battery charger?

[stmiller2]

I plan to purchase a battery charger for farm use. Wal-Mart has a 100/10(or 15?)/2 amp charger from Ever Start for $65.
Does anyone have any experience with this brand?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[jinman]

I've been using a charger like that for almost 10 years with no problems at all. It only charges 12 volt batteries (Some have a switch for 6 volts). When you are doing a fast charge, the charger will cycle off and on, so don't think it is broken when it goes off. That is normal operation. I don't think I paid $65 for mine, but 10 years ago, everything was cheaper./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[stmiller2]

Jim,

Thanks for the info. Am I correct that I would need the 100 amp capacity for starting a diesel? I saw a 50/10/2 charger on sale at Sears for about $35, but I am concerned that the 50 amp starting capacity is too low.

 

[chim]

I may be in the minority here, but I have never owned a battery charger - except for the NiMH batteries for my digital camera. If a vehicle won't start, I check to see if the battery has been drained by a load unintentionally left "on". I also check if the battery is more than 4 years old. If it died with no load, and/or is over 4 years old, it gets replaced.

I suppose if I had a battery for a trolling motor or something like that I would need a charger.................chim

 

[BB_TX]

Some of us need chargers for self protection. My JD 950 does not die by turning off the key switch. I must close the throttle to shut off the fuel. However, I have been known to close the throttle and forget to switch the key off, failing to notice the idiot lights came on when I did. Went back several days later and the battery was dead. Did that twice. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif I think I have learned now.

 

[hazmat]

Chim,

Lots of places you can't easily get a car or other suitable source in for a jump start. Like when you leave the ignition on on your lawn tractor on the other side of the creek. Or your boat when it is at the dock./w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif Or when your car is "nose in" in your 1 car garage & nobody around to help push it out.

 

[Soundguy]

Go with what you are comfterable with safety and money wise. Keep in mind that the booster function of the charger isn't meant to start an engine that has a stone dead battery. It is menat as a booster for a weak or cold battery, etc.
50 amps may not sound like alot, but you would be surprised. I used to jump my yanmar tractor off in the winter by hooking up jumper cables to my riding lawnmower, etc... worked fine, and I doubt I had 50 amps of current flow going through those cables. I had a 10 /1 / trickle/ charger that I used to use also ( when I had pulled the lawnmower down and forgot to charge it back up ).. It only had a 10 boost. What I would do is go out first thing in the morning, and let it charge for 20 minutes while I had my shower and coffee. This put some charge on the battery, and warmed it up. Then I kicked the boost on, and really never had any problems. that 50/10/2 sounds luxorius by comparison. That 10 amp charge can go a long way in a little time. A battery that is weakened by accidental drain that just can't quite turn the engine over, with about 10-20 minutes of charge, plus the boost sounds like it will do fine.

My ford 8n is still 6v, and I use that 10/1/trickle on it ( has a 6v/12v switch ), and from near dead, i can start the tractor in 15 minutes of charge.

Just my .02.

Soundguy

<font color=blue>"Thanks for the info. Am I correct that I would need the 100 amp capacity for starting a diesel? I saw a 50/10/2 charger on sale at Sears for about $35, but I am concerned that the 50 amp starting capacity is too low."

 

[stmiller2]

All,

Thanks for the useful information.

Soundguy, you mentioned safety. Are there specific safety features that I should look for in a charger?

 

[jinman]

My charger is actually a 10/30/50 and the instructions with it suggest that you put it on high for 10 minutes before doing a boosted start. My Dodge diesel has two batteries, and you can't even get it started with a 300 amp charger. I'm not sure what the little diesels in our tractors would require, but I would say that in all but the most extreme case (battery completely dead), the 100 amp starter would be a good choice. I've wished for a little more power on a few occasions, but most of the time the 50 amp charger works fine. There are so many variations, it's hard to say what's best, but I consider my charger primarily a charger and not a booster "battery."

 

[ns_in_tex]

I have used a 10/50 charger for years & still do when I want to carry a light weight one to a lawn mower somewhere.

A couple of years ago I purchased a 2/10/50/225 Schumacher charger on wheels at Sams Club for about 85.00. It has a timer you can set for how long you want it to charge. I like it a lot for use in or near the shop. I even use it in place of a battery to operate a 12 volt winch I have stored/mounted in the shop ceiling.

 

[knucklehead]

Neal - you reminded me of the charger brand we use. Most of my family have had good service from the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.batterychargers.com/top.htm>Schumacher</A> products. Oddly enough, we always find them at places like K Mart. They are quite weighty, which we always assumed meant more copper in the transformers.

We've only use the trickle chargers so far; this has been good info for me regarding the starting functions.

 

[Marko]

I use a portable trickle charger that I bought as Sears. I can be used on cars/trucks/lawn equipment etc. It mounts next to the battery and connects to the + and - terminals. The other end has a 3 prong 110 plug that I plug into and outlet in the garage. I only use this in the winter to keep the battery up to snuff. Works great and it only cost $20.00. I have one from my lawn tractor and for my 4110.

Mark

 

[cmsedore]

I stay away from the Wal-Mart chargers. I bought two for charging trolling motors (about $25 each, IIRC). Both of them first had problems with the contact in the positive cable (melted the plastic--could have caused a fire), then after some period of time the automatic charging function fails to work (it never fully charges the battery--put it on my big Sears charger, they charge right up, so it wasn't the battery).

I buy other stuff at Wal-Mart, but won't buy a charger there again. Just my experience.

-Chris

 

[Soundguy]

When i mentioned safety, I was actually thinking along the lines of start / boost in emergency situations, but since you mention it, you might want to make sure that the charger you choose has some sort of built in circuit breaker or fuse. ( most I have seen have an internal breaker, or thermal breaker. )

Soundguy

 

[stmiller2]

Neal and Mark,

Thanks for the lead on Schumacher products. I have found a Schumacher 125/15/2 automatic charger at a local "discount" farm supply/hardware store. The charger will suit my needs and, at $70, is $10 off the price listed at the Schumacher Web site.