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Joined: Mar 2011
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Am thinking I need one of the stand-alone, wheeled jobbies, NOT a small plug-in unit such as the POS Black and Decker I just tossed in the trash. I want a heavy-duty/industrial one, I think, as I'm sick and tired of the cheapo, use it three times and it freaking breaks types. I need it primarliy to be able to charge marine and car/truck/motorcycle batteries, that sort of thing. Greatly prefer American made. Prefer the option of charging two batteries at once. Don't want to spend more than $500, but no problem doing so if that's what it takes to have a machine that does what it's supposed to, and well, for a lot of years to come.

Thanks in advance for any help.

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I use a xantrex true charge battery charger, if you want to do multiple batteries at once get a true charge unit tha is capable of more than one bank. Most of the units in the link are meant to be mounted and used as an on-board charger but all you have to do is make a set of cables to.use as a portable charger.

The ones I use are the true charge 10, I happen to own four of them as I got a deal I couldn't pass up. Take a look at them you won't be dissapointed.

link.

Last edited by 12344mag; 03/29/15.

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I have never really needed one. I do have a little solar charger that I put on the 4Runner if I am going out of town for more than a week.
Have not owned a boat in 20 years, so that need is gone.


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Have had the same charger for some 30+ years... its a 2/10/50 amp Schumacher All Purpose. Never had any problems with it, and still going strong and will jump start anything I've put it on.

Problem I have is keeping batteries charged when not in use, and for that you need quality trickle chargers.

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Thanks for the replies so far. This is one I was looking at. Probably more than what I need, but if it's a unit I can count on for years to come, it's well worth it to me as a charger and starting unit. I dunno'. I'm talking about getting something to charge 4-5 marine batteries, a car battery or two, a couple M/C batteries and for jumping stuff in the driveway over the course of a year. One other thing is I want a unit that I can put in the back of a truck and bring to a marina or what have you, so not looking for one to bolt on the garage wall. Thanks again for any help/ideas/thoughts.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200331043_200331043?cm_mmc=Bing-{adtype}-_-Automotive-_-Batteries,%20Chargers%20+%20Jump%20Starters-_-1672002

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That's a lot of charger and money for a home charger...

This is the newer version of the one I have for $79;

Link

which will jump start but still charge at a slow enough rate to leave on for a day or two.

Schumacher has a 10/30/200 amp charger at the same place for about $169 or so.

Link


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Sounds like your looking for one of these:

Charger

Last edited by DavePrice; 03/29/15.
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Most everything sold by Hazard Fraught is made in China. Not too crazy about the quality, and the price is often a reflection of that.

Leyton, I know it's over your budget, but I can recommend the Snap On charger that we use at the shop. I'll get the model number tomorrow. It cost me about $700.00 but is worth every penny. Good for charging, boosting a dead car, and most importantly for us, maintaining a consistent system voltage when we are programming modules or doing software updates on cars.

Last edited by badger; 03/29/15.

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GG and DP, between the links provided there are seven reviews, all giving the products listed one out of five stars. Broken parts, missing parts, stopped working after three months, faulty gauges, etc. Those kinds of problems are *exactly* why I want to overbuy, as it were. I am dead sick and fuggin' tired of buying stuff that shyts the bed within a few uses. The one I posted got only a half dozen reviews, but all got 5 out of 5 stars. I loathe having to spend a bunch of money for a seemingly simple item, but having purchased two cheap units previously, both of which that utterly failed in short periods, I'm at the point where I'd rather spend a significantly larger amount just to be able to have the relative assurance that what I buy will last.

It has taken years of kicking myself again and again to fully go the route, but I'm at the point of being the 'buy the very best you can afford and forget about it' guy, rather than be the 'I'll save some money now and have it but be prepared to have it fail an at inopportune time and have to buy the [bleep] thing again in a year or two' guy. I appreciate the input (ha, ha), though.



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Originally Posted by DavePrice
Sounds like your looking for one of these:

Charger


6 one star reviews... I'd pass.



