Stand Alone Charger

[Grodyman]

Hi all,

What is the best stand alone battery charger? I have had a couple of Shcumachers and I am really not impressed. Also, there seem to be several dozen Schumacher models, how the heck do you know which one to get, they all look pretty much the same?

Also, I am considering just buying a Progressive Dynamics PD9260 and using that as a stand alone charger.

Gman

[Sandia_Man]

Not knowing what type of charging you require, most any brand name multiphase microprocessor controlled unit should do the trick. We have one of the B&D 40 amp chargers from back in the day, which has been wonderful at bringing back to life batteries that have seen better days. I can't imagine they had any advanced technology that today's chargers couldn't duplicate or replicate. No reason you couldn't get a PD or other unit from the links above, we have a 55 amp Iota IQ4 that does a marvelous job keeping our rig's battery bank happy.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

If you are looking for an old-fashioned mechanical battery charger...
Sorry the government thinks you're too stupid to own one.
I modify MEGAWATT POWER SUPPLIES with my own cables.
Presently modifying a 150-amp MEANWELL for a friend.
We are living in an age of pictures on cash register keys.

[jaycocreek]

Grodyman wrote:
Hi all,

What is the best stand alone battery charger? I have had a couple of Shcumachers and I am really not impressed. Also, there seem to be several dozen Schumacher models, how the heck do you know which one to get, they all look pretty much the same?

Also, I am considering just buying a Progressive Dynamics PD9260 and using that as a stand alone charger.

Gman

I have a couple Schumacher chargers also but I went a head and bought a Noco Genius 10a and couldn't be happier,a much better charger...I'm considering there 26a charger..

[fj12ryder]

As was asked, what are you charging and where?

I pull my toyhauler battery in the fall when it goes into storage and put it on a BatteryTender brand battery maintainer. The diesel's batteries get hooked up to a Black and Decker maintainer, and they stay in the truck.

[valhalla360]

People are dancing around the issue: What are you trying to charge?

[BarabooBob]

When I had my Class C, I used the PD 4245 to keep the starter battery when the RV was not in use. Never had a problem doing that.

[rlw999]

Grodyman wrote:
What is the best stand alone battery charger? I have had a couple of Shcumachers and I am really not impressed. Also, there seem to be several dozen Schumacher models, how the heck do you know which one to get, they all look pretty much the same?

What are you using it for? Are you charging your RV's starter battery because you left the lights on all night, want a maintainer to keep your batteries charged in storage, or trying to charge your house battery bank as quickly as possible while you run the generator?

My only charger is a 2A Battery Minder, which works fine, if slow. When I left my car headlights on all night and drained the battery so low that the dome lights were barely visible, I hooked up the Battery Minder for a couple days to charge the battery.

[Gjac]

If you are going to use it to charge 2 6v GC batteries in you RV I would get the Stanley 40 amp charger about $100 or if you can find an older B&D 40 amp charger. I bought my B&D for $50 when Stanley bought them out. If not the convertors that BFL13 showed are good options especially the 45 amp for $114. If you want it just for your cars any 10 amp charger will work, Stanley makes 10,15 and 25 amp one.

[BFL13]

The best is with adjustable voltage to work with any type of battery's specs. Price is good too. (I use converters as portable chargers with cut-off jumper cable ends in the terminals to clamp onto the battery.)

https://www.boatandrvaccessories.com/products/powermax-pm3-60lk-12-volts-60-amp-power-converter-batt...

[theoldwizard1]

Do you really need a 60A charger ? You would save almost $50 by downsizing to the 45A model.