Battery Chargers - Technical discussion

[T-Dubbs]

I use CTEK on multiple cars (6+)
love them!

[BerserkerCatSplat]

The fancy multi-stage chargers seem nice, but when you're actually running the vehicle, isn't the alternator just jamming 14v at whatever amps? I'd imagine your onboard voltage regulator isn't doing some fancy 7-stage cycle.

[speedog]

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Yep.

Of course, good on the marketers for finding another way to get money out of people for something they "need!" that does nothing more than the basic model. Also, batteries should not discharge that much while sitting unless you have unknown power draws.

I have 7 year old costco dual batteries in my dmax. It sat for the month of January, which averaged probably -20*C at my place. Fired it up in -25*C not plugged in no problem.

If it makes you feel better to use these chargers, by all means.

Yeah, I don't get it. I've got a couple of old school battery chargers but I can't really remember the last time I used them - probably for my batterie is I used for my electric trolling motor bug that's been a number of years. My vehicles, they just start and go, never have had to charge them.

[J-hop]

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Yeah, I don't get it. I've got a couple of old school battery chargers but I can't really remember the last time I used them - probably for my batterie is I used for my electric trolling motor bug that's been a number of years. My vehicles, they just start and go, never have had to charge them.

How long do they sit for though? For me a vehicle can sit a month without being driven. I find the parasitic loss of even the factory alarms are enough to get the battery pretty low after a month. But yea a simple Noco tender on each vehicle is all I need

[ExtraSlow]

Vehicles that sit are a big issue, especially with aftermarket starters or USB chargers plugged in 24 hours a day.

Our minivan is harder on batteries because of the power sliding doors. Those things take significant energy to open and we have people running out to the van to get stuff they forgot all the fucking time.
Obviously one or two uses doesn't kill a good battery, but it all adds up, and we don't drive every day.

Anyway, if your use pattern doesn't require a battery charger or maintainer, it doesn't seem like you have much to contribute to a "technical discussion".

I have an email in to CTEK asking for information about using thier chargers in higher amp-hour deep cycle batteries for maintenance / desulphating etc. Thier specs on most units suggest a max capacity of 150 Ah, but I think that's for doing the bulk charging. I can bulk charge with my trailer converter, but I want to know if I can use something like the CTEK MUS 4.3 can handle maintenance and repair on a 225 Ah battery. I suspect it can, but interested to hear thier opinion.

[nismodrifter]

Just FYI, Ctek 3300 is on sale, 10 bucks off, on Amazon

[mr2mike]

Update: Car battery on CTek for 6 years in unheated garage without a start up. No load on it (totally disconnected on both posts), car started and ran without issue and actually dyno'd with it a month ago. Near the end of the day the battery light started to come on so I know it's time for a new battery (or completely overloaded my alternator but doubtful). Actually surprised the Ctek could keep this thing alive.

[J-hop]

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Update: Car battery on CTek for 6 years in unheated garage without a start up. No load on it (totally disconnected on both posts), car started and ran without issue and actually dyno'd with it a month ago. Near the end of the day the battery light started to come on so I know it's time for a new battery (or completely overloaded my alternator but doubtful). Actually surprised the Ctek could keep this thing alive.

That’s a little surprising, battery light responds to charging voltage not really battery voltage (I guess maybe if something is critically wrong with the battery in which case it wouldn’t have started the car anyways). I’ve had batteries with one foot in the grave never set off the battery light. I would personally charge it with a charger to full and check voltage then start the car and check charging voltage before you buy a new battery. My bet is your alternator or an oxidized/corroded connection but could be wrong

[mr2mike]

Yeah worth cleaning the front cables off now that you mention it. Car has been sitting for years. Everything else is new or redone and cleaned up but the battery cables aren't.

[EK 2.0]

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Yeah worth cleaning the front cables off now that you mention it. Car has been sitting for years. Everything else is new or redone and cleaned up but the battery cables aren't.

Sooooo...order in some New OEM cables for you??....

[mr2mike]

Not yet... budget baller here.

[ExtraSlow]

Never did buy the ctek, because I'm cheap and never found a deal I liked. Hanging around Canadian tire this morning waiting for customer service to find something for me, and I saw the noco genius chargers were on sale. Grabbed a genius 7200, which is rated for up to 250 Ah, so should have no issues with my trailer batteries.

My little car needs a new battery too, been keeping an eye on it and its not holding a charge, although it starts okay. Gotta love those tiny engines, could probably start with a AA battery. Wonder if Canadian tire has any sales on through the fall on batteries?

[HiTempguy1]

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. Wonder if Canadian tire has any sales on through the fall on batteries?

I'd just shop kijiji. The batteries have stickers on them so you know approximately how old they are. New car batteries are a ripoff IMO.

CT battery sales happen about once a year for $10 off.

Walmart has the best battery prices, especially if you are willing to run the "wrong" battery (for warranty purposes, make sure to match the right car to the right battery on the paperwork).

Think its "easymaxx" brand at Walmart, 500cca, $78+core. Dual post one is another $10 I think.

[redline]

I have 2 BMW ctecs and I even use one on my two 6 volt trailer batteries without issue. My X5 has whatever Calgary BMW hardwires in and that works well for that as well

[A2VR6]

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My little car needs a new battery too, been keeping an eye on it and its not holding a charge, although it starts okay. Gotta love those tiny engines, could probably start with a AA battery. Wonder if Canadian tire has any sales on through the fall on batteries?

Those Fit batteries are terrible. I went through 2 or 3 of them on my wife's car with all of them eventually dying due to a dead cell.

[ExtraSlow]

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Those Fit batteries are terrible. I went through 2 or 3 of them on my wife's car with all of them eventually dying due to a dead cell.

Well, they are tiny, so the plates must be small as hell. Practically a motorcycle battery. One reason battery warranty matters if you are keeping the car.

[Kijho]

I have a NOCO GB150, it's an absolute beast and weights alot, but it's worked amazing. I had the crappy OEM battery last winter and left my car outside with the Blackvue running for 2 days. Needless to say the battery was dead Christmas day when I went to drive to family's for dinner. Thankfully had this inside the house and it started immediately.

Now, I've used it more to help others than myself. Even just last week as I got home, a construction contractor working on a nearby house had a dead battery asked me to boost him. When I parked and got out away he was confused (thinking I was going to pop my hood) haha, hooked this up and told him to start and it fired up right away haha. Last winter GF's sister was driving their car and we (think) parked and left the radio on listening to music for a while - battery died, so I came down with the NOCO and it fired up.

Now the catch. If you search up (many) of these 'battery boosters' on YouTube, you'll find review video's of people physically disassembling them entirely and finding the physical components and battery inside. There's a guy on YouTube that physically tested each component of a NOCO and the actual 'battery' inside to see if it lived up to the claims of it's power. It was significantly less than what it advertised...

But like I said, I've had this GB150 over a year and I've used it a handful of times, worked amazing each time!

[The Cosworth]

I have a NOCO G4 for my batteries. When I had my car, bike, and trailer (2x6v) I needed all 4 bays. Now I only need 3 but still useful not having to rotate. Had a Noco 3500 before and was happy with it.

https://no.co/g4

[flipstah]

I use NOCO for both the Porsche and the Mini. Works great.

It's at CT and sometimes it's on sale.

[Tik-Tok]

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Wonder if Canadian tire has any sales on through the fall on batteries?

Just got a new one from Costco. $115 for the same CCA as the much higher priced Can.Tire Eliminator ones ($150)