[AT] Battery Charger recommendations

Sun Apr 24 13:10:20 PDT 2016

In the mid-90's I bought a Schumacher  SE-4020. It does both 6 and 12. The
only thing I have had to replace is the timer.  Apparently it was a common
failure and there are replacements available from multiple sources.  It's
on wheels but the guts are in the top of it,I guess the tall cabinet is
just to raise the controls off the ground.

It's worked great.

On Sun, Apr 24, 2016 at 2:32 PM, Dean VP <deanvp at att.net> wrote:

> 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
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AT mailing list
> > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > AT mailing list
> > http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>