[AT] Battery Charger recommendations

Sun Apr 24 12:32:30 PDT 2016

Bill,

I usually have one of battery boosters around and have found them helpful.
I think I'm on my second one, both purchased at Costco. I don't remember the
brand right now.   I didn't have very good luck with either, the 1st one
failed in that it was only putting our 6 to 8V anymore and on a 6 V battery
it didn't work very well either.   So I purchased another and it worked
awhile but now it puts out 0V even though the meter shows over 12V available
,  My guess it  has blown a fuse internally and after calling the
manufacture they won't help me fix it myself.  They want it sent in.  They
wouldn't even admit there was a fuse inside.   The shipping cost of
returning it, getting it repaired and sent back exceeds the cost of buying a
new one.   Someday I might try to take it apart and see if it is fixable.
So I've not had very good luck with battery boosters and I have sworn off
buying anything electrical from Harbor fFreight.  I've just had too much
trouble with Harbor Freight Battery powered tools.  I'll buy a wrench or so
from them if I only need it once in a while otherwise if I want something
good I go elsewhere.  Just am very down on Harbor freight right now. 
r
Snohomish, WA 98290

It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6. 

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Bill Bruer
Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2016 10:10 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] Battery Charger recommendations

Dean,

You might get by with a more reasonably priced battery charger if you can
use one of these power pack/battery boosters for the starting chores:
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-portable-power-pack-with-jump-starter-62
306.html
Very portable & relatively cheap, though I see the price has gone up.  At
least you can get the 20% off coupon on the website.

I got one a couple of years ago to aid in starting an IH D312 Diesel that
has to sit too long between uses.  It works as advertised if you follow the
directions to hook it up and wait a full 5 minutes before cranking the
engine.  My only gripe is the very short cables.

Bill Bruer

-----Original Message-----
From: Dean VP
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 11:59 PM
To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'
Subject: Re: [AT] Battery Charger recommendations

Cecil,

Right now I'm trying to get 6 acres of lawn under control after coming back
from AZ 2 weeks later than normal and this area had 90 degree weather for a
week.  Broke every record in April since God was a kid.  The pasture grass
was over 2 ft tall.    I got it mowed with a garden tractor today, maybe
knocked down is a better description.  I just don't have any extra time
right now getting ready for Knee replacement surgery on May 11th. Have to
get the 6 acres under control so the lawn maintenance people I hire to do
the lawn won't charge me a fortune while I am recovering from knee surgery.
I should have mowed it with a sickle bar mower, raked it and baled it. But
in our normal wet weather that probably wouldn't have worked either.

So repairing Battery chargers is just not in the cards right now.  They will
get put on a shelf to be looked at later to determine if they are worth
repairing. I have an electronics background so fixing them is not an issue
but time to do it is short right now.  We had my wife's car in AZ for 3 1/2
months this winter. No problems at all. Drove it 1600 miles back home and
the second morning after we returned it appeared to have a completely dead
battery.  That was unexpected.   Was going to hook up a battery charger and
both were DOA so hooked up battery cables to my truck.  Let it charge for 15
minutes or so and her car started right up.  Went to remove the Jump cable
and the car's positive cable came off of the post with the jumper cable
clamp.  The stinking clamp was loose on the post. Problem solved.  Wonder
how long that clamp had been loose. Might have been that way since last
April, 2015 believe it or not and just now acted up.  Vely weird. My wife
did have the oil and filter changed in AZ at a Honda dealer but I sincerely
doubt they removed the positive battery cable while doing that. Always
mysteries to wonder about.

Dean VP
Snohomish, WA 98290

It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Cecil Bearden
Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 2:12 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Subject: Re: [AT] Battery Charger recommendations

Dean:
If your old one still has a good transformer, you can upgrade it to
solid state rectifiers.   The old ones had 2large square diode plates
that would go bad if they got rained on.  I replaced them with a bridge
rectifier or more than one if I needed the amperage.  I used to get them
from Surplus Center in Lincoln Neb.    If not, them an electronics
supply, not Radio Shack, a real electronics supply house would have
them..    You probably should mount them on a aluminum plate with some
conductive grease to give it a heat sink, or Surplus center had some heat
sinks also...  I never have had a transformer go bad unless it got
hit by lightning while it was charging.   I usually could fix a large
one for less than $25 including shipping...

Cecil in OKla

On 4/23/2016 2:37 PM, Dean VP wrote:
> Bruce,
>
> I would suspect that a good charger would have a heavy duty 
> transformer in it and be heavier. Kind of like a welder or so.  Weight 
> might be a good indicator of goodness.  This reminds of the days when 
> the better audio bass speakers could be determined somewhat by their 
> coil weight.  Haven't been out to touch and feel units yet. Once I get 
> a few targets in mind the store visits will begin.
>
> Dean VP
> Snohomish, WA 98290
>
> It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Bruce 
> Fallon
> Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2016 7:15 AM
> To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'
> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Subject: Re: [AT] Battery Charger recommendations
>
> I remember the roll around units that were heavy and heavy duty,  a 
> friend bought a new one with digital readout etc. and it is so light 
> you can pick it up with one hand.  Just a light charger in a big metal 
> box.  Check them out before you buy one.
>
> Bruce Fallon
> Langley, WA 98260
>
>
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