Modern battery chargers

[junkyardjeff]

Where I work has all modern digital battery chargers that will not charge a battery that is completely dead,I had to run home and get my old school charger that did the job so what is with those chargers that they will not charge a completely dead battery.

 

[unslow1]

They will if you piggyback them off another battery that has a charge. Yes that is annoying.

 

[M6erfan]

NOCO Genius has a "Force Mode" to allow charging a completely dead battery.

 

[VolvoRyan]

You can still get the old school "dumb" chargers they're still handy to have. On the other hand, good modern chargers that desulfate are incredible bits of kit.

-Ryan

 

[Lucid Moments]

And many of the really new ones have a similar "force" mode to the NOCO ones. There were a few years where charger makers either didn't think of that or it was too expensive to implement, or some other reason I can't think of and they couldn't deal with a dead battery. It is really annoying.

 

[junkyardjeff]

If it could be forced to charge I could not figure out how to do it,its easier to grab a old school charger.

 

[Kscardsfan]

You can still get the old school "dumb" chargers they're still handy to have. On the other hand, good modern chargers that desulfate are incredible bits of kit.

-Ryan

Desulfate?

 

[VolvoRyan]

Desulfate?

They basically pulse the lead plates to descale the sulfate deposits that precipitate out when a lead/acid battery gets (real) low in the charge. If I knew the exact process, I'd have a job that pays more money.... but been impressed with the Granite digital charger/desulfators.

I can't say that they "renew" batteries, but they definitely work some magic. I've had a couple batteries that were old and went DOA on me.... a couple weeks on the Granite unit, and now they're some of my most reliable batteries.

-Ryan

 

[Kscardsfan]

They basically pulse the lead plates to descale the sulfate deposits that precipitate out when a lead/acid battery gets (real) low in the charge. If I knew the exact process, I'd have a job that pays more money.... but been impressed with the Granite digital charger/desulfators.

I can't say that they "renew" batteries, but they definitely work some magic. I've had a couple batteries that were old and went DOA on me.... a couple weeks on the Granite unit, and now they're some of my most reliable batteries.

-Ryan

I might have to look into those someday. For now I’m still using the old school cheap ones I got back in high school at Sears in the mall.

 

[zendriver]

I have not tried but supposedly one can hook up a maintainer charger on a totally dead battery,, to put enough charge to "fool" the modern charger, into charging it.

 

[unslow1]

The desulfate setting on one of my chargers has really extended the lives of my batteries. I had 4 last over 8 years and lost 3 of those this year. One is still going and starting to get weak at nearly 11 years.

 

[junkyardjeff]

The desulfate setting on one of my chargers has really extended the lives of my batteries. I had 4 last over 8 years and lost 3 of those this year. One is still going and starting to get weak at nearly 11 years.

 

[lardy1]

I bought the NOCO Genius 10 on a one day sale thing for 60 bucks. I'm working my way through desulfating all of my batteries. 60 bucks is less than the price of one battery. If I get the results I reasd others talk about it will be money well spent. Very easy to use also.

 

[HotelMike]

I’ve used a DC lab power supply to revive NiMH batteries that smart chargers refused to charge. 0-30V 5A are just over $50 on Amazon and 10A units are available for not much more. Should be just fine for a car battery and once you have it, you will most likely figure out additional uses like testing and triggering various car parts.

 

[Lucid Moments]

I have not tried but supposedly one can hook up a maintainer charger on a totally dead battery,, to put enough charge to "fool" the modern charger, into charging it.

I have done it and it does work. If I end up with a dead battery I have a couple of old battery tender 1.25 amp maintainers. Usually in that case I am not in a hurry and just leave it on there for a week or so, but I have taken it off after a day or so and put it on a more modern higher amp charger and had it work.

 

[toplessHO]

I’ve used a DC lab power supply to revive NiMH batteries that smart chargers refused to charge. 0-30V 5A are just over $50 on Amazon and 10A units are available for not much more. Should be just fine for a car battery and once you have it, you will most likely figure out additional uses like testing and triggering various car parts.

I bought one for other things but mines a 10A
Ive found it to be invaluable.
But I did melt the factory connector running it at max amps for a little while.
A good connector and a home made HD harness fixed that problem.

 

[Alpine4x4]

Noco. I got one of their chargers on sale via Woot a few years ago and it is very nice. Has revived many a fully dead battery in its repair mode.

NOCO - Genius Multi-Purpose Battery Chargers

Our most advanced battery charger yet. Its a charger, maintainer, and desulfator. And it's incredibly powerful and compact.

no.co

 

[engineer2]

I bought one of those modern "smart" battery chargers for my battery backed up sump pump. It killed a new deep cycle battery in 18 months. Maybe this is normal for a battery that has never gotten any real use. I'm thinking about building a better back up sump pump controller that would exercise the battery now and then.

 

[FMB4]

The 'desulfate' feature on my modern B charger brought 2 'dead' batts back into reliable service. This alone paid for the charger. The other great thing is that this hi-freq chrgr will often top-off a low batt in just minutes.

 

[billford]

Where I work has all modern digital battery chargers that will not charge a battery that is completely dead,I had to run home and get my old school charger that did the job so what is with those chargers that they will not charge a completely dead battery.

