 to $75.00 range. If I were buying again I'd go the Black & Decker route.

Thank you Mikej.
I've saved your advice/post for the next time that I'm in the market for a new battery charger.

Aloha, Mark

 

[ma96782]

Little known fact: most of the current is carried on the surface of the wire strand. This is why welding cables are made up of a larger number of smaller wires than normal battery cables. This allows them to have less resistance or carry more current for a given size, because the strands total a bigger surface area. It also has the benefit of making the cable more flexible, which is a higher priority for welding.

Way back when I was a teenager. I used welding cables to re-locate my Toyota's 12v battery to the trunk. Worked like a charm.

Aloha, Mark

PS....some may wonder WHY?

Rrrrright.....Race Car! LOL.