Small Battery Chargers / Sears Is Getting Smarter

The transformer HF unit was no doubt the best small charger ever built. Out of the thirty or so I have purchased I have had to repair one = the owner let a salt water wave wash over his and I had to take it apart and clean it to prevent self destruction. Whenever something works really good these days, they find a way to get rid of it.

This is the same unit as the HF MANUAL charger that MEX recommends. This is ONLY to be used in MANUAL MODE. I use it on my 740 Ah, $1100 battery bank for equalizing and destratification. Works very well and does not "dump" anything. Rbertalotto, you do realize that batteries have an acceptance rate, don't you? They only take what they "need". Unless you're pounding 50V into a 12V battery, you're not forcing anything. 2oldman, with a whopping 20 amps on the 10 amp mode (if your bank is large enough...mine is), there's no heat issues. And if you're worried, open the unit and swap out the wires and clamps. I haven't on mine and no heat problems either. I also have a B&D1093 that works very well (better than most crappy converters...looking at you IOTA), when I need a portable smart charger. It has no manual mode so this fits the bill perfectly. Yes, the B&D has a EQ mode but it takes much longer to EQ. This and HF charger takes 2-3 hrs max.

Rbertalotto wrote:
These cheap chargers just "dump" amperage into the battery with no regard to their current state of charge.

And the cables/clamps are never big enough to handle the load. They get hot.

Stop the nonsense and spend a few $$ more and get the Black and Decker. Great charger with the proper algorithm so you don't destroy an expensive battery or two or four.....

These cheap chargers just "dump" amperage into the battery with no regard to their current state of charge. Not good.

I have a garage full of cheap high current chargers that I did extensive testing on for motorcycle and trolling motor batteries. So far the only units I trust for trickle charge are Optimate and Deltran and for big batteries that need heavy duty charging the ONLY one I've found worth its salt is the Black and Decker VEC1093DBD

I am playing around with a monster. 100+ amperes potential into 12.2 volts (meaning a high OCV). Seven taps one of which renders 15.7 vac. Double center tap allowing me to blank out one for 50% charge rates across 7 taps. Meaning 14 selections in all. Using 125 amp 1KV stud silicon rectifiers mounted in a 16 fin foot long aluminum heatsink. Four fans. Case is a military all stainless hardware plastic carbon fiber. Caster wheels, tow handle and lifting handles. Four gauge 20' hypalon cables, 500 amp clamps. Digital AC voltage, DC voltage, DC amperage, Frequency, audible and strobe adjustable high voltage alarm, digital countdown timer with AA lithium battery backup. This sucker is heavy! But permanent. The cooling fans are 200+ CFM including the one devoted to blowing over the transformer. One intake fan one exhaust fan. 50' 10/3 cord wound up on two stakes on the side opposite the gauges and controls.

This thing will make a joke out of any other "portable" charger I've even seen.

Sold by eToolscity, not a Sears product!

How do these store fronts work? Just using sears.com as a portal

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Or sometimes $25.99 at Harbor Freight with coupon.

SWEET!!!!! Not on the HF website anymore. Amazon may be the only place to get these now.

Or sometimes $25.99 at Harbor Freight with coupon.

or $39.24 at amazon.com (+S&H)

Amazon