hf battery float

[goldie lox]

has anyone used this and what your thoughts.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html

 

[MrGiggles]

has anyone used this and what your thoughts.

http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html

I have one that works fine. I've read that they are a true smart charger, but I'm still a little skeptical. They lack a quick connect plug too.

A battery tender Jr is only around 20 bucks with a good warranty, and its a much better product.

HF does have a deluxe model that looks a lot better, but I don't have one.

 

[goldie lox]

didnt realize the jr was that cheap

 

[iagsxr]

I bought half a dozen in 2008. Since then one has gone bad. There are four of them plugged in in my shop right now. Shop's never burned down. I have a 2005 Suzuki that still has the original battery in it. I rarely ride it so it's spent a lot of time plugged in. Started it just the other day for giggles.

Your results may vary.

 

[kythri]

I've got them maintaining multiple vehicles, zero issues.

 

[BFHtime]

I have used this on batteries that sit. It works well. I have a car that has a draw on the system somewhere and the battery will die in 2 days if not driven for 1/2 hour or so. As long as I keep plugged in, I can go months without starting the car and it starts right up, as long as the fuel pressure is there.

I have forgotten to plug it back in, after using that outlet for something else, the battery died, my fault. I just plugged it back in, the next day over night plus, it started up.

I have a few of these. I have not had any problems, only one has been used extensively though. I gave one to my for his electric start generator.

 

[unslow1]

I've got them maintaining multiple vehicles, zero issues.

Same here.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The best things you can do for a battery on long term storage/charging is

• Make sure it is full of water/acid. Check regularly.
• Put your trickle charger/maintainer on a cheap lamp timer and only it for about 1 hour per day.

 

[rlitman]

I"ve used a few of these. Got them at HF on sale for $5. They're ok, but here's something to keep in mind. The red LED lights up, whether or not they are plugged in. If you leave it on the battery, but unplugged, eventually it will drain your battery.

No, they're NOT a true smart charger. They're just a current and voltage limited power source that is capable of keeping a 12V lead acid battery at a float voltage.

 

[Showkey]

+ 10 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

There are much better choices than the HF......that........are actually a true smart battery charger-maintainer-conditioner.

 

[kythri]

For $5, it keeps the battery topped up and healthy.

Not really sure why you need "better" but, hey, your money and all.

 

[rlitman]

The best things you can do for a battery on long term storage/charging is

• Make sure it is full of water/acid. Check regularly.
• Put your trickle charger/maintainer on a cheap lamp timer and only it for about 1 hour per day.

I don't recall the last time I owned a battery that was designed to be topped off with water. While sealed batteries do have caps, it is critically important to not remove the caps. The caps are there for filling at the factory, but once sealed, they have a pressure regulator mechanism that should only allow them to vent at around 6PSI. It has been determined that in SLA batteries, a small gas pressure assists with reabsorption of the hydrogen. Damaging that seal will have detrimental affects on battery life, as lost hydrogen directly equates to sulfation.

NEVER top off a battery with acid. That will alter the chemistry of that cell, with regards to its neighbors, which will severely hurt the battery.
Batteries can be topped off with distilled water if they're meant to be opened.

The timer idea might work on a real diode backed trickle charger (though I feel that the timer is unnecessary on a modern smart charger). But on the HF charger which has no way to prevent running in reverse, it will kill your battery.

 

[05r50]

I tried one on my mower over the winter. Battery was dead the next spring.

Maybe not the HF items fault, but that charger went to the trash. Replaced it with a black and decker, no issues.

 

[kythri]

Funky. I've not bought a battery for my lawn mower for 4 years now, thanks to the HF charger.

 

[71goldss]

I used the HF charger on my El Camino for about eight years with no troubles. For the $5 I paid it's hard to beat! My El Camino battery finally gave up the ghost about a year ago so I decided to replace with an AGM battery. At that time I also switched to a CTEC charger and love it! The added features and the optional extended length quick connect cord make it well worth the approximate $50 I paid for it on Amazon!

 

[wasfuzz]

I have 4 all hooked to timers as stated above, have had them all for 4+ yrs and never an issue.

 

[John in OH]

My brother bought one to keep the battery in his seldom-used VW van charged. After about 6 months he threw it in the trash (the charger, not the van).

