PulseTech battery charger/maintainer

[f355spider]

I looked at the pro logix and it pretty much checks all the boxes. The pulse tech seems to be a proven charger to bring batteries back from the dead. I was able to restore a 4 yr old Everstart maxx that had spent its entire life in my Nissan that has smart charging, which means that the battery is constantly running around on an about a 50% charge with my genuis 5. It took several runs in the repair mode function, but I was able to get the battery back to 95% SOH and take a charge of 90%. Prior to, the SOH was 45% (replace battery) and wouldn’t charge over 55%. My nephew installed the battery in his work car and just made it through a week of negative temps. I still may get the pulse tech, but I’m going to reach out to them about using it in cold Ohio winters and 95 degrees in the summer. If they use these for the military, you’d think that some thought went into this.

I would agree about the military requirements, but apparently temperature compensation was not one of them. I looked and the XC450 is not sold to the military and neither the consumer or military versions list temperature compensation as part of their algorithm.

 

[D1dad]

I bought a couple of the northern tool battery minder (cheap) and see no issues with them. They charge and do everything they’re supposed to do and look to use the same algorithm. Plus if a battery just needs maintained I can force the charger into maintenance mode. I’m not really understanding what’s not to like? I also bought the pro logix and for a 4 amp is painfully slow, even on an 80% charged battery. So far my genius 5 is hands down the best. Construction is top notch and takes a slightly discharged battery to 100% in a few hours. Pulse tech users have been putting these in service for years in cold and hot temps with no ill effects and one would think that if temp compensation was an issue they would have added it. I gotta believe there’s a logical reason why they haven’t.

 

[f355spider]

I bought a couple of the northern tool battery minder (cheap) and see no issues with them. They charge and do everything they’re supposed to do and look to use the same algorithm. Plus if a battery just needs maintained I can force the charger into maintenance mode. I’m not really understanding what’s not to like? I also bought the pro logix and for a 4 amp is painfully slow, even on an 80% charged battery. So far my genius 5 is hands down the best. Construction is top notch and takes a slightly discharged battery to 100% in a few hours. Pulse tech users have been putting these in service for years in cold and hot temps with no ill effects and one would think that if temp compensation was an issue they would have added it. I gotta believe there’s a logical reason why they haven’t.

I mentioned in your other post, there are significant differences in the Battery Minder 1 amp wall wart sold exclusively through Northern Tools and the Battery Minders sold through other outlets and Battery Minder directly. Temperature compensation is not required, but is certainly an advantage. It is clear batteries need a higher float voltage in cold temps and a lower float voltage at higher temperatures. How that translates into longer life is something we have not seen data on. But it is clear some battery manufacturers prefer temperature compensation for best service life and recommend it.

The algorithm is significantly different on the 1 amp Battery Minder from Northern Tool. Per the Owner's Manual, it has a 9 step charging process, versus the 5 step Battery Minder uses on all their other battery chargers and tenders. It also works at lower float voltages, which I will describe below.

I have observed the following odd quirks:
1) It can take a long time in the bulk and absorption phases (14.7vt), before reaching float on an otherwise charged battery, recently driven. I would expect it to take longer at only 1 amp...but it is taking up to 12 hours and longer....where my 2 amp Battery Minder may take no more than an hour or two. I was told by their tech support this is normal, and it can sit at this phase for up to four days before it will time out automatically and drop to the float and maintenance phases when the green light will blink.
2) Contrary to their other products, this unit floats at a lower voltage, even with the temperature compensation running. In my cold (30s F) it will float around 13.5 vt where my other Battery Minders are floating at 13.75 vt.
3) The temperature compensation does not work as effectively as the normal Battery Minders. In my garage, I can see the voltage rise and fall throughout a 24 hour cycle, rising at night as my garage cools, and lowering voltage as the garage ambient temperature rises during the day. The voltage change can typically be .2 to .3 voltage difference for the regular Battery Minders. The 1 amp Battery Minder from Northern Tool, will barely show a .05 voltage difference. The most I have ever seen is .13 or so. The temperature compensation is just not as effective.

