Old Battery Chargers…keep, toss, repurpose?

[mrvm]

Got two old style battery chargers taking up space. Both have not been used for over twenty plus years and worked before storage. Modern battery tenders and chargers are much smaller, electronic and some charge AGM and lithium batteries. Think these should be tossed, sold or repurposed?

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

I would love to have one of those for my garage as a display.

 

[Bert_]

Keep it so you can still charge a battery when your smart charger dies

 

[fullthrottle24]

I use mine as power supply for electrolysis.

 

[brownbagg]

they make great rust remover

 

[nadogail]

Within their limitations they are probably excellent Chargers. They will not have all the “Bells and Whistles” of the new chargers, but they still have a lot of life left in them. One real plus is that they can charge a completely dead battery. The “New and Improved” ones will not, the old style chargers require some oversight; which should not be a problem for a reasonably competent person.

 

[tattooman]

Repurpose to rust remover ? Check.

Continue using charging batteries ? Negative. Ditch and upgrade to modern computer-chip staged/auto charging models. I bought a new modern automatic model, COULDN'T BE HAPPIER with the new technology charger, it's really amazing how they work, and much better for the battery in achieving 100% charge WITHOUT damage, completely eliminating even minor damage.

I had an old Craftsman like those above, was forced to replace it after it had completely corroded inside and out during a particularly wet (super high humidity) summer in my garage. I since then installed a dehumidifier, something for another thread.

Anyway I agree, I LOVED that old charger, fantastic build quality for what it was at that time. But you just can't beat a modern computer-controlled charger, you just can't.

Sorry for the bad news.

 

[The Cobbler]

those chargers will probably still be working long after your new fangled computer chip smart charger has died a quick death.

 

[Contender54]

Keep it for when the new chargers refuse to charge a battery that the computer chip considers “too dead.”

 

[rslaback]

As a guy working in a manufacturing facility that owns a deep cycle battery powered floor scrubber that has the key left on at least once a year and came with a smart charger I can tell you that to the right person those older dumb chargers are worth good money.

 

[finn]

The new smart chargers are great at many things, but charging a completely dead battery isn’t one of them,

On more than one occasion I’ve had to dig out the old reliable manual charger to bring a dead battery up to a state o f charge where a smart charger would function.

 

[mrvm]

All good information! Guess I’ll make some room and chuck these old chargers in the corner for another twenty years. When they decide to liquidate my assets and tools it will be someone else’s problem

 

[jimy]

I’d keep it for starting a car with a dead battery. In general I’ve been able to start a dead/weak battery car after just a few minutes on a charger like this.

 

[Metal-Marc]

All good information! Guess I’ll make some room and chuck these old chargers in the corner for another twenty years. When they decide to liquidate my assets and tools it will be someone else’s problem

That's the spirit.

 

[PoorUB]

I would keep them or sell or give away to someone that can use them. I have one battery charger and it is 35 years old, similar to the 10/50 amp model, but a different brand. No plans to replace it. Either of theose chargers are fine to charge automotive sized batteries.

Well, I do have a couple small battery tenders, but they will not do any serious charging.

 

[KEH]

I have 2 battery chargers like the one pictured in post 1. They gave many years of good service, but now one failed the smoke test and the other only charges on low(2amps) power. They are also rather weathered. If somebody close wanted them for display they woudl be free.

KEH

 

[Mfaz28]

Pulse type chargers include a desulfating function. Invaluable for resurrecting fading batteries. But keep “ole reliable” sure to come in handy. At least that’s what I keep telling my wife!

 

[Earp69]

I've got the simalar model but older version that does 6v/12v a good buddy gave me years ago. She's never let me down yet and has brought back lots of dead batteries. Even charges my Milwaukee m12 batteries that won't charge on the Milwaukee charger

 

[jrsavoie]

I would love to have one of those for my garage as a display.

Lol. I still use chargers like that

 

[jrsavoie]

Pulse type chargers include a desulfating function. Invaluable for resurrecting fading batteries. But keep “ole reliable” sure to come in handy. At least that’s what I keep telling my wife!

My wife says that's why she keeps me

 

[mikedodge]

I still use chargers like that too. If you sell them you can usually get $15-$20 for them.

 

[Jeff C]

Both have not been used for over twenty plus years

Good or bad, useful or not… the fact that they haven’t been used in over 20 years is all that matters. It’s time for them to find a new home. Storing anything that long is a waste of time and space.

 

[c39er]

No thanks on the new miracle chargers...I want those old chargers any day over those new chinese chargers!

 

[Shocker]

I have a pile of new fangled chargers and they work fine, but I still reach for my classic Shumacher charger all the time.

 

[WisJim]

I have a truck and a tractor that get used at extended intervals, and often their batteries are dead enough that the newer style chargers won't try to charge them. That's when I am glad I still have my old style charger to bring the battery back to life. Of course, I could put a small maintainer style charger on them to keep the battery charged, but in my experience those new chargers fail sometime during the time I am depending on them, so I'm back to the dead battery situation. I threw out 3 failed new style chargers that had failed in the last year.