Intelligent charger recommendations

[ghost123uk]

I have decided I am overdue an upgrade from my 15 year old (at least) simple 4 amp charger to one of the modern "intelligent" ones, >>> I think

I know that often folks post here about Lidl / Aldi bargain ones, but I have not found any at our local branches.
Anyone got any recommendations as to a good value for money general purpose charger for say up to 120Ah batteries ?

Actually, I wonder, esp as I will only be using it occasionally, overnight, for the usual reasons one uses a battery charger (ie, not as a "maintenance charger" or a "jump starter") whether there is any advantage to these "intelligent" chargers over a simple (cheaper) charger ? (Like the tatty one I have now )






btw, I am OK (as most will know) at working out the current required etc, it's more about this "intelligent" lark. 13.8 Volts from a 10 amp source seems as good a way of charging as anything, I mean it's pretty much what the alternator does !

[California Dreamin]

Hi Ghost..the main advantages are:
Fit and forget....so can be left plugged in for weeks without fear of boiling the batteries dry.
Multi staged, bulk, then various reduced stages that optimise and ensure 100% charge.
Float...as in the first answer, senses full charge state so switches to a maintenance mode.

Some even pulse charge, especially useful at reviving partially suphated batteries.

But..you are like me, someone who keeps ontop of your batteries, never allowing them to sit in a discharged state or in an enviroment where they are likey to freeze. I would suggest that an intelligent charger is not going to prove that useful to us because we don't abuse our batteries or allow them to get into a bad state.

Martin

[ghost123uk]

Yeh, agree with that last paragraph Martin. My old faithful 4 amp unit is getting very tatty and I reckon I just need a newer, larger, but "normal" charger. Off to look on the bay of fleas...


.

[Ian and Lins]

As I found out very recently, 'intelligent' chargers usually have a polarity reversal cut out so if you connect the lead the wrong way around you don't blow the charger. Mine was NOT intelligent.

[California Dreamin]

Although most just have a replaceable auto blade fuse mounted externally.

Martin

[Ian and Lins]

I know I can be a bit thick (since I blew my last charger) but with a reasonably priced charger, once the battery is up to charge does it do any harm to keep it 'on charge'?

[ghost123uk]

I know I can be a bit thick (since I blew my last charger) but with a reasonably priced charger, once the battery is up to charge does it do any harm to keep it 'on charge'?

Depends on the characteristics of the charger, (be it "intelligent" or not).
It's down to the output voltage. Some (many) of the cheaper ones have just a simple transformer and rectifier with no proper voltage regulation. These can overcharge a battery over time because the actual open circuit voltage can be as high as 18 volts. A "better" charger has a regulated 13.8 volts or thereabouts and can be left on charge for ever. "Intelligent" chargers also limit the voltage but also keep a strict control over the current (Amps) flowing and drop down to a trickle / maintenance charge of just a fraction of an Amp once the battery reaches the correct state of charge.

The moral is = If your charger is NOT an "intelligent" one, best NOT to leave it on more than is necessary

[Ian and Lins]

Don't know if you got a charger yet but Lidl are supposed to have them in at the mo. Off to look tomorrow

[Ian and Lins]

Or even off to look THURSDAY when the offer starts!

[ghost123uk]

Going into town on Friday, so will look then

[California Dreamin]

Great for conditioning/rejuvenating batteries or just plain keeping batteries fit and healthy.
Only issue with these is their output is fairly low at (3.6 amps I think the last lot) ....so users with large battery capacity setups will need to allow long periods (5 - 14 days) to fully charge which isn't very practical.
I also wouldn't recommend one for charging whilst camping for the same reason (discharge could easily exceed charging) leaving a flat battery despite this unit being plugged in.
However, these are ideal for leaving plugged in whilst the van is out of action..to ensure maximum battery life.

Martin

[nesty]

Great for conditioning/rejuvenating batteries or just plain keeping batteries fit and healthy.
Only issue with these is their output is fairly low at (3.6 amps I think the last lot) ....so users with large battery capacity setups will need to allow long periods (5 - 14 days) to fully charge which isn't very practical.
I also wouldn't recommend one for charging whilst camping for the same reason (discharge could easily exceed charging) leaving a flat battery despite this unit being plugged in.
However, these are ideal for leaving plugged in whilst the van is out of action..to ensure maximum battery life.

Martin

I can vouch for this. I have an intelligent Troinc charger I got from Lidls a few years ago. It's a great little charger but oly supplies 3/4 volts. Charges my starter battery up in a day. However for my golf buggy batterys it's often 10/12 days each one! I have to charge in advance of going away!

[v-lux]

Depends on how much you want to spend, but if you want a REALLY good charger that'll sort your batteries out double quick then i can highly recommend these.

http://www.ctekchargers.co.uk/ctek-mxs- ... tAod2TQAcA

[lloydy]

When looking into all this, I found the same problem. I did not want to plug in my batteries for a week to get them charged ( have two leisures and a starter, around 220ah altogether) so I got a CTEK mxs25 http://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-MXS-8-Stag ... B004TLF53S" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Basically a 25amp intelligent charger, charges them up nice and quick and maintains/restores them too.
As a side note I have it wired direct to my starter battery, the sterling leisure charger recognises this and takes this charge and gives it to the leisure batteries. Works great.

[lloydy]

Ha ha great minds think alike