What's a decent battery charger?

[path1]

Over a year ago I asked same question and what was recommended by a couple people, I couldn't get anymore. Model was discontinued. Recommended was a specific model of Schulber or a name close to that.

So I picked up cheap harbor freight special. Hooked it yesterday and no voltage on volt meter between pos and neg clamps. (Second time I needed it) I would assume no voltage between the clamps means its not working? No fuse inside (that I can find) but did find melted plastic that a wire went thru.

The adage of you get what you pay for might come into play here.

What's a good little charger, Home and RV.

Thanks

[Gdetrailer]

Harvey51 wrote:
2004 Ford courtesy light in cab stays on all night, need a boost every morning.
It is supposed to go out if the light switch is turned to half way but this one never goes out unless I disconnect the battery.

Common problem, often caused by the door switch which is located inside the door latch that starts to stick on.

Sometimes freed by squirting some WD-40 into the latch on the door. Sometimes the entire latch must be replaced.

Ironically however the vehicles body control module should be timing out the light after 15 minutes.. May have issue with the body control module, on some Fords this module is integrated into the top of the fuse box located underside of the drivers side dash..

The problem of the Body control is often traced back to your windshield leaking on the driverside, the windshield just happens to be directly over top of the body control module!

If body control malfunctions, don't be surprised to have other things like radio, windshield wipers and fan motor to act up..

[Dtank]

Wow - "Harvey51" in Alberta !!

Quantum Leap (by you), your post from...

10-31-16

To next - dated.....

7-28-21 !!

:B

.

[Harvey51]

2004 Ford courtesy light in cab stays on all night, need a boost every morning.
It is supposed to go out if the light switch is turned to half way but this one never goes out unless I disconnect the battery.

[Harvey51]

I found a fan with the same dimensions. Too cheap?
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/2-PIN-WIRE-Brushless-DC-Fan-11-Blade-12V-60mm-x-60-mmx20mm-NEW-6020S-/251086577808?hash=item3a75ed2090:g:qJwAAMXQdGJRypiY

This one is only 10 mm thick but says "ball bearing". Have to pay shipping from Poland.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/DELTA-EFB0612MA-FAN-12VDC-0-15A-60MM-BALL-BEARING-/220759464893?hash=item33664a1bbd:g:IIMAAOSw14xWIXOa

[MEXICOWANDERER]

For $130 an old fashioned wheel shop charger can be had. But 60% of the space inside is needless waste. Sitting on my bench is a rectified correctly Schmucker 10-amp charger. For today's project. The auto repair shop owner would like me to install a fan. I have the perfect choice already mounted. It's a 70mm fan with a .5 amp draw. It really pushes out the air. Going to also stick a tiny fan somewhere inside to stir things up. He has a stack of failed electronic chargers. Dack & Blecker, Sears, Schmucker. They all have bad irreplaceable mea ing not avaiable control boards. The Sears was eight months lut of warranty. I telephoned Sears USA repair parts. Eventually learned return warranty chargers are SCRAPPED HERE IN THE USA. And a replacement is sent out. It would be exactly the same thing for any other electronic charger. Eat vegan, recycle plastic bags and poison landfills with horridly poisonous electronics.

Mr Sanctamonious is now going to have breakfast then fix that REPAIRABLE battery charger. Pfffttt!

[Gjac]

Going back to your original question I just saw a nice 40 amp battery charger at West Marine for $130. If I did not already have the 40 amp B&D I would consider this one or the Stanley 40 amp charger.

[landyacht318]

60Mm computer fans come in 10 15 and 20Mm thicknesses

I cannot find the CFM rating of your Xinruilian RDH6020S

http://www.frozencpu.com/cat/l3/g36/c15/s672/list/p1/Fans-12_Volt_Fans-60mm_x_10mm_Fans-Page1.html

I once mounted a 60MM fan on the exterior of a schumacher that came with a very loud 40mm Fan. Still there, still works

[BFL13]

My VEC1093DBD made horrible noises when first started, but then settled down. I took it apart and it was the fan being loose in its housing and buzzing. No problem with the actual cooling or charging.

