Need batttery charger, any good smart chargers to look for?

To get a good quality charger, something that would be used in a shop, you'll be spending the same as a bigger PD converter. I have an old wheeled charger (Exide) with a 200 amp start function and it is still serving me well. I sometimes have a Schumacher, typically a garage sale item, sitting around.

If it was me, I'd go the cheap route with a mid level Craftsman or Schumacher or pony up some bucks for a PD converter.

IMO, the best were those old AC-Delco shop chargers where a guy could dial in voltage and amperage. Most of them have long ago bit the dust, probably due to the weight (some were cast iron).

Another alternative for charging would be to get on the wagon with Mex, Niner, and Landyacht, using an adjustable power supply like the Meanwell.

XR4rider wrote:
For the past few years I've been using a Schumacher XC103W charger. It was a fully automatic charger with 3A, 5A and 30A charging capabilities. It worked pretty well over the years, until I accidently dropped the thing...now its dead. So I am looking at purchasing a new portable charger. I use two 6 volt GC2 batteries in my trailer (around 220Ah). I have read that charging deep cycle batteries, the bulk charge mode should be about 10% of the capacity. So in my case I would need a charger capable of 22 amps. I was looking at the Noco Genius chargers, specifically the G7200, but not sure if the 7.2A capabilities will be enough? The Noco website says this charger can handle up to 230Ah batteries. I will also look into another Schumacher, but I was wondering if there are other chargers people are happy with?

Just use your existing converter which has much more charging amperage than most cheap portable chargers.

Or get something like a PD92xx like this..



$175 plus free shipping from HERE

I use a PD9160 with the external charge wizard pendant on my GC2 batts and so far 10 years of use on those batteries.. Pretty much set and forget with no messing around with those cheapo portable chargers.

RoyB wrote:
I have had mine since 2008...



Roy Ken

That's the one I have and I love it. This season I used the regenerating setting (DESULF?) on my chassis battery - I thought it was gimmicky but it brought it back to life.

local big box HD has BD 15A $60 and cat 40A $80

both via baccus global
http://www.baccusglobal.com/

Why not just get a Progressive Dynamics converter/charger.

Well, I am not sure how long I am keeping this trailer, so didn't want to put any additional money into it. For now the portable charger will work, plus I can use the charger for other applications at home. If I was thinking about keeping the trailer, I would definitely look into upgrading the converter/charger. I have looked for B&D VEC1093DBD, but its not available anymore, unfortunately. I also will be using my Honda 2K generator when camping.

I agree with upgrading the converter/charger first. There is times I'm glad I have my portable charger however and do use it...

You need to have enough AMPS capacity to service each battery in your bank 17-20AMPS DC Current when being hit with 14.4VDC during a charge cycle if you want the batteries to re-charge to there 90% charge state in a quick tree hour time frame. A lower DC CURRENT will still charge your batteries but will take longer...

I have had great luck with my portable B&D VEC1093DBD 40AMP Smart Mode Charger over the years... I don't know if they are still available for new sale or not.

I have had mine since 2008...



I can run this 40AMP portabe smart mode charger from my 2KW Honda Generator

Roy Ken

Better IMO to just upgrade the converter if you are spending money.

Depends if your intent is charging off a power pole or charging off a generator. I've never generator charged GC220 batteries with less then a seventy ampere bulk charge. Twenty amperes rate goes well with a massage and mud bath power pole connection and seven divided into 110 usable amp hours means using a calendar to time the charge. For home charging it's tough to beat the old roll-a-round vertical chargers with wind up timer when speed is at need.

If you decide on buying a -smart- "Syntho-Charger" if they offer a 5-year optional warranty plan, I'd go for it.

I'm still repairing those old fashioned transformer manual chargers. Except for the Schumacher 10-amp which has pure garbage button diodes mechanically sandwiched between two aluminum plates, these old fellas have only one weak point - the circuit breaker. The slider selection switch on the Harbor Freight chargers ain't too hot, either. But at least these units are fixable. Smart chargers are Chew & Spit.