If you could only have one battery charger...

My wife will help me with more or less anything I ask. Indeed she will help me, and even will clean up my mess or put away things after I do a job.

She absolutely will put the maintenance charger on the battery when it’s cold out and the car has sat a while.

I’ve got a gem.
Same here, she will help if help is requested.

Some years ago, on Thanksgiving, she and her mom hit something in the road and bent a wheel/got a flat. Several cars were off on the same ramp. She was the only one out of the car and getting started with changing the flat.

She did call me for help as I was about 10-15 minutes behind her from dropping off my mom.

Anyway, cars with men and women in them and she was the only one out there getting on with the job. The rest were calling the motor club (remember, Thanksgiving, so it was going to be a while) and she was getting on with it.

Then, months later, she was telling the story of this and the next day, she hit something on the way to the theater and asked me to bring her the other car while I handled the situation.

I did make her stay and watch for traffic as the flat was on the driver's side. Once I had it all sorted, she was off to the show.

So it depends on the circumstances as to if she will change a tire or do similar :)
 
That one does look good. A little more expensive but buy once cry once.

There are three different ones.. Which one?

Do you have any 6 or 24 volt batteries to charge? If not dont bother with that one.

The 6 select has an AGM mode (14.7V) and power supply mode so you can replace batteries or work on a vehicle without losing all your settings.

The basic 6 goes to 14.4 (standard lead acid) and has zero interactivity required - just plug it in.
This is the one I have the most of. Its still fine for AGM's it will be just shy of an optimal charge though. (14.4 vs 14.7)
 
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I think 14.4 would be fine for an agm, even though the recommended is usually a touch higher for cyclic use. I’d just leave it on there a little longer if I wanted to be sure it got a good soaking. Once the battery is back in service, rarely will it get a 100% charge anyway, I think. ??

i had to go look. That optimate does look good. So do the noco products. None seem to survive multiple decades like the old heavy iron units, though to be certain the old stuff can do damage and the controlled voltages of the newer tech - I would think, does a better finishing charge.
 
I think 14.4 would be fine for an agm, even though the recommended is usually a touch higher for cyclic use. I’d just leave it on there a little longer if I wanted to be sure it got a good soaking. Once the battery is back in service, rarely will it get a 100% charge anyway, I think. ??

i had to go look. That optimate does look good. So do the noco products. None seem to survive multiple decades like the old heavy iron units, though to be certain the old stuff can do damage and the controlled voltages of the newer tech - I would think, does a better finishing charge.

Youll never get a 100% charge from a standard alternator anyway so every battery is used to being short charged a bit.

14.4 is fine. My ctek 2500 beast only goes to 14.4.

Here are just some of my uses for the optimate 6's - its my go to.

This is me at my place in nor Cal.

I had some problems with early Optimate 7's I put into commercial use - and both my dealer and Optimate directly answered my call and took care of me.

Ive yet to have a 6 die or fail to work.

 
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I've been using an old Schauer charger for about 45 years, similar to this one but 4 amp version, works great.

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Thats the same as mine! Got to be at least 30 years old.
 
Youll never get a 100% charge from a standard alternator anyway so every battery is used to being short charged a bit.

14.4 is fine. My ctek 2500 beast only goes to 14.4.

Here are just some of my uses for the optimate 6's - its my go to.

This is me at my place in nor Cal.

I had some problems with early Optimate 7's I put into commercial use - and both my dealer and Optimate directly answered my call and took care of me.

Ive yet to have a 6 die or fail to work.


Great charger testimony uncle dave!
 
Great charger testimony uncle dave!

Heres some more stuff - and still more not here like mowers....

This is a market with other good product for sure.

Id like to add a prologixx next buy.

IMG_2384.jpeg
 
I prefer the old school metal body battery chargers that will last you a lifetime unlike the overpriced disposable Noco's. I have a Motomaster brand one from Canadian Tire that has always worked great for me.
Yes they are great but may require you watching them as they can "boil" battery electrolyte in my experience. In use since 1960's and still going strong.
 
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This is the one I recently bought on a recommendation. I have not used it yet so we shall see.

This is the charger I am interested in, but I have a couple of questions and a criticism of it.

Clore does not specify the AH range they believe the charger is good for. (Optimate, Noco, and Ctek list the range)

2 amps is too much current for very small batteries - what is the lowest current output it can maintain ? They mention small batteries, but not much detail.

At a max output of 20 amps the charger should have a temp sensor in its positive clamp like the Ctek 2500 vs just ambient sensing.

What happens to the settings in the event of a power outage?
The manual indicate it powers up in standby mode - this would be a problem for long term maintenance
(the non AGM optimate 6 is great here as it just works requiring no butting pushing for size or chemistry just plug it n and walk away)

a couple of poster have had problem with these, in that anything can have a problem how did they get treated? - thats more important to me me than having a possible problem. I had an optimate 7 problem - both the dealer AND Tecmate were very responsive and took care of me.They came clean that a build date range of them might have issues and replaced them no sweat.
 
NOCO Genius 1. $30, often on sale at Amazon for $20. Does everything including dead battery override. "Only" 1A but plenty as a maintainer, and plenty for the lawn mower or motorcycle.
 
NOCO Genius 1. $30, often on sale at Amazon for $20. Does everything including dead battery override. "Only" 1A but plenty as a maintainer, and plenty for the lawn mower or motorcycle.

So if you had to pick one that would be it?

This would be great secondary, or tertiary unit though.


Current: 1 Amps DC
Voltages: 6V, 12V
Chemistry: Lead-Acid and Lithium
Types: Wet, Gel, MF, CA, EFB, AGM, Lithium
Capacity Range: Up to 30 Amp-Hours
Maintenance: All Battery Sizes
 
I've been using a Ctek 4.3 polar to charge/maintain my batteries. It replaced my motomaster battery charger 75 amp 6v-12v, agm/flooded, 2amp/12amp/15amp charging from canadian tire. voltage gauge doesn't work, but has a autoshut off, and a green light indicating its fully charge.


I haven't tried using the ctek on a completely drained battery. I keep the old analog around for that.
 
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The 4.3 is too limited to be a one stop shop for me its probably not for city dwellers though.

It will not charge a standard 8D starting battery.
It will not charge a standard 60AH X 4 battery RV array.


  • Battery capacity: 1.2 - 110 Ah, up to 160 Ah for maintenance
 
The 4.3 is too limited to be a one stop shop for me its probably not for city dwellers though.

It will not charge a standard 8D starting battery.
It will not charge a standard 60AH X 4 battery RV array.


  • Battery capacity: 1.2 - 110 Ah, up to 160 Ah for maintenance
I'm still using a old battery minder 12248 and a old analog Schumacher SE1275A 2/12/75.
..

What would you recommend for a "one stop shop" 12v charger Dave? Still the optimate 6?
 
I'm still using a old battery minder 12248 and a old analog Schumacher SE1275A 2/12/75.
..

What would you recommend for a "one stop shop" 12v charger Dave? Still the optimate 6?

Yup - and Im still looking for a better substitute

I'm all ears as Im actually short a unit now and looking for another unit.
 
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