Battery charger/maintainer reviews?

[mm2670]

Are most negative reviews just BS or what? Made in China or not it doesn't seem the negative reviews can possible be as bad in general as seen on Amazon/etc. It's getting to the point that it's not even worth looking at those reviews.

I'd like to simply get a battery charger that can also do maintaining (not simply trickle charge).

Comments?

Thanks.

[Raspy]

Getting a smart battery charger is not rocket science, or difficult. Go to Walmart, or most any auto parts store and find a smart charger, or one that says multi-stage, etc. Trickle charging is not the same thing as a smart charging. Or go to Batteries Plus, or Costco and get a smart battery maintainer.

If you want one that will keep up with some loads, you'll need a slightly larger size. If you simply want to keep the batteries alive, 3/4 to 3 amps will be fine.

But remember, a "smart charger" will not charge a dead battery. It needs to have about 10 volts available to turn on the charger. So if your battery is dead, jump it with a set of jumper cables to a good battery, while the smart charger is connected, then disconnect the jump. Or use an old fashioned ferro-resonant charger for long enough to get it past 10 volts.

Smart chargers can be left connected to batteries without damaging them.

[C&G in FL]

All I will say about online reviews (Amazon and others) is simply read them and then consider who is posting the review. My “favorite” is the the type where some genius rates a product a “1” because “it was smaller than I expected,” “I’d didn’t fit where I wanted to put it,” “the color wasn’t what I expected,” or “it didn’t come with batteries.” But when you look at the included photo or read the description the dimensions are clearly stated, the color is obvious, or there is a disclaimer that batteries are not included. Many bad reviews are not a result of the functionality of the item or it’s durability. It is reputed that in some cases bad reviews are posted by competing manufacturers. One item I purchased from Amazon arrived with an offer for a free widget, but I had to prove to the company that I have the original item a 5-star glowing review. As far as the moronic reviews mentioned above, I will refer to a popular quote: “You can’t fix stupid.” As to small battery maintainers, I have owned and still own two from three different manufacturers. All were good, but if pressed, I would say my personal favorite is the Battery Minder. The other two were a Battery Tender (fried by lightning when it was 9 years old) and CTEK model, specifically for AGM batteries.

[redbarron55]

I use two chargers, both are "smart" but they conflict sometimes as they are in parallal.
One is the Solar MPPT charger a 40 amp from EPEVER and the other a Progressive Dynamics charger, maintainer, power distribution system.
The PD has what they call Charge Wizard built in.

[gordon2]

For Amazon, I select verified buyers only, then most recent. Then you have actually read the reviews. Just looking at the score is about useless. Ignore the ones who give one star because it broke in shipment (unrelated to the quality of the product). Ignore the ones where you suspect user error or ignorance about the item (unreasonable expectations included). Find the reviews where the writer put in some effort to be helpful, and look for reoccurring criticisms of a particular issue.

For battery chargers, CTEK and Noco Genius are good choices. Just be sure to match the model to the need, esp. amps.

[thrifty bill]

I have used Battery Tenders for years. Anyone with a motorcycle knows you either get a battery tender of some kind, or you buy a new battery every two years.

Last year, I switched to this Harbor Freight tender. I am pleased with it so far, got them on sale at a very reasonable price.

https://www.harborfreight.com/4a-ful...attery+charger

[Perryb67]

Originally Posted by Raspy

If you want one that will keep up with some loads, you'll need a slightly larger size. If you simply want to keep the batteries alive, 3/4 to 3 amps will be fine.

But remember, a "smart charger" will not charge a dead battery. It needs to have about 10 volts available to turn on the charger. So if your battery is dead, jump it with a set of jumper cables to a good battery, while the smart charger is connected, then disconnect the jump. Or use an old fashioned ferro-resonant charger for long enough to get it past 10 volts.

Smart chargers can be left connected to batteries without damaging them.

Our ChargeIt will charge a dead battery. I've charged our defective battery in Organ Pipe National Park six nights and have charged other dead batteries in our seasonal campground with this charger. Of course if the battery is truly dead (our's was close in Organ Pipe) no battery will keep a charge.

Best charger I've ever owned!

Enjoy,

Perry

[Jump]

I've used this model for almost 3 years and it has done a good job maintaining the chassis battery of my RV.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Jump

[Captleemo]

I like the Battery Tender brand myself. Have used them for years and never had a problem, They won't boil your battery dry either.

[Tony D]

I have a battery tender plus. Works great. I use it primarily in the off season when I pull the battery off the trailer. I don’t worry about the battery during the season unless it will be a month between outings.

[LarryB.]

Originally Posted by CPW

All I will say about online reviews (Amazon and others) is simply read them and then consider who is posting the review.

Ditto on reading the reviews. I usually buzz thru the 1 & 2 star reviews to get an “impression” and then compare the quantity to the 5, 4 & 3 star reviews. If the 1 & 2 star quantity/impression hasn’t “fallen off the wall” then the item just might be worth consideration.

After acquiring my 2007 Casita 2+ years ago and replacing the battery, I bought one of these battery charger/maintainers at Harbor Freight only because I wasn’t interested in “over investing” and the small under $12 varieties looked a bit to wimpy.

Per Tony’s comment:

Originally Posted by Tony D

I have a battery tender plus. Works great. I use it primarily in the off season when I pull the battery off the trailer. I don’t worry about the battery during the season unless it will be a month between outings.

My (inexpensive) charger/maintainer has worked well over the past two winters and in-between trips.

[stevebaz]

I use the CTEC model for my rarely used Bronco. It works great. On my scamp i use my pd4045 converter. Life is good. Plug them and forget them. Check water once a year.

[Markz]

CTEK all the way.