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Originally Posted by badger
Most everything sold by Hazard Fraught is made in China. Not too crazy about the quality, and the price is often a reflection of that.

Leyton, I know it's over your budget, but I can recommend the Snap On charger that we use at the shop. I'll get the model number tomorrow. It cost me about $700.00 but is worth every penny. Good for charging, boosting a dead car, and most importantly for us, maintaining a consistent system voltage when we are programming modules or doing software updates on cars.


A couple hundred more ain't gonna' break me. Please do get a model for me, and thanks, I do appreciate it.

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Found it online. This one is da bomb smile

[Linked Image]


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Thank you.

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Originally Posted by Whiptail
Originally Posted by DavePrice
Sounds like your looking for one of these:

Charger


6 one star reviews... I'd pass.


Exactly. eek

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I used a Schumacher SC-8000A (2/12/>30/80A 12V Automatic SpeedCharge Hybrid Charger w/Engine Start) for 8 years, it survived being completely submerged in water twice, rained on a few times and I had to fix an internal wire a few times, the wire finally broke off the circuit board. Schumacher customer service said they no longer stocked parts.

http://www.batterychargers.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductName=94026877AL

I replaced it with a SF-200-30 (10/30/200A 6/12V Manual Bench Top Charger w/Engine Start) that seems to weigh twice as much, has 120 additional engine start amps and is manual, I wanted a manual changer this time for electrolytic rust removal.

http://www.batterychargers.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductName=94026740AL

The first charger was nice because I could set it and forget it, at night for charging the boat battery mostly, I don't use the current charger and leave the house except for quick trips.


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Hi Leighton - if you want a heavy duty/high amp batt charger that will bring the flatter ones back to life you should have one - and guys here have cited some good ones.

BUT - maybe?? We have 23 vehicles here (17 of them are more than 40 years old) plus some ATVs, and two tractors. Three trucks have dual 12v batts - and one set is huge, in a 52 Mack.

There are ony two of us here, and my wife drives only one of the vehicles and one tractor. So, many sit for long periods until I go do my "go-start-them-all-today" routine.

We do have two fairly good powerful full-chargers but RARELY does either get used. That is because we keep ALL of the sitting batts on smart trickle chargers. The better units read/float and also have a de-sulphating pulse. They cost about $40 each and we can keep a constant full charge on 4 batteries with each one. I also use a few of the Harbor Freight cheaper units (once were $4.99 on sale so grabbed them) and they seem to have been working fine. I use those on ATVs and a small tractor, but do only 2 batts at most with those

At least 7 of these working batteries are more than 10 years old - one is 13 yrs and still working. The key for me has been to keep the batts at full charge all of the time. Where batt charge levels are allowed to go down, and then up, etc. - and if ever allowed to go flat - that seems to kill them earlier.

I go around and check them all once in a while with a meter to be sure (and water as might be needed). If you have only a few batts and can mind the constant trickle charging, you might give this a try - could save some $$ and maybe have longer batt life.
Hope you get some charging from this.
P


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My small Schumacher charger has been just what I need.

This should do it all, for you, for low $.
http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-PSC-2030T-ProSeries-Battery-Charger/dp/B000N4ZUQM

[Linked Image]


Last edited by pal; 03/29/15.

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I've used Noco chargers for years. I have a 2x g3500, a g7200, 2x 26000, and a Commercial 4 Bank. Then last year I bought a CTEK 25000 and a 4.3 Polar. I've had a couple of Noco go bad one showed up DOA and another died within a week one. I was finding that the Noco chargers were not fully charging batteries. After doing a bunch of research I decided to give the CTEK a try. And so far so good if I were to buy a new one it would be the CTEK 25000. I will say that the NOCO G26000 does a fantastic job of recovering batteries. I've used these chargers on everything from typical 12 V automotive batteries, to deep cycle golf cart batteries, to electric vehicle batteries, to 100AH VRLA batteries, to huge heavy equipment and stationary and marine diesel engine batteries.

If you have to have an old school solid state charger, then the Associated 6002B would be a great choice.

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I have some reading to do. Thank you all for the input. Much appreciated.




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