Cheap & cheerful battery charger?

[don simon]

Any recommendations for a cheap and cheerful battery charger for the beast that I can get tomorrow from the likes of Machine Mart/Halfrauds/Argos or the like.
Thanks.

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by don simon

Any recommendations for a cheap and cheerful battery charger for the beast that I can get tomorrow from the likes of Machine Mart/Halfrauds/Argos or the like.
Thanks.

Trouble with most battery chargers sold in most shops today is they will not charge a completely flat battery. Sounds crazy but it's true.

Although I bit the bullet and bought a C-Tek I also have a much cheaper and very similar one that I bought from Aldi for around £15.

It's a battery conditioner "Ultimate Speed" ULG 3.8 they have them fairly regularly.



Sorry the picture is upside down but it has modes for 6 or 12 volt and includes a step display so you know what it's doing. I had a much earlier version of this charger about 8 years ago and after 3 years the mode switch went faulty. Bought my current one about a year ago it clearly has a better mode switch action.

At a fifth of the price of a C-Tek seems a good buy even if it fails after 5 years !

If Aldi are sold out I guess e-bay should have them.

[don simon]

I picked one up from Machine Mart this morning.
But there's definitely something drawing from the battery since I had the dash out.

[rustic]

I agree with modern battery chargers especially those with multi stage charging, not starting to charge a fully flat battery, they need to see a minimum voltage across the terminals, say 10 volts, so an old conventional transformer and rectifier type with no control can sometimes get the voltage up for the multistage to replace it.

If you are just maintaining a battery for keeping a full charge then the Aldi one is ideal, 3-4 amps max, and can be left on 24/7

BUT if you are having to charge a battery that is getting below half charge then you need something that can give a minimum of 10 amps.

So I have several, a conventional transformer rectifier type, but it needs constant checking as it can cause gassing as there is no regulation. A ring 8amp multi stage charger with a de sulphate mode and float charge, all automatic.
I also have an Aldi type, for maintaining a charge over a long time, and also a starter charger type, that can plug into the mains and even start the Mav after a few minutes.

There is no perfect one stop shop for battery chargers, so it's a compromise.
A cheap non regulated one from Halfords will charge a flat battery overnight, but you would not want to leave it on too long.

Hope it helps,
Uncle Rustic

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by rustic

I agree with modern battery chargers especially those with multi stage charging, not starting to charge a fully flat battery, they need to see a minimum voltage across the terminals, say 10 volts, so an old conventional transformer and rectifier type with no control can sometimes get the voltage up for the multistage to replace it.

If you are just maintaining a battery for keeping a full charge then the Aldi one is ideal, 3-4 amps max, and can be left on 24/7

BUT if you are having to charge a battery that is getting below half charge then you need something that can give a minimum of 10 amps.

So I have several, a conventional transformer rectifier type, but it needs constant checking as it can cause gassing as there is no regulation. A ring 8amp multi stage charger with a de sulphate mode and float charge, all automatic.
I also have an Aldi type, for maintaining a charge over a long time, and also a starter charger type, that can plug into the mains and even start the Mav after a few minutes.

There is no perfect one stop shop for battery chargers, so it's a compromise.
A cheap non regulated one from Halfords will charge a flat battery overnight, but you would not want to leave it on too long.

Hope it helps,
Uncle Rustic

The C-Tek range state they will charge from flat and most models will not put out anything like 10 amps! I thought it was the higher voltage you needed to push charge into a flat battery not higher current.

But then again it's all a bit of a mystery is electronics. When I specifically asked about the cheap Halfords ones they opened a box and it said in the instructions not suitable for a flat battery ! At that time they did not sell the C-Tek type. Am going back about 10 years ago.

[johnb5177]

I use a CTek model for the bike.

Having had battery failures in the past, Tayna who provided it are so help ful...but CTeks do not charge from flat...they need over 2.5v before the battery registers.

I was told to connect a spare battery (via jump leads) to the flat one, to bring the voltage up.

After a while the CTek reads the battery and will charge it (having removed the spare and jump leads)...this has worked twice for me.

[emjaybee]

Originally Posted by johnb5177

I use a CTek model for the bike.

Having had battery failures in the past, Tayna who provided it are so help ful...but CTeks do not charge from flat...they need over 2.5v before the battery registers.

I was told to connect a spare battery (via jump leads) to the flat one, to bring the voltage up.

After a while the CTek reads the battery and will charge it (having removed the spare and jump leads)...this has worked twice for me.

Now that's a useful tip. Now filed away for future reference.

[macabethiel]

Originally Posted by johnb5177

I use a CTek model for the bike.

Having had battery failures in the past, Tayna who provided it are so help ful...but CTeks do not charge from flat...they need over 2.5v before the battery registers.

I was told to connect a spare battery (via jump leads) to the flat one, to bring the voltage up.

After a while the CTek reads the battery and will charge it (having removed the spare and jump leads)...this has worked twice for me.

That's a neat idea I did it once eons ago but had forgotten how.

Nice one!