I got another fan and mounted it outside the same vent with its wire pair running inside the vent spliced to original's wires. Totally quiet that way.

There was then an "issue" where I had the fan sucking instead of blowing or whichever, can't remember. Had to re-mount it the other way around. No problem after that!

Love my now quiet VEC1093DBD

[Harvey51]

I took my Black&Decker apart to check the fan, it is the B&D VEC1093DBD 40AMP Smart Mode Charger that Roy Ken posted a picture of early in this thread. Quite a little job to get the case open.
y
The fan is working well. I took the center sticker off and noticed the grease in the "bearing" is pretty skimpy so I added a squirt of white lithium. I have a few new computer fans but this one is a little bigger than CPU fans from a few years ago. It is 60 mm square and 20 mm thick. The thickness is critical bit it could be larger in the other dimensions. Where would I find a better quality fan?

It went back together quite easily. Only lost one screw. It is charging a battery right now, with more than 15.5 volts, up to 12 amps. I probably should have disconnected it from the vehicle.

[time2roll]

I have a 3 amp model similar to run my model train 🙂
Holds voltage perfectly and amps rise as it climbs a grade.

Would work perfect to do a fixed low amp but voltage limited equalization.
Yea no timer.

[Harvey51]

I have one of those Black & Decker smart chargers, photo in the 3rd post. Glad to hear it is a good one! I bought it on a close out sale in a woodworking tool store. That night we stayed with friends who had a car with a very dead battery. I charged it and used the equalize and desulphate features. It seemed fine after that.

I find it works pretty well, though the voltage display reads several tenths high, and it does seem to quit before fully charging. Thanks for the tip about the fan! I'll keep my ears open for sounds of failure.

I have this little gem waiting in my Christmas stocking to replace the one I made in 1975 for playing around with electronics.

eBay link
I chose the ten amp version so I can manually top up batteries. No timer but I could easily plug it into an AC timer if doing something risky. It seems to work perfectly except the current meter reads two tenths low and therefore indicates zero for any current below 250 mA. It is smaller than it looks in the picture.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

He shall see...

The "microprocessor" retails for $1.21 in (10) lots.

BUT! This subject actually helped me see something related to charging but in a different vein. I was going nuts trying to figure out how to recharge the Lifeline while on the road. Sheeze! The answer was right in front of me! 2-1/2 foot long paired 6 gauge welding cable, a twin bumper (firewall) mount socket, a plug for the cables, two excellent clamps, and a genuine 80-amp breaker that mounts under the hood with the rest of the circuit. Tap directly into the alternator output stud. When not in use the harness unplugs. Drive 200 miles and the Lifeline is recharged. I must be getting old 😞

[time2roll]

path1 wrote:
Driving by Wal-Mart last night and picked up Schumacher model SC11. It is not going to last either IMO. Indicators to me why it won't last. "Fully automatic" "start/stop push button interface" and "microprocessor controlled" But then again maybe it will last. Right on the box it reads..."Since 1947 Schumacher Electric Corp has been leading change and driving performance to exceed it customers expectations" So maybe I won't have any problems:)

Claims to be: 80A engine start 20A boost 6-2A charge for $70.00

Thanks

This should work fine for the intended use.

[path1]

westend wrote:
Path1,
The wheeled Diehard charger with timer I linked to earlier is $99 and probably fulfilled through Sears. I'd suggest you return the Shumacher and get the wheeled Diehard.
FWIW, I have a wheeled Exide charger that has been charging batteries for 20 years. I'm blaming the bigger transformer for it's longevity.

I'll be bring this with me when we snowbird.

(from link) measures 13.00 x 16.00 x 32.00 Inches. Even with handle of, its pretty big unit. Only so much room.