Vector battery chargers

[supton]

Digging around in my basement I've found one. 2/6/10Amp, says it has float mode. Should I bother keeping it? I'm trying to thin out the piles of stuff, and since the lawn tractor battery died I've had no use for a battery charger. Vector seems to get ripped on for being low quality, so if I'm not using it, and it's not really trustworthy, it seems like a good time to ditch. Wise or not?

I'm planning on keeping my Sears 1/4Amp charger, which I used to use on the lawn tractor, which probably was wise, as the battery (before it finally quit) was missing a cell--and the ancient charger didn't care, it would still bring up the battery. I have a small charger for SLA's which deliberately won't charge low voltage batteries, in case a 6V battery was hooked up--so I don't know if the Vector would be good on a bum battery.

Or I could just ditch both, and buy a new one, if and when I ever need one.

 

[Tdbo]

I have a Black & Becker smart charger (Vector with a B&D label) which I purchased to replace an old no-name charger (Powermate) from 1978 (the no-name was made in the USA.) Used it exactly once and went back to the Powermate, and have been using it for years.

Received a new Sears "Sigh Hard" charger as a Christmas present. Have not had opportunity to try it as of yet.

Try the Vector. If you don't like it, sell it or donate it to someone who can use it.

 

[dparm]

If it has float mode, then sure, keep using it.

 

[Quest]

I have one (of these Vector) intelligent charger for small wet battery use.

average quality (inferior components such as capacitors, etc.)...so long as they work, keep using them.

Q.

 

[supton]

Alright, will keep it around. I've never cracked open the box, so it stores pretty well. Thanks.

 

[wag123]

The only real problem that I have had with the Vectors (and rebadged Vectors... B&D and Stanley) are with the cheap sleeve bearing fans that they use. The fan is critical to the charger's survival and when the fan fails the charger will burn out. My advise to anyone who owns one of these chargers is to replace the fan with a quality ball bearing 12v fan BEFORE it fails.

 

[Quest]

simply go online to ePrey and buy a replacement fan. They are only a few bux each.

Q.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: supton
Digging around in my basement I've found one. 2/6/10Amp, says it has float mode. Should I bother keeping it? I'm trying to thin out the piles of stuff, and since the lawn tractor battery died I've had no use for a battery charger. Vector seems to get ripped on for being low quality, so if I'm not using it, and it's not really trustworthy, it seems like a good time to ditch. Wise or not?

I'm planning on keeping my Sears 1/4Amp charger, which I used to use on the lawn tractor, which probably was wise, as the battery (before it finally quit) was missing a cell--and the ancient charger didn't care, it would still bring up the battery. I have a small charger for SLA's which deliberately won't charge low voltage batteries, in case a 6V battery was hooked up--so I don't know if the Vector would be good on a bum battery.

Or I could just ditch both, and buy a new one, if and when I ever need one.


If you want to toss it I will pay the postage. I had a Vector but it died.

Most of the newer chargers will not handle an almost dead battery. You either charge the dead battery for a few hours with a old manual charger or parallel the dead battery to a good battery and charge them both for a few hours then go back and finish each one by itself.

I think the good maintainers/float chargers are ones that only maintain. Its good to have a normal charger go into float mode once the battery is charged in case you forget about it. But to maintain a battery for months, I use a Battery Minder. I think I am up to 3 of them now.

In addition to 2 vehicles and a lawn tractor I have a Bobcat, boat (2 batteries) and a project snow cat.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Donald
But to maintain a battery for months, I use a Battery Minder.

Their 2012 model seems to be able to do it all - revive an almost dead battery with "Soft Start", charge it, and then float it/maintain it. However, the charging stage is obviously rather slow as it's limited to 2A current only.

 

[Thermo1223]

I'll pay the shipping myself if it has the equalize mode