I would be curious if you are noticing the same behavior? Someone else posted that he returned it, as he didn't like this algorithm.

I got mine during a sale, so for what I paid, I am fine to have it around as a back up unit. I am forcing it into the float/maintenance mode though, by pressing the button on the front

 

[D1dad]

I mentioned in your other post, there are significant differences in the Battery Minder 1 amp wall wart sold exclusively through Northern Tools and the Battery Minders sold through other outlets and Battery Minder directly. Temperature compensation is not required, but is certainly an advantage. It is clear batteries need a higher float voltage in cold temps and a lower float voltage at higher temperatures. How that translates into longer life is something we have not seen data on. But it is clear some battery manufacturers prefer temperature compensation for best service life and recommend it.

The algorithm is significantly different on the 1 amp Battery Minder from Northern Tool. Per the Owner's Manual, it has a 9 step charging process, versus the 5 step Battery Minder uses on all their other battery chargers and tenders. It also works at lower float voltages, which I will describe below.

I have observed the following odd quirks:
1) It can take a long time in the bulk and absorption phases (14.7vt), before reaching float on an otherwise charged battery, recently driven. I would expect it to take longer at only 1 amp...but it is taking up to 12 hours and longer....where my 2 amp Battery Minder may take no more than an hour or two. I was told by their tech support this is normal, and it can sit at this phase for up to four days before it will time out automatically and drop to the float and maintenance phases when the green light will blink.
2) Contrary to their other products, this unit floats at a lower voltage, even with the temperature compensation running. In my cold (30s F) it will float around 13.5 vt where my other Battery Minders are floating at 13.75 vt.
3) The temperature compensation does not work as effectively as the normal Battery Minders. In my garage, I can see the voltage rise and fall throughout a 24 hour cycle, rising at night as my garage cools, and lowering voltage as the garage ambient temperature rises during the day. The voltage change can typically be .2 to .3 voltage difference for the regular Battery Minders. The 1 amp Battery Minder from Northern Tool, will barely show a .05 voltage difference. The most I have ever seen is .13 or so. The temperature compensation is just not as effective.

I would be curious if you are noticing the same behavior? Someone else posted that he returned it, as he didn't like this algorithm.

I got mine during a sale, so for what I paid, I am fine to have it around as a back up unit. I am forcing it into the float/maintenance mode though, by pressing the button on the front

I’ll let you know what I see when it’s charging and floating. I just hooked it up after driving home and forced it into maintenance mode and it did its job. I’ve got a car that set all week unattended so this shall be a good test for it tonight. My issue is with the pro logix charger I bought. It goes to fully charged in a few hrs then sets in its final mode forever it seems. I ran out of time and pulled the charger. I got 2 of these battery minders for $50 so I can use them somewhere for that price.

 

[D1dad]

Plus my cars smart charge function will take a fully charged battery and lower it down to 85% in just a few days doesn’t matter if it’s an agm or flooded. The results are the same. I’ll be making a 4.5 hr drive this afternoon so I’ll get some numbers to see exactly where the batteries at after the drive and before I charge it.

 

[D1dad]

And I ultimately believe that the best charger is the one you use frequently. My grandad had his 95 f250 camper special hooked up to an old radio shack maintainer for years. When he passed away in 09 the battery still started the truck although I did replace it before i sold it. That truck only had 45K on it so it spent a great deal of its life hooked up.

 

[f355spider]

I’ll let you know what I see when it’s charging and floating. I just hooked it up after driving home and forced it into maintenance mode and it did its job. I’ve got a car that set all week unattended so this shall be a good test for it tonight. My issue is with the pro logix charger I bought. It goes to fully charged in a few hrs then sets in its final mode forever it seems. I ran out of time and pulled the charger. I got 2 of these battery minders for $50 so I can use them somewhere for that price.

