dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Yea, but a couple three months desulfating might actually only cost 20 bucks, and that's a lot cheaper than a new battery.
You got a Kill-a-watt? Mine broke. First we should find out how much it actually uses during that cycle.
Battery chargers. Opinions
- Thread starter Paddy
- Start date
Yea, but a couple three months desulfating might actually only cost 20 bucks, and that's a lot cheaper than a new battery.
You got a Kill-a-watt? Mine broke. First we should find out how much it actually uses during that cycle.
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Oh, a couple other things about the Stanley.
It's noisy. Not really, but it does have a noticable loud click sound that it does a lot. I think what it's doing is trying to go back into bulk stage. Then it sees the battery is full and stays in float. A minute or two later, it tries again.
It smells. Yea, it's all electronic and has a noticable hot electronics smell when it warms up. After a couple years, mine still does it. Works fine though.
The button for rapid charge. Don't. Just...don't. It's on an 8 minute timer and is just to quick bulk a dead battery to get a car started. I loaned mine to a buddy and he liked it so he bought the same one. His car had a parasitic draw problem that kept running the battery dead when parked. He got in the habit of pushing that button. While working on the car trying to track down the problem, he figured he'd get the battery charged faster, so every 8 minutes when the timer ran out, he'd hit it again. After half a dozen times, the charger gave up and let the magic smoke out. He said it was a LOT of magic smoke. Filled up the garage. So...Use that button once or twice if you really need it, but otherwise...just don't.
It's noisy. Not really, but it does have a noticable loud click sound that it does a lot. I think what it's doing is trying to go back into bulk stage. Then it sees the battery is full and stays in float. A minute or two later, it tries again.
It smells. Yea, it's all electronic and has a noticable hot electronics smell when it warms up. After a couple years, mine still does it. Works fine though.
The button for rapid charge. Don't. Just...don't. It's on an 8 minute timer and is just to quick bulk a dead battery to get a car started. I loaned mine to a buddy and he liked it so he bought the same one. His car had a parasitic draw problem that kept running the battery dead when parked. He got in the habit of pushing that button. While working on the car trying to track down the problem, he figured he'd get the battery charged faster, so every 8 minutes when the timer ran out, he'd hit it again. After half a dozen times, the charger gave up and let the magic smoke out. He said it was a LOT of magic smoke. Filled up the garage. So...Use that button once or twice if you really need it, but otherwise...just don't.
mayanktanwar
Banned
Purchase charger online or locally from any nearest automotive shop. If you don't have battery charger while battery failure, use jump start technique to charge the battery.
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Couple years ago when I bought mine, the B&D was in the boxy case, but the Stanley was in a different case, even though the guts were exactly the same. Later, they just used the same case for both but with different color highlights and brand names. Mine looks like this:
The 6a I bought to keep in the truck looks like this:
But has a removable stand for bench top use:
Note the first pic has the quick boost button labeled QST, I guess for quick start. The second pic has the button labeled 8a Boost. Mine says 8a Boost.
Nice thing about the little 6a unit is it has a connector in the cables, and you can change it from alligator clips to cigarette lighter plug. The bigger unit doesn't have that.
The little 6a doesn't do desulfation at all.
The one time I've used it in the field, I just ran an extension cord to someone else's vehicle to give them a charge up. What the hell, I was gonna run the genny anyway.
Still, it did a good job.
Haven't really tried the quick boost. After what happened to my buddy, I'm a bit leery. Easier to just give 'em a jump start anyway.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...6a+charger&dpPl=1&dpID=5135NtHc0JL&ref=plSrch
The 6a I bought to keep in the truck looks like this:
But has a removable stand for bench top use:
Note the first pic has the quick boost button labeled QST, I guess for quick start. The second pic has the button labeled 8a Boost. Mine says 8a Boost.
Nice thing about the little 6a unit is it has a connector in the cables, and you can change it from alligator clips to cigarette lighter plug. The bigger unit doesn't have that.
The little 6a doesn't do desulfation at all.
The one time I've used it in the field, I just ran an extension cord to someone else's vehicle to give them a charge up. What the hell, I was gonna run the genny anyway.
Still, it did a good job.
Haven't really tried the quick boost. After what happened to my buddy, I'm a bit leery. Easier to just give 'em a jump start anyway.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001...6a+charger&dpPl=1&dpID=5135NtHc0JL&ref=plSrch
Comanche Scott
Expedition Leader
I de-sulfated last night. My girl friend was not amused. 
I must be the only one that doesn't have a high end charger.
http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...ry/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html
This has been my go-to charger for the last couple of years. I use it 99% of the time when my Schumacher keeps saying the battery is faulted because its too low for it to want to register. Still have yet to have it not drag a battery back from the dead, even the ones I've accidentally frozen from lack of use.
http://www.harborfreight.com/automo...ry/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html
This has been my go-to charger for the last couple of years. I use it 99% of the time when my Schumacher keeps saying the battery is faulted because its too low for it to want to register. Still have yet to have it not drag a battery back from the dead, even the ones I've accidentally frozen from lack of use.
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Some public libraries have them. You can check them out just like a book.
Just learned the hard way that the Stanley BC15BS won't charge a battery that has less than 2v in it thanks to dwh's revelation that it needs more than that to check for operator colorblindness (aka reverse polarity). That's a deal-killer for me but I've already disposed of the packaging so returning it is impossible. Fortunately I had not disposed of my old charger and that's currently supplying current to the battery (which apparently has a "parasitic drain" - another great term I learned on this forum).
My real question: "Is there a workaround for the <2v charging cutout problem?"
My real question: "Is there a workaround for the <2v charging cutout problem?"
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
Hook up both chargers. The old one will supply the voltage that the Stanley needs to see so it can do its polarity test. Once it fires up, unhook the old one.
Or jumper to a battery that has more than two volts to get the Stanley fired up.
Many modern chargers do the same test, but most I've seen need more than the 2v the Stanley needs.
Or jumper to a battery that has more than two volts to get the Stanley fired up.
Many modern chargers do the same test, but most I've seen need more than the 2v the Stanley needs.