Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
What are the professional auto techs using to charge AGM batteries?
Thanks in advance for your input
Thanks in advance for your input
Agm battery charger recommendations
- Thread starter Fedwrench
- Start date
Captain Spaulding
Well-known member
Most any modern charger will be fine. Generally look for a maximum charging voltage of 14.6V. Generally eliminates manual chargers
I would recommend you get a charger that can do AGM & Lithium, else in 5 yrs you will be asking for a Lithium recommendation. I missed a BF deal on this one I am stil pissed about.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XMJDJX7/?tag=atomicindus08-20
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XMJDJX7/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Qualitytools
Well-known member
CTEK makes several that will charge AGM, they come up on WOOT often
That is crazy price...
Costco have that exact one selling for $35 or $40 USD + tax....
I think when I was warranting my battery at Sams club, they have one of these Midtronics ones...
https://www.jbtools.com/midtronics-gr8-1200-amp-kit-multi-tasking-battery-diagnostic-station/
or this one.
https://www.jbtools.com/midtronics-grx-3000-battery-diagnostic-station-6-12-volt/
richfinn
Well-known member
What are the professional auto techs using to charge AGM batteries?
Thanks in advance for your input
I sell a lot of automotive batteries at work (25 a month sometimes), we sell c-tek as they are the market leader
and they work on AGM/EFB/Flooded very well
There is a company called GYS in Europe who sell battery support/chargers etc if you want really high end pro stuff (expensive though)
https://www.gys-welding.com/cat-PF/Chargers/en
n8n
Well-known member
I don't know if any pros use them, but I have had a CTEK Multi US 7002 for over 10 years and like it. I run a recondition cycle on each of my batteries every fall. the one in my car has lasted longer than the original now, and is showing no signs of weakness.
Someone mentioned lithium, the particular model I have doesn't do those, but it has a "snowflake" cold weather mode, and recommends that mode for AGMs as well. I do run an AGM in my Jeep, I'm on the second one now. I actually bought the CTEK when I got an Optima for my previous Jeep.
Someone mentioned lithium, the particular model I have doesn't do those, but it has a "snowflake" cold weather mode, and recommends that mode for AGMs as well. I do run an AGM in my Jeep, I'm on the second one now. I actually bought the CTEK when I got an Optima for my previous Jeep.
I too would strongly recommend going with an AGM & Lithium charger. Seems like this is the direction batteries are going.
I have 4 of the deltran and/or battery tender chargers but just purchased a Lithium for the race bike and thought it was a good idea to get the charger for it as well.
I really don't have any use for a 6v charger eithert.
at that amazon price... the costco one is black Friday priced every day then...although it's $10 more now than I saw it at $40 last time I was there.
https://www.costco.com/battery-tend...charger-and-maintainer.product.100519712.html
But OP did ask for a professional auto tech one they used... so... Miditronc are target for commercial markets I think.
I recently bought a NOCO Genius charger based on recommendations here. It does lead-acid, AGM, and lithium ion batteries. I am very happy with it so far. It has even brought some old batteries back to life.
n8n
Well-known member
Power supply mode is also helpful if you've got a dead as a doornail battery and still need to eke a little more life out of it. You can leave it on supply for a half hour or so and then charge using a recondition cycle.
BF Deal was $25 I think
Glad OP started this thread, a NOCO is on my radar now, thinking the 5X2
Glad OP started this thread, a NOCO is on my radar now, thinking the 5X2
Bunch of NOCO items on sale at Amazon.
Genius10 $78
Genius2x2 $87
Genius5 $55
10ft extension cables $11
Not sure what else but the 5 & 10 are good prices. I bought a 5 & 2x2, now I just need to paint garage1 so I can mount the charger on the wall.
Genius10 $78
Genius2x2 $87
Genius5 $55
10ft extension cables $11
Not sure what else but the 5 & 10 are good prices. I bought a 5 & 2x2, now I just need to paint garage1 so I can mount the charger on the wall.
Mr.Smoke
Well-known member
I bought a NOCO Genius 5 for the AGM battery on my circuit tester at work. Nice little unit and charges all kinds of battery types.
For storing my personal vehicle over the winter that has an AGM battery I use a CTEK Multi 3300 I bought years ago. Not at many options for battery types as the newer NOCO, but still a great charger overall. Also, CTEK is who a lot of OEM car makers use for their "OEM Accessory" chargers/maintainers, including GM, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Merc/AMG and others.