ProLogix has a different algorithm all together. Have you read the owners manual and studied the algorithm? It will charge it then pause for hours or days (resting phase) and wait for the voltage to drop to a set point (exercise phase) and then charge it back up again. This is the "restoring" step. It never floats at a maintenance voltage. This is something I have only seen on a couple other battery tender manufacturers.

Here is a two page sales sheet description: https://cloreautomotive.com/wp-cont...-Intelligent-Battery-Charger-Maintainer-2.pdf

Here is the owner's manual:
https://cdnimages.opentip.com/Docs/MIS/CloreAutomotive-Solar_00012_INST.pdf

I highly recommend you read the owners manuals of all the battery tenders you own to understand how they operate. Each has its only algorithm that they believe is best.

 

[f355spider]

How I monitor what each of my battery tenders does, is one of my cars has a bluetooth battery monitor and it data logs for up to 15 days. I have run each of my battery tenders for at least a few days to see how they work on that car with the monitor.

There are a number of them available on eBay for $13 to $20. You download a free app to use them.
Make sure to turn off the locations services on the app. No reason to have it on, unless you wish to use the "car finder" part of the app if you are lost in a parking lot and can't find your car. (some are worried the Chinese are tracking them lol)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1462490177...zGRWJa4sUPQIyOIl+KE6B1Mmo=|tkp:Bk9SR-LN_9ugZQ

 

[D1dad]

ProLogix has a different algorithm all together. Have you read the owners manual and studied the algorithm? It will charge it then pause for hours or days (resting phase) and wait for the voltage to drop to a set point (exercise phase) and then charge it back up again. This is the "restoring" step. It never floats at a maintenance voltage. This is something I have only seen on a couple other battery tender manufacturers.

Here is a two page sales sheet description: https://cloreautomotive.com/wp-cont...-Intelligent-Battery-Charger-Maintainer-2.pdf

Here is the owner's manual:
https://cdnimages.opentip.com/Docs/MIS/CloreAutomotive-Solar_00012_INST.pdf

I highly recommend you read the owners manuals of all the battery tenders you own to understand how they operate. Each has its only algorithm that they believe is best.

Yeah I read it. Mine starts flashing after a few hrs and then stays there forever without ever being just “solid green”. It’s technically charged, but hasn’t topped it off. I just hooked it up and it’s going to stay there all night. I’ll report back in the morning. So far the northern tool is matching the algorithm in the manual. It’s only been connected for a few hrs so to early to tell where it’s going to float at. It’s going to be single digits tonight.

 

[D1dad]

The battery minder went into maintenance mode and is floating at 13.5 on a lead acid battery. It’s about 25 degrees out and didn’t take terribly long on our car that’s short tripped like crazy. The pro logix shows fully charged on the right and the charging light is flashing with 3 bars. I’m honestly not liking anything about that charger. My genius 5 would have been done by now and the battery minder was quicker. I’ve got the flu so I’m going to drink some NyQuil, hit the hay and I’ll check it tomorrow.

 

[f355spider]

The battery minder went into maintenance mode and is floating at 13.5 on a lead acid battery. It’s about 25 degrees out and didn’t take terribly long on our car that’s short tripped like crazy. The pro logix shows fully charged on the right and the charging light is flashing with 3 bars. I’m honestly not liking anything about that charger. My genius 5 would have been done by now and the battery minder was quicker. I’ve got the flu so I’m going to drink some NyQuil, hit the hay and I’ll check it tomorrow.

13.5vt is technically too low for that temperature...should be 13.7 or 13.8. I see around 13.6 at just below freezing temps in my garage with the 1 amp Battery Minder, whereas my other Battery Minders are consistently about .2vt higher.

As far as the Pro Logix, remember battery tenders are not supposed to be fast. But the Pro Logix does have a different algorithm and from your reports seems to stay on the absorbtion phase longer than most. Is there anyway to force the Pro Logix to do the "recondition phase"? which I assume is a type of desulphation mode. From the instructions, it looks like it will automatically perform the recondition, if it meets certain parameters, but it doesn't specify what those are.

I appreciate your reports and feedback.

