PaulWS
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just ordered a NOCO G3500 on amazon $59.95 with free shipping. Thanks for the info everyone.
Looking for an automatic battery charger without breaking the bank
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sixdogs
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I have only looked at the NOCO 3500 so far and am surprised how far battery chargers have come. I can't even imagine stuff this good. It's agreed; the TBN has cost me a bundle but I don't regret a penny of it.
Industrial Toys
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I personally don't believe any rig will desulphate a battery. I also notice that none of the automatic batttery chargers I have tried (and there have been a few) give the battery a full state of charge. It's good enough to keep them in a good state of storage but they are not FULL! There seems to be a compromise in that. You can't have your cake and eat it too, it seems. You don't want your battery boiled dry, well you can't have it fully charged then.
I have, looking back, thrown out good batteries that these smart chargers said were charged, and yet they did not start a diesel engine. Generallyspeaking, I have gone back to the old simple chargers and just don't leave them on for long periods.
That's just my experience.
I have, looking back, thrown out good batteries that these smart chargers said were charged, and yet they did not start a diesel engine. Generallyspeaking, I have gone back to the old simple chargers and just don't leave them on for long periods.
That's just my experience.
DFB
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You know yesterday I VOM checked my lawn tractor battery and it read 12.5VDC so I decided to hook up that Fully Automatic Die Hard charger I have and as soon as it was turned on (2 amp only) it kicked right back off and the green light came on showing a fully charged battery. I tried it a couple times with the same results. So next I hooked up my manual(non automatic) Die Hard charger I have had like forever 2 amp setting ran it for a while amperage slowly tapering down after a few hours.
Today at least a good 20 hours later now, the 12VDC reading of that battery on my VOM meter is at 12.8
Today at least a good 20 hours later now, the 12VDC reading of that battery on my VOM meter is at 12.8
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I'm never getting rid of my 1957 shop charger... it is heavy duty and will boil a battery.
It has taken dead batteries my modern chargers wouldn't touch...
I think just forcing the current... of course the battery is outside and I have to add distilled water maybe several times...
A battery guy told me as long as the plates are covered I'm ok...
Also the safety of having the battery in a well ventilated area so hydrogen gas cannot accumulate.
It has taken dead batteries my modern chargers wouldn't touch...
I think just forcing the current... of course the battery is outside and I have to add distilled water maybe several times...
A battery guy told me as long as the plates are covered I'm ok...
Also the safety of having the battery in a well ventilated area so hydrogen gas cannot accumulate.
Industrial Toys
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Thousands of batteries will get thrown out today because they are old. Meaning the plates are sulphated. Why not just hook them to one of these wonder chargers?
A battery can be on charge for a very short period and have a surface charge. If conditions arn't critical, this can often be enough to start an engine. It's how those portable starting packs work. But one of those electronic chargers has no way to differentiate the surface charge from a fully charged battery. In fact, more sophisticated chargers have a temperature probe which is a critical part of the equasion for charging batteries. I have never seen one of these wonder chargers with that either.
There just seems to be much consumer foolery with chargers. Like that "starting setting" on my twenty year old Costco charger. Mean while it has 12 gauge leads, or something like that. Maybe I just don't understand the MAGIC of chargers!
A battery can be on charge for a very short period and have a surface charge. If conditions arn't critical, this can often be enough to start an engine. It's how those portable starting packs work. But one of those electronic chargers has no way to differentiate the surface charge from a fully charged battery. In fact, more sophisticated chargers have a temperature probe which is a critical part of the equasion for charging batteries. I have never seen one of these wonder chargers with that either.
There just seems to be much consumer foolery with chargers. Like that "starting setting" on my twenty year old Costco charger. Mean while it has 12 gauge leads, or something like that. Maybe I just don't understand the MAGIC of chargers!
DFB
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You know I tell my buddy that runs the bike shop something similar...him and a couple others that park their motorcycles inside there on a regular basis always have them on tenders. When they want to go for ride they unplug and uncover their machines. When they come back always the same day, and after cleaning the bikes and covering them back up again (there's a ritual here 
) they are all hooked back up to the tenders. I say "you guys will never know if you have bad battery or not"
Someday maybe they will be away from the garage long enough to find out the battery doesn't actually maintain a starting charge.