For storing my personal vehicle over the winter that has an AGM battery I use a CTEK Multi 3300 I bought years ago. Not at many options for battery types as the newer NOCO, but still a great charger overall. Also, CTEK is who a lot of OEM car makers use for their "OEM Accessory" chargers/maintainers, including GM, Porsche, Ferrari, BMW, Merc/AMG and others.
HenryAZ
MEMBER EMERITUS
For straight charging, the Associated Intellimatic series are smart (3 stage) chargers with an AGM mode, and can be left connected after reaching float mode. I have the 20 amp model 9425.
For maintaining, BatteryMINDer makes AGM-only maintainers, with a desulfation feature. I use their 2 amp model 2012-agm 12v charger-maintainer, and keep my Odyssey AGMs connected to one whenever they are not in use.
For maintaining, BatteryMINDer makes AGM-only maintainers, with a desulfation feature. I use their 2 amp model 2012-agm 12v charger-maintainer, and keep my Odyssey AGMs connected to one whenever they are not in use.
tdkkart
Well-known member
What I don't quite get is that when you go out and buy a Lithium, AGM, whatever, the battery maker folks want you to use a specific type of charger,(usually the one made by someone else but private labeled to them), but then you throw said battery over the fender of the vehicle, hook it up, and every day it gets charged with whatever alternator is in the car, at whatever voltage and current the alternator is set up for, which can vary widely.
So what's the point of having a different charger for each battery type?
BTW, I've used Battery Tender brand chargers for winter storage on all types of batteries for 20+ years with excellent results.
So what's the point of having a different charger for each battery type?
BTW, I've used Battery Tender brand chargers for winter storage on all types of batteries for 20+ years with excellent results.
I use these, My understanding is that Lithium Ion needs a dedicated charger. or at least in the Power Sports industry.
https://optimate1.com/
https://optimate1.com/
May I ask why my trusty battery tender doesn't work on AGM or lithium batteries?
Does it fail to work completely or still works just not very smart/efficient?
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using The Garage Journal mobile app
Does it fail to work completely or still works just not very smart/efficient?
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using The Garage Journal mobile app
Lithium chargers are based on a CV/CC (constant voltage/constant current) charge algorithm. The charger limits the amount of current to a pre-set level until the battery reaches a pre-set voltage level. The current then reduces as the battery becomes fully charged. This system allows fast charging without the risk of over-charging and is suitable for Li-ion and other battery types
Its just a cut/paste from the interweb yah know. Look into Optimate Chargers, I had two warrantied by them, at the time they were in Canada. Don't know now. Battery Tender is made up the road from us here, ok for AGM batteries.
Its just a cut/paste from the interweb yah know. Look into Optimate Chargers, I had two warrantied by them, at the time they were in Canada. Don't know now. Battery Tender is made up the road from us here, ok for AGM batteries.
Thanks for the advice. My battery tender is a trickle charger. If it's going to charge at very low amp anyway, I don't see why it won't work on lithium batteries using the logic you cited. Seem that argument is only against dumb fast chargers.
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using The Garage Journal mobile app
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using The Garage Journal mobile app
n8n
Well-known member
You point is valid, however, that's only true for older vehicles.
My 2009 BMW, not exactly a new car, came from the factory with a "wet" lead-acid battery. I replaced it with the same when it died, because unlike most wet batteries, it did NOT leak it just wore out after about 5-6 years. Also, it is vented outside the vehicle as it's under the trunk floor, behind the RR wheel.
I bring this up because the same vehicle could have also been equipped with an AGM battery. I could have replaced the original battery with an AGM, but BMW wants you to have the computer recoded to tell it that you now have an AGM battery and not a conventional wet battery (and the AGM is even more expensive) Additionally, I had the new battery "registered" in the computer anyway, as apparently charging profiles change as the battery ages in an attempt to get the most life out of it (presumably; I know that some of the charging strategy also involves turning the alternator off and on based on engine load/coasting to also squeak out a little more fuel efficiency. Which is kind of amusing when you realize that we're talking about a 335i, which is a twin-turbo 3 liter straight six, and fuel economy while acceptable at steady speed on the highway is laughable around town...)
Also apropos of this thread, the replacement battery has been "reconditioned" once a year by my CTEK charger, and has already lasted longer than the original and seems to still be going strong, even with the last month or so of atypically (for DC) cold weather.
n8n
Well-known member
May I ask why my trusty battery tender doesn't work on AGM or lithium batteries?
Does it fail to work completely or still works just not very smart/efficient?
Sent from my SM-G981U1 using The Garage Journal mobile app
It'll work on AGMs but might not charge them fully, they want a little more voltage than wet lead-acid batteries.
Lithium is completely different and requires a totally different charging profile (as does pretty much any different chemistry)