I'm just guessin' here, but the quality consistency of these Chinese HF units may be suspect. If you get a good one you'll be happy; if you get a lemon it will be junk. But, that's true of most low-cost electronic products. For $5 it may be worth the gamble.

I've no direct experience with the HF charger/maintainer other than his feedback. But, I have used several small 6/12v , 1.5amp, Schumacher charger/maintainers with good success on farm tractors. Also, the Deltran Battery Tender Jr. is supposed to be quite good .... cost you about $20-25 each.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I don't recall the last time I owned a battery that was designed to be topped off with water. While sealed batteries do have caps, it is critically important to not remove the caps. The caps are there for filling at the factory, but once sealed, they have a pressure regulator mechanism that should only allow them to vent at around 6PSI.

Sorry, I don't buy that BS !

Admittedly, today's modern flooded cell lead acid batteries do not need to be check very often. Once a year, I pry off the caps and check the fluid level. I never have added more than 1 or 2 ounces to a cell, but keeping the plates under acid/water at all time is crucial to a long battery life. After checking level and topping off if required, I clean the outside of the battery with baking soda and water and rinse well.

It has been determined that in SLA batteries,.

Yes, SLA (seal lead acid) batteries are totally different and they are "sealed".

The timer idea might work on a real diode backed trickle charger (though I feel that the timer is unnecessary on a modern smart charger). But on the HF charger which has no way to prevent running in reverse, it will kill your battery.

If you have a flooded cell battery that is going to spend weeks on end on a charger/maintainer without being used, the lamp timer will maximize its life.

In theory it should not be need, but a member here posted it. He maintained a couple of big backup generator for his HOA. They used a name brand maintainer on the starting batteries and were replacing them about once every 1-2 years. Adding the lamp timer, battery life jumped to about 3-5 years.

 

[Showkey]

For $5, it keeps the battery topped up and healthy.

Not really sure why you need "better" but, hey, your money and all.

Because many of the poor quality chargers do not float, some are constant current, some do not vary the voltage so they may push the water out ( "boil off") .


http://www.stealth316.com/misc/deltran-battery-charger-algorithm-graphs.pdf

 

[WhiffySpark]

I wouldn't buy anything from HF that is to be constantly plugged in or regulate something. May just be me but I'm not comfortable with anything electronic from HF lol

 

[Kev442]

I average 5-6 years from them and own around 8 for the battery fleet. Here are two things people do not understand.

1) It will not charge a battery. Sooooo many people buy one and put it on a weak battery and wonder why it burns up. Cheap HF junk they holler! Yeah well, its easy to blame the product instead of looking at the ***** in the mirror.

2) It is HF. The very first thing to do is put a meter on it and verify it is putting out 12.3+ volts. I have had one new out of the package only putting out 5 volts or so.

PS It is just a low voltage trickle charger. I have not had good luck with small equipment batteries, it eventually boiled the water off. That is why they are labelled automotive maintainers.

 

[iagsxr]

I average 5-6 years from them and own around 8 for the battery fleet. Here are two things people do not understand.

1) It will not charge a battery. Sooooo many people buy one and put it on a weak battery and wonder why it burns up. Cheap HF junk they holler! Yeah well, its easy to blame the product instead of looking at the ***** in the mirror.

2) It is HF. The very first thing to do is put a meter on it and verify it is putting out 12.3+ volts. I have had one new out of the package only putting out 5 volts or so.

PS It is just a low voltage trickle charger. I have not had good luck with small equipment batteries, it eventually boiled the water off. That is why they are labelled automotive maintainers.

Somewhere in the instructions it says to not put them on a battery below 12 volts.

I think a Battery Tender is good down to 9.6.

 

[kctyphoon]

I bought one and tried using it to keep the battery for my generator charged.. It worked great as long as it was plugged in, but as soon as I took it off, the battery was stone dead a day or 2 later.. I threw mine away. For my motorcycle I bought and used an actual battery tender. The real deal brand "battery tender" is less than the cost of a new motorcycle battery, so it's worth it for something being stored for months at a time.

I wouldn't buy another one.. I didn't even buy another battery for the generator. Instead I put the money towards a craftsman platinum series jump pack. Has a lot more uses..

 

[diggerrick]

I had one boil the battery in my lawn tractor 3 or 4 years ago. Battery was new in the spring, toast by January.