Smart battery chargers with reconditioning modes

[stevem5215]

For smart chargers first purchased two CTEK 3300's. One died in the first year and the other selector switch stopped working within 3 years. Then purchased a NOCO 7200 and a marine 2 battery unit but after monitoring what the charger was doing vs the marketing lit I be came concerned the units were not functioning properly. After many back and forth with customer service they assured me they units were functioning normally despite what the marketing lit says. They also clarified that their temperature compensating function had nothing to do with compensating the charging voltage to temperature except for charger overheating conditions which preventing catastrophic failure of the charger.

Though I'm sure NOCO offers a fine product, I'm not one for feeling ok with a bunch of BS so then bought a Batter Minder 128cec. Couldn't be happier so far and has lived up to expectations and has real temperature compensation. I charge batteries in boat holds that could over 100 degrees and in my tractor in winter during -20 degree C conditions and after measuring the voltage in these conditions the result match exactly what their literature describes. The charging stages voltage and amps also exactly match their published specs which NOCO's do not (NOCO's specs are very vague and measurements don't align at all with their intended gibberish) Might not make a bean of difference in the long run but it sure sets my mind at ease that their marketing is not a bunch mumbo jumbo like Noco;s. I'm certain some of the chargers I've employed has completed fcked a few batteries over the years so this at least gives me some confidence back. The battery minder has an always on reconditioning mode as part of their maintenance mode

However, I have to give 10 thumbs up to Noco's GB70 compact lithium jump starter, probably one of my best purchases that has lived up to the billing. That product has not disappointed in the most extreme of conditions.

I might have bought your charger at the flea market!
The CTEK 3300 I bought for $10 had a bad microswitch in the selector for it. Tore it down and bought a pack of 10 switches at RS a while back. Works great now. (you wouldn't still happen to have that bad one ? I'll take it !)

Steve

 

[Industrial Toys]

I just got my third used Zantrax True charge given to me. The last wo I blew up hooking up batteries backwards, which isn't supposed to hurt the charger, but it does. Maybe I learned my lesson.

I too, bought new Trojans for the E-Gator this year and was thinking about getting a 48 volt desulphating chager. They are expensive and I'm just not convinced of the validity. No one in my opinion has scientific proof that they work. We can believe all kinds of things that are not true, but it doesn't make it so. As they say (from the X-Files, Scully I think) "No amount of belief establishes fact".

 

[aczlan]

I just got my third used Zantrax True charge given to me. The last wo I blew up hooking up batteries backwards, which isn't supposed to hurt the charger, but it does. Maybe I learned my lesson.

I too, bought new Trojans for the E-Gator this year and was thinking about getting a 48 volt desulphating chager. They are expensive and I'm just not convinced of the validity. No one in my opinion has scientific proof that they work. We can believe all kinds of things that are not true, but it doesn't make it so. As they say (from the X-Files, Scully I think) "No amount of belief establishes fact".

Does that take 6V, 8V or 12V batteries? If it is 6V or 12V batteries and you have downtime for the E-Gator, you could run a desulfating charger on each battery (or pair of batteries)...
That said, modern golf cart chargers are pretty good at taking care of batteries.

Aaron Z

 

[3930dave]

I might have bought your charger at the flea market!
The CTEK 3300 I bought for $10 had a bad microswitch in the selector for it. Tore it down and bought a pack of 10 switches at RS a while back. Works great now. (you wouldn't still happen to have that bad one ? I'll take it !)

Steve

Would you still have that PN for the switch handy ?

My 3300 is down, after at least 5 years of steady use....... I'd seen some posts about possible out of spec caps, and had been too lazy to tear into mine...... if it's just a basic switch, that should be an easy fix....

Rgds, D.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have dealt with seperate batteries two at a time on the Gator, when I had two that were worse than the others. It helped judging by the specific gravity I observed.

I was going to put this latest Zantrax True charge in permanent service on my main generator. I am too stupid and if I tried to use it two batteries at a time on the Gator, i am sure I would eventually hook it up backwards AGAIN!

 

[ultrarunner]

OK... just ordered a 2-4-8 Battery Minder for $149 at Battery Mart... looking forward to trying it out.


BatteryMINDer 12V 2/4/8 Amp Charger / Maintainer / Desulfator with FREE Digital Voltmeter
Item #: 128CEC1

 

[3930dave]

OK... just ordered a 2-4-8 Battery Minder for $149 at Battery Mart... looking forward to trying it out.


BatteryMINDer 12V 2/4/8 Amp Charger / Maintainer / Desulfator with FREE Digital Voltmeter
Item #: 128CEC1

Looks like a well-reviewed product ur.

Please post about any batteries that you recover with it, I'm guessing that you have "1 or 2" around....

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

I admit to being very sloppy with long term battery maintenance...

Some of the locations where I store vehicles have no power... I know I should schlep the batteries to a dedicated bench to keep them ready to go... the less I move batteries around the better.

I've got two 4D batteries a year old... the inspector at the hospital wanted maintenance free so the 11 month old batteries had to go... too bad nothing I have uses this size... the CAT D3 size.

Most of my stuff is 6-volt and I bought a 12-volt Minder...

What I need to do is mount a small charger in my Service Van... not using it as much and the parasitic drain takes a toll in about 21 days... plus it has two batteries... thinking of connecting to the battery isolator alternator lead hoping to keep both up?

Was thinking of a Marine Tender... but maybe a small Battery Minder with Desulfator?

 

[3930dave]

I admit to being very sloppy with long term battery maintenance...

Some of the locations where I store vehicles have no power... I know I should schlep the batteries to a dedicated bench to keep them ready to go... the less I move batteries around the better.

I've got two 4D batteries a year old... the inspector at the hospital wanted maintenance free so the 11 month old batteries had to go... too bad nothing I have uses this size... the CAT D3 size.

Most of my stuff is 6-volt and I bought a 12-volt Minder...

What I need to do is mount a small charger in my Service Van... not using it as much and the parasitic drain takes a toll in about 21 days... plus it has two batteries... thinking of connecting to the battery isolator alternator lead hoping to keep both up?

Was thinking of a Marine Tender... but maybe a small Battery Minder with Desulfator?

A dedicated minder for the van would be nice...... although a decent solar PV would be better than nothing, for some of those applications you have.

Rgds, D.

 

[Jaylegger]

I might have bought your charger at the flea market!
The CTEK 3300 I bought for $10 had a bad microswitch in the selector for it. Tore it down and bought a pack of 10 switches at RS a while back. Works great now. (you wouldn't still happen to have that bad one ? I'll take it !)

Steve

The first one to crap out on me just wouldn't light up under any condition so threw it out. The other started acting up by not switching to maintenance mode, at first unplugging and re-plugging would solve the problem but over time nothing I did could massage the unit into maintenance mode. This problem also coincided with the button switch issue. Took the button switch apart at least 3 times to in an attempt to fix but nothing. Was also aware of the soldering in of an outboard switch but just wasn't motivated to do so. I do still have this unit tucked away in a cabinet if you want it. I'm in Canada though so shipping may deter you despite the unit being no cost.