They are not supposed to charge a completely dead battery because the charger does not know if its safe to charge. You need a few volts in the battery, then the charger runs a test, if its safe to charge, then the charger continues.

I also have to use a old style dumb charger to start the charging process then after an hour, I switch to the automatic charger and leave it on for a few days.

With the dumb charger, you should monitor it for a hour to make sure the battery does not overheat.

 

[BukitCase]

Knew I shouldn't-a read this thread, got "GJ'd" again; Genius10 should be here day after tomorrow

50 yr old daughter and her game-addicted 15 yr old son stayed with us a few months (Covid Fuster Cluck ****) - I swear she's forgotten more than I taught her when she was still in high school, left the dome light on in her Civic hybrid gutless wonder "didn't think it'd matter" for an ENTIRE WEEKEND; check with DVM, battery was at around 120 MILLI-volts...

Even with 3 diesel tractors, 2 cars and a van, I pretty much NEVER have battery probs that a cheapo HF charger can't handle, any exceptions are usually closer to the shop (and an older DUMB but STOUT charger,) which I had to trundle the 120 feet from shop to the front driveway area - that one got the battery woke up and charged in about 3 hours, then the charger got to make me tired AGAIN going back to the shop -

Good thing (especially for Amazon :=) that I still believe in "Fool me ONCE..." Steve

 

[smackey05]

The desulfate setting on one of my chargers has really extended the lives of my batteries. I had 4 last over 8 years and lost 3 of those this year. One is still going and starting to get weak at nearly 11 years.

This has definitely brought a few of my batteries back to life... or at least to a better condition.

 

[vwpieces]

I like having a few old dumb chargers on hand, ones that do 6V too.
Bought one of the first version NOCO 3500 3.5A to do small and AGM. But over the years it must have got wet and the Modes don't switch on the button. Still works but there is moisture damage on the board.

Just the other day I bought a Genius 5 with disulfate mode. Hasn't arrived yet but need to try a repair on one batt in the fleet already.
At the price, if it fixes up one battery it paid for itself.

 

[GTO]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the disulfate mode would be for an AGM battery.
I was unaware that it would also work on a "regular" battery
TIA

 

[carmantl]

Desulfate actually works better on lead acid flooded batteries than on absorbed glass mat batteries due to the differences in their construction.

 

[RedToolBox]

If it could be forced to charge I could not figure out how to do it,its easier to grab a old school charger.

I definitely despise the Digital version because the readouts start missing segments and you will eventually end up not being able to read it. OLD SCHOOL chargers are getting harder to get and when they are found the price of them are higher than usual . I believe it is disappointing that we the consumer have very little choices.
I prefer a charger with choices such as lower amps, mid range and high for charging or starting vehicles. Including the opportunity to choose 6 or 12 volts.

 

[BukitCase]

So far I like the Genius10, bought an aftermarket case for it and an "extension cord", plus the ring terminal adapter for using it as an "ac powered 12 volt supply" - after looking at the BS you need to remember to get into ANY of the deeper modes, I made sure the MANUAL is ALSO stored in that case. We'll see how the digital stuff holds up, it's gonna be stored in a drawer in one of my 6 or 7 rollaways - now if I can just remember WHICH ONE...

Meanwhile, I'm def NOT getting rid of the old HF dumb charger, it just does what you tell it to do (see earlier post) - in fact, it's one of the VERY few HF tools I'd try to fix if/when it goes AWOL... Steve

Oh, forgot to mention in my earlier post - when I ressurected daughter's POS car battery, it was raining - but for ONCE I was at least SORTA prepared - this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XL23Y1C/?tag=atomicindus08-20

is a PERFECT FIT for the "wheelie" manual charger I have (older flat top version) - that cover reaches about an inch BELOW the bottom of the case, and the charger's top handle keeps it from "bathtubbing" on top - PLUS, the fit is loose enough NOT to cause overheating. It rained HARD for the entire 3 hours it took to bring the battery back, the charger was BONE DRY after. (More so than I was for sure )

 

[javyLSU]

Knew I shouldn't-a read this thread, got "GJ'd" again; Genius10 should be here day after tomorrow

50 yr old daughter and her game-addicted 15 yr old son stayed with us a few months (Covid Fuster Cluck ****) - I swear she's forgotten more than I taught her when she was still in high school, left the dome light on in her Civic hybrid gutless wonder "didn't think it'd matter" for an ENTIRE WEEKEND; check with DVM, battery was at around 120 MILLI-volts...

Even with 3 diesel tractors, 2 cars and a van, I pretty much NEVER have battery probs that a cheapo HF charger can't handle, any exceptions are usually closer to the shop (and an older DUMB but STOUT charger,) which I had to trundle the 120 feet from shop to the front driveway area - that one got the battery woke up and charged in about 3 hours, then the charger got to make me tired AGAIN going back to the shop -

Good thing (especially for Amazon :=) that I still believe in "Fool me ONCE..." Steve

Genius10 is the best charger/maintainer/desulfator I’ve ever used. You won’t regret spending that money.

 

[BukitCase]

Thanks, so far I totally agree

BTW, this

Amazon.com

is the case I bought - keeps things nice and tidy, seems well made. Hint - if you wanna keep those typically chinese wires as neat as the pics in the link, a piece or two of velcro will help. I tend to keep a roll or two of the HF stuff for things like that... Steve