) they are all hooked back up to the tenders. I say "you guys will never know if you have bad battery or not" Someday maybe they will be away from the garage long enough to find out the battery doesn't actually maintain a starting charge.
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Money was very tight when I bought my first car in High School and I didn't want the expense of a battery so I put in a dose of VX6 anti-sulphation treatment from the autoparts store and never did buy a battery... and never had to jump it again.
Anyone remember VX6 with the picture of Richard Petty on the package?
Apparently the miracle additive is cadmium...
Always thought it performed as advertised...
Anyone remember VX6 with the picture of Richard Petty on the package?
Apparently the miracle additive is cadmium...
Always thought it performed as advertised...
dragoneggs
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Those were the days. Not advocating the product or its effectiveness but now days... No way. The use of Cadmium in products and manufacturing processes is almost verboten.
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Back when I was 13 it would cost $20 to have a coffee can of old Model A Bolts Cad plated...
The plating shop in East Oakland was a family operation... Mother, Father and sons... the men all wore big rubber smocks... also remember lots of missing teeth... funny what you remember as a kid.
Lots of vats and transformers with wood walkways and benches and two big ceiling exhaust fans.
Come to think of it... the plating shop was not too far from the battery rebuilder... he always had reconditioned auto batteries with a 90 day warranty advertised for $9.95
One day he showed me how a batter is rebuilt...
Basically, he would drain the battery into a big vat through nylon??? filters...
Then he would open up the tar seams and separate the plates from the case for inspection.
Many times the battery stopped working for two reasons... accumulation in the bottom of the case causing a short or a mechanical break between plates/posts.
If everything looked good he put it all back together after cleaning the case... put back in filtered sulphuric acid to a certain specific gravity mixed with distilled water...
Back to the bench with maybe 60 charger leads and give the battery a deep charge so it would just start to boil and then load test...
Come to think about it... I remember both sites becoming superfund sites...
The transformers were large with big heavy leads.... noisy humming sounds too...
I guess this is way before pulse charging and electronic controls... just brute power.
EDIT... The city block that was the Exide plant became a city park with ballfields/courts and picnic areas... remember going to the dedication and hearing how the kids will finally have a place of their own...
Later... yellow residue started leaching from the ground after a very wet winter... I think the top 30" of the park was excavated and hauled away to Texas... a barrier added and new soil brought in... never did go back to play when it was reopened several years later... doubt anyone around today would even know it was the site of the Exide Battery Factory for 65 year.
The plating shop in East Oakland was a family operation... Mother, Father and sons... the men all wore big rubber smocks... also remember lots of missing teeth... funny what you remember as a kid.
Lots of vats and transformers with wood walkways and benches and two big ceiling exhaust fans.
Come to think of it... the plating shop was not too far from the battery rebuilder... he always had reconditioned auto batteries with a 90 day warranty advertised for $9.95
One day he showed me how a batter is rebuilt...
Basically, he would drain the battery into a big vat through nylon??? filters...
Then he would open up the tar seams and separate the plates from the case for inspection.
Many times the battery stopped working for two reasons... accumulation in the bottom of the case causing a short or a mechanical break between plates/posts.
If everything looked good he put it all back together after cleaning the case... put back in filtered sulphuric acid to a certain specific gravity mixed with distilled water...
Back to the bench with maybe 60 charger leads and give the battery a deep charge so it would just start to boil and then load test...
Come to think about it... I remember both sites becoming superfund sites...
The transformers were large with big heavy leads.... noisy humming sounds too...
I guess this is way before pulse charging and electronic controls... just brute power.
EDIT... The city block that was the Exide plant became a city park with ballfields/courts and picnic areas... remember going to the dedication and hearing how the kids will finally have a place of their own...
Later... yellow residue started leaching from the ground after a very wet winter... I think the top 30" of the park was excavated and hauled away to Texas... a barrier added and new soil brought in... never did go back to play when it was reopened several years later... doubt anyone around today would even know it was the site of the Exide Battery Factory for 65 year.
