OT: Automotive Battery Charger

oliver1850 · #1 11-12-2019, 05:59 PM

My old charger crapped out the other day so I'm looking for recommendations for a new one. What I'd like is one that's capable of 30-40 amp continuous, with a 100-200 amp engine start. I'd prefer a timer, but could probably work around the lack of one with an outlet timer. I'm not very confident in automatic chargers. The ones I've used have been problematic. Dayton (Grainger) and Schumacher both used to make about what I want, but I couldn't find either for sale. Any suggestions?

Ken Robb · #2 11-12-2019, 06:10 PM

Never used such a heavy duty charger with the start feature but-----I used a Battery Tender with float maintenance on my motorcycles for many years. I installed the pigtail wires on some bikes or installed jacks so I could plug the output line from the charger easily. I did this to avoid having to expose the battery and use clamps to connect the Tender. The float feature worked great and my batteries were always ready to go so I never needed a start booster.

oliver1850 · #3 11-12-2019, 06:38 PM

I have machines parked in places I may not get to for months. Sometimes they need to be moved in a hurry. Can't afford 15 or 20 battery maintainers.

AngryScientist · #4 11-12-2019, 06:45 PM

I have a much older schumacher that has served me well for a long time. mostly used for our boat stuff, keeping electric motor batteries charged, and occasionally jumping one of our dead clunkers, etc.

all the new ones seem to be "automatic", but i'd bet they are still pretty reliable, once you get beyond the really cheap ones.

this one for 100 bucks on Prime looks OK to me:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BLP573M..._t4_B07DLTXNVY

Louis · #5 11-12-2019, 07:20 PM

This is the perfect type of question for the ADV forum.

Edit: If you do ask there be sure to provide the details, because without them the obvious answer will always be "trickle charger."

parris · #6 11-12-2019, 07:45 PM

I haven't had to use anything that big since we got out of farming years ago. Maybe check NAPA, TSC, and some other heavy equipment outlets for options. We actually had a John Deere branded charger that was beat on for years and one of my brothers may STILL have it in his shop.

Have you also considered a portable battery pack to use for starting your equipment? Our fleet garage has several that work well.

cinema · #7 11-12-2019, 07:47 PM

very in depth review of lithium ones. the best one is the Audew.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN8A2nIMUWA

oliver1850 · #8 11-12-2019, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parris

I haven't had to use anything that big since we got out of farming years ago. Maybe check NAPA, TSC, and some other heavy equipment outlets for options. We actually had a John Deere branded charger that was beat on for years and one of my brothers may STILL have it in his shop.

Have you also considered a portable battery pack to use for starting your equipment? Our fleet garage has several that work well.

Been leery of them because they seem so small. Can't imagine you'd get many attempts at starting a diesel in cold weather with one. Perhaps they are better than I think.

zmudshark · #9 11-12-2019, 08:21 PM

Buy the battery tender at Costco. I have a couple of the older 3 amp Deltran, and bought a 4amp Duracell this year, because I needed one more. I leave cars in storage in MI in the Winter and AZ in the Summer. The tenders have been great. I have an older Miata that doesn't get driven a lot, and it's easy to plug in as needed.

oliver1850 · #10 11-12-2019, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I have a much older schumacher that has served me well for a long time. mostly used for our boat stuff, keeping electric motor batteries charged, and occasionally jumping one of our dead clunkers, etc.

all the new ones seem to be "automatic", but i'd bet they are still pretty reliable, once you get beyond the really cheap ones.

this one for 100 bucks on Prime looks OK to me:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BLP573M..._t4_B07DLTXNVY

Not sure if it's the same model, but I was looking at a similar Schumacher on eBay today that had very poor reviews.

The one that died Saturday was a Shumacher, probably ten years old or more. Never gave much trouble once I replaced the cheap original clamps. I think it has a thermal limit switch in it. I suspect that's what failed.

Ken Robb · #11 11-12-2019, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliver1850

I have machines parked in places I may not get to for months. Sometimes they need to be moved in a hurry. Can't afford 15 or 20 battery maintainers.

I am pleased that you can afford 15-20 machines.

oliver1850 · #12 11-13-2019, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Robb

I am pleased that you can afford 15-20 machines.

Can't really, I just put more value on them than they are worth in the marketplace, same as my bikes. There are 9 Olivers, 2 Farmalls, 2 John Deeres, 5 pickup trucks, and at least 6 garden tractors that have batteries and are "expected" (would be the optimistic word) to start when I need them. They are spread around various farmsteads that are miles apart. There are numerous other "projects" but I don't keep batteries in them. Then there are the cars.....

parris · #13 11-13-2019, 04:43 AM

It's very common to collect equipment on a farm over years. It's also sad to witness just how little a good amount of that equipment will bring at auction when a farm shuts down.

What Farmalls and John Deere tractors do you have? Our main planting tractor was an old Farmall 560. Our cultivating tractors were 4 2 cylinder John Deere's.

oliver1850 · #14 11-13-2019, 12:03 PM

Brother is the 2 cylinder man. He has an A, a G, and a B. I have a 1965 4020, a 1973 4630, and a 4010 that I've put a 7700 combine engine in. I have driven it around the barnyard but it's still in the project stage. For Farmalls I have a 1942 M (rare war year tractor) and a 1952 Super M that has a very low serial number. I had a 560 for decades. Sold it to the son of the guy I bought it from after the dad died in a motorcycle accident.

oliver1850 · #15 11-13-2019, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I have a much older schumacher that has served me well for a long time. mostly used for our boat stuff, keeping electric motor batteries charged, and occasionally jumping one of our dead clunkers, etc.

all the new ones seem to be "automatic", but i'd bet they are still pretty reliable, once you get beyond the really cheap ones.

this one for 100 bucks on Prime looks OK to me:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BLP573M..._t4_B07DLTXNVY

It is the same model I looked at. In that listing it has two ratings of 1 star. In other listings people have given it 5 stars. I'd prefer a carry around model as opposed to a wheeled one as I don't think 6' of cable will reach from the ground to the battery on some of the Olivers. I usually set the charger on the floorboard or hood to reach the battery.