 

[D1dad]

The pro logix is finished this morning. I pulled the battery minder and put it on a car I had just driven 350 miles from Lexington at 80mph. It’s not flashing. I may just use these battery minders as straight up maintenance tools. Test the battery and if it’s charged, I’ll force these into maintenance mode and slap them on to top things off.

 

[D1dad]

13.5vt is technically too low for that temperature...should be 13.7 or 13.8. I see around 13.6 at just below freezing temps in my garage with the 1 amp Battery Minder, whereas my other Battery Minders are consistently about .2vt higher.

As far as the Pro Logix, remember battery tenders are not supposed to be fast. But the Pro Logix does have a different algorithm and from your reports seems to stay on the absorbtion phase longer than most. Is there anyway to force the Pro Logix to do the "recondition phase"? which I assume is a type of desulphation mode. From the instructions, it looks like it will automatically perform the recondition, if it meets certain parameters, but it doesn't specify what those are.

I appreciate your reports and feedback.

These actually settled in at 13.9 but they’re still junk. I hooked one to my boat battery that’s been maintained by an axtra all season, which is Chinese garbage in its own right. Before that I hooked up my Noco and within ten minutes it read fully charged, so I knew it was. The northern tool sat for 6 hrs and never went into maintain mode while cranking out 14.92. The battery didn’t get warm at all but nonetheless these are a maintainer and that’s about it. I may take them back and try the other one they sell to see if it’s any better. The pro logix actually does a good job after I learned its ways. Just takes forever. I may try the pulse tech and an Optimate gold but am really leaning towards Noco. Big clamps, solid construction and an algorithm that gets it done. These northern tools are a stain on the brand honestly.

 

[D1dad]

I actually checked the battery that the pro logix charged last night and after running up town and back it was 97% charged. I threw a northern tool on it and forced it into maintenance mode. I’m fine with maintenance side of it but can’t trust it for anymore than that.

 

[f355spider]

I actually checked the battery that the pro logix charged last night and after running up town and back it was 97% charged. I threw a northern tool on it and forced it into maintenance mode. I’m fine with maintenance side of it but can’t trust it for anymore than that.

That is how I have been using my 1 amp Battery Minder from Northern Tool.

 

[D1dad]

That is how I have been using my 1 amp Battery Minder from Northern Tool.

I’d assume that in maintenance mode it would still top off the battery?

 

[D1dad]

Pulse tech just messaged me back saying that their chargers are fine in extreme cold as well as heat. I specifically asked if they were temp compensated, but they didn’t exactly acknowledge that part.

 

[f355spider]

Pulse tech just messaged me back saying that their chargers are fine in extreme cold as well as heat. I specifically asked if they were temp compensated, but they didn’t exactly acknowledge that part.

Because they do not have temperature compensation.
I am not thoroughly convinced temperature compensation is absolutely required, but it certainly is a "nice to have" feature. I just wish it worked more effectively on the 1 am Battery Minder from Northern Tool.

 

[f355spider]

I’d assume that in maintenance mode it would still top off the battery?

Yes. Depending on the state of charge at the time...might take a while. But because I activate it upon parking the car, it comes up in like 30 minutes or so. Which is why it is so confusing that the 1 amp Battery Minder from Northern Tool would stay on the absorption charge stage for half a day or longer at 14.7vt before reaching float at 13.5vt. It is an odd algorithm.

 

[D1dad]

Because they do not have temperature compensation.
I am not thoroughly convinced temperature compensation is absolutely required, but it certainly is a "nice to have" feature. I just wish it worked more effectively on the 1 am Battery Minder from Northern Tool.

Based off of how many folks out there have been using standard mainteners in the north and south prior to, id say it’s probably not necessary.
I’m more concerned about a pulsing that actually does what it claims over an extra volt (give or take) and pulse tech seems to have that part right.

I may order the xc400 over the 450. It’s been around much longer with plenty of data to back its claims. Plus you can add the quad link that you can’t with the 450. Works on all 12 volt batteries including agm.