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View Full Version : Electrical Found this nifty little charger @ Auto Zone



DMC3165
12-23-2011, 07:22 PM
Hey all just thought I'd share this. This is a great little charger/ maintainer that works great. It has a low amperage setting so its great for this time of year when I only use my car maybe once a week but don't feel like disconnecting the battery. Has a great little wire and cover so it can be hard wired right to the battery. Makes for a quick and easy plugin. Here's a few pics. Happy Holidays all!!!!

Bitsyncmaster
12-24-2011, 06:08 AM
Looks like a nice unit. With most low current chargers (10 amps or less), you can just wire a cigarette lighter plug and use that to charge the battery.

jfirios
12-24-2011, 10:35 AM
i use to have one that was like that then I took my car to a garage and they insisted that my red top needed to be replaced, so i said sure and they never put the other half of my charger back on the new battery, so now I have just the power end.
:(

David T
12-24-2011, 11:19 AM
I like the Battery Tender. It claims to have some intelligence so it automatically adjusts so as to not overcharge a battery. I still only use it till the green light stays on and then I disconnect it. I use it once a month for a day. I don't like leaving anything with AC continuously attached to a car. Any AC leakage can be very destructive.
David Teitelbaum

Michael
12-24-2011, 01:12 PM
I recently pulled my battery just to check it before winter and I was petty surprised. Only a 35% charge. The battery is an Optima red top and is 2 years old. It tested good, just needed charging, but you would never know it bacause the car started fine, but I drive it very little so I can see why it was so low. I'm suprised I didn't blow a diode out driving it on such a low charge.

The only thing that tipped me off was I accidently left the inertia switch engaged while parked in a less than perfect spot and tried to start it, I got about 8 seconds of cranking when I heard the starter slowing down, then realized what I had done with the switch.

I charged the battery completely and now I will get a tender like David suggested to keep it maintained during long sitting periods.

Bitsyncmaster
12-24-2011, 02:47 PM
With all your stock components, expect about 50% charge used in two months of sitting. Not a good thing for any battery to get "deep" cycled like that. And that is assuming you get a full charge when you drove it last.