Bench Top/Portable 12V Charger ?

[Flat-rate]

Shopping for 12V portable charger for home use. Have a driveway full of cars, shed full of quads, motorcycles, lawn tractor. Some how something always needs charging even when most of the batteries are on trickle chargers.

What do you guys recommend, in the $100 range I found these two.

http://www.batterychargers.com/se-3005ma/

http://www.centurytool.net/15_2_100_Amp_6_12_V_Fully_Automatic_Bench_Charger_p/51-620.htm

 

[Schurkey]

Be VERY careful. It's easy to buy junk sold with a formerly-reputable brand name. A lot of it is imported junk--even worse.

I've been disappointed in a "Famous Name, Made-in-USA" battery charger: The timer never worked in cold weather even though it's sold as an "All-Weather" charger. Then the power cord cracked from cold. Now the timer is dead even at room temperature.

The last two Schumacher chargers I've purchased have both been disappointments.

The three most recent chargers I've purchased have been lame. I don't think there's such a thing as a decent battery charger any more.

You're better-off to hit the pawn shops or yard sales than to buy modern equipment.

 

[JKady]

Any of the Solar Pro-Logix line are great for a bench top charger.

 

[wil]

The simple chargers, with a 2 amp, 10-15 amp and 100 amp jump start, are just that...
simple, so very few things go wrong. There's a transformer, a few switches, and a couple
of diodes in there. I agree, getting one with a timer...waste of $$!

However, you still have to mind them and turn them OFF manually. I have the Schumacher"cheap" ones...they have served me well, even in subzero temperatures, to keep car batteries alive. Haven't failed me yet.

50 amp jump start won't start a car with a dead battery. A 100 amp boost is better. Get one with the highest jump start capability, especially if you have a big engine to start!

 

[maxpower_hd]

I have the Shumacher one you listed and it works OK so far but it is new. The handle broke the very first time I picked it up so I don't have a lot of high hopes for it lasting. That being said, the last one I had was a plastic case version Schumacher and it was much better. It did die on me. Smoke came out of it one day but it was about 10 years old and had been dropped, got wet once so it more than served it's purpose. Of course I couldn't find the same one and was forced at the time to buy the one you linked because there was no other alternative at the time and I needed one now.

 

[bobcatdan]

I have been perfectly happy with a $70 or so Schumacher 50/10/2 charger. I almost never use anything but 2 amp, low and slow. While I don't doubt the automatic feature, I generally only use a charger when I'm around. No so much the charger will melt down, but to watch for the very off chance of a battery blow up. Realistically, I maybe use my charger three times a year, I simply don't have much battery issues. Now if you're like my buddy, I swear his house is on an Indian bural ground. He has ten cars in his yard at anytime and nine will be stone dead. If the charger would be running 12 hours a day 7 days a week, then I'd maybe spend more.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

I just bought 2 new chargers.
For a manual charger I bought a "Made in USA charger" as mentioned earlier. It doesn't appear to be the quality I was looking for (thin leads, wimpy clamps). Although it is 6V/12V and 2A/12A the 2A setting is only for 12V (not 6). At the 12V/12A setting I never saw the gauge reading over 4 amps, possibly because the battery wasn't very low.

I also bought one of the Pro-Logix chargers:
http://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/SORPL2520/SORPL2520

I'm pretty impressed with it. Nice heavy leads/clamps and they wrap up around the legs of the charger for storage. It works great. I also can override the fault when charging a very low battery (which is why I bought the other manual charger).

 

[Flat-rate]

Will probably go with the Schumacher, mainly due to free amazon shipping.

 

[pmiranda]

I've had good luck with Deltran's Battery Tenders. Luckily all my stuff is under cover so I never had cause to try their water resistant one. Other than one that died in a lightning storm a few years ago, I have had two running at least a couple days a week for about 10 years with no drama.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Schumacher's are decent. Not top of the line, but not bad. Don't buy extra features that you will never use (who need 6V charging?)

If you plan on using it as a "maintainer" buy a cheap mechanical "lamp timer". Set it to run for about 1-2 hour per day.

 

[johninct]

Schumacher's are decent. Not top of the line, but not bad. Don't buy extra features that you will never use (who need 6V charging?)

If you plan on using it as a "maintainer" buy a cheap mechanical "lamp timer". Set it to run for about 1-2 hour per day.

People like me that have a 6 volt tractor.

 

[matt_i]

I found out that having a dedicated battery minder for each "thing" is worth the cost. Minimal electricity used, and I don't need the charger ever. Deeply discharging the batteries shortens their life and eventually the cost of buying more batteries overtakes the minders with no end in sight.

I also have a 6v tractor but it runs on an 8v battery....

 

[eastbaysubaru]

Not exactly "bench top", but I bought this about six months ago and it's been great:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005F1YM5I/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I also have the following bench top charger and it's been great as well:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009IBJCQ/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Certainly not trying to rep Schumacher but I've had good luck with both of these items in real-world experience.

-Brian

 

[eastbaysubaru]

(who need 6V charging?)

People with classic cars. I've charged a lot of 6v batteries with mine. Just charged one today in fact (battery's likely shot though).

-Brian

 

[metalmagpie]

Small inexpensive auto battery chargers generally are underengineered when it comes to venting heat from the transformer. In general, those should be rated for something like a 20% duty cycle. Meaning, if you charge a battery for 4 hours, it should then sit and cool for 12 hours before you use it again.

A lot of the battery chargers I used to buy at garage sales were already damaged from overuse. I found out the hard way how easy it is to damage the transformer in those by using them to power electrolytic derusting baths for days at a time.

Now I wouldn't touch a charger that is marketed as being for car batteries with a ten foot pole. I suggest you buy a proper power supply, one you can set up as either a voltage source or a current source. It will be protected from overcurrent damage and can be used day after day indefinitely. Would I leave it on an unheated carport floor on a freezing winter night? I would not. I would just make longer cables and run them from inside out to the car.

This is the one I currently own, and strongly recommend: http://www.mastechpowersupply.com/d...-voltage-over-current-protection/prod_61.html

metalmagpie

 

[goingtoarizona]

Schumacher's are decent. Not top of the line, but not bad. Don't buy extra features that you will never use (who need 6V charging?)

If you plan on using it as a "maintainer" buy a cheap mechanical "lamp timer". Set it to run for about 1-2 hour per day.

Or if you have a scissors lift or HD motor home batteries.

I bought a sears or craftsman for about $80.00 and it has all the slow/fast/boost options. I think I got one of the last good ones. The case is plastic which didn't thrill me, but the cables are good enough and I hate to admit I use it somewhat regularly.

 

[motofool33]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ESQW08/?tag=atomicindus08-20

bought 2 of these after i burned up a few schumakers, these Prologix, are great iven even used them to keep up my MH batteries while using the inverter

 

[astropuppy]

i've had excellent results from batteryminder products. Their Desulfator technology extends battery life. They are available from many places.

http://www.batteryminders.com/products/

 

[mnoeltne]

i've had excellent results from batteryminder products. Their Desulfator technology extends battery life. They are available from many places.

http://www.batteryminders.com/products/

I'll second that, if you need a maintainer.

For a larger charger, I have an old model from the 1970's. I don't recall the brand name, but it was a decent made in USA model from back then. Simple, and ultra reliable.