I connected it to a fully charged, new and unsulfated group 29 battery and the voltage rose from 12.6 to 15.4 within one minute at a charge rate of 5.8 amperes on my Triplett meter. This suggests that at 16.0 volts which is the upper limit for equalization amperage will probably sag to 5.0 or perhaps slightly less. This would be appropriate for a 110 amp hour battery. Two chargers would be appropriate on a series pair of GC220 batteries.
My issue is that I have had several batteries fried from no name Chinese chargers and/or battery tender type chargers gone bad. I am inclined to avoid them.
garym114 wrote: Didn't see any equlizing charge info. What voltage will it go to and how many amps at that voltage?
It's not a miracle, auto-equalizer. I'm unaware of such a device. It requires some knowledge of how equalizing and how good ol' fashioned manual chargers work. If you want to get clever with it, you can add a Variac.
Every situation's different, but in the OP I provided you some links so you could begin to do some minimal research that will answer your questions to a degree.
Some "smart" chargers like my Vector/Black & Decker have an equalizing mode. It's great, but even IT is inadequate for most, true equalizing requirements which are full of variables like temperature and battery chemistry.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but all the answers you seek can be found via the search feature on these boards. We've been discussing this stuff a lot lately.
Cheers
Cheers,
Kendall
1986 Winnebago Chieftain 22RC
Our Camper (with no payments)
hypoxia wrote: My issue is that I have had several batteries fried from no name Chinese chargers and/or battery tender type chargers gone bad. I am inclined to avoid them.
And you should!
As mexbungalows discussed in his thread I quoted, these are not "Set 'em and forget 'em" chargers." I would never leave one alone for long either.
Also there is a high degree of probability that, in your cases, a cell had shorted, unrelated to your chargers, but they kept trying to charge these now 10.5V batteries as if they were still 12.7V batteries. This will always dry them up. Done it myself, AAMOF.
That is precisely why my perception of a battery charging device that is supposed to "think" is most likely worth no more than twenty seven dollars ninety nine cents plus tax.
These newfangled gizmos really give me a chuckle. For five decades I've lived with standard battery charging devices and managed to squeeze more than a fair amount of lifespan out of batteries. I have had only one type of "smart" charger that impressed me---the Trace 2500SB inverter charger. This is one rugged and precise battery management tool. All values were panel adjustable.
400 m.a. going "wide open" into a battery would take a long time to damage it. A few months at temperatures above 30c perhaps, and that is an extremely pessimistic calculation. That is why I chose a transformer based "Float Charger" with a DC output switched to maintain a 13.4 volt float value. Even if the DC regulator fails, two things would happen, no charge at all or a whopping four hundred milliamps shorted right into the battery. Lash me with a silk bullwhip.
I don't take chances if I cannot supervise the charging of a battery directly. I use an Intermatic spring-wound hourly or 12-hour timer. If a battery should take say four to five hours worth of charging and I have to run to the store, I set the intermatic for five hours. Almost without fail I return before the timer winds down to zero but if I shouldn't then it's no big deal.
It takes a significant amount of being unaware to have batteries toasted or sulfated by ill treatment.
The next time you purchase a so-called made in North America anything, look at the bar code numerals. If they start with a 00, 0, or 1, then they are made in north america. Not many battery chargers are made in the USA anymore, at least not the transformer type. I know for a fact that Mexico constructs a lot of transformers, even the ones on power poles and in substation yards.
I have one of those units and it is a nice charger & does everything I need it to do very well charge batteries. I am of a different opinion that at least one of the above posters due to the fact that I have bought a lot of Harbors stuff over the last 20 years or so and only two items have I ever needed to return and that was quickly & friendly handled so non harmful. I worked in the repair trades a fair amount of my working life and now I do serious puttering.By virtue of that I have determined that I can afford to have tools that I normally have been unable to as they were so expensive but now thanks to places like HF i can have them and not for 8 hours a day use but for my puttering they are just fine!!!Jb
2001 F 350 CC PSD 373 rear,auto
RBW X16 slider,Bedsaver,Prodigy,Fold A Cover,Pressure Pro!
2011 Crossroads Cruiser cf32mk Patriot edit. 5th wheel Fibreglass and all the goodies necessary,Dish,comfy loungers,and a nickel to spend,
Mr & Mrs and the PUP.
bagmanx wrote: I just ordered the BLACK & DECKER BC40EWB 40 amp charger. $69.99 at boatandrvaccessories.com.
For some reason they had it for $50 less than anyone else. Suppose to be high frequency bla bla bla.
I'm hoping to cut down on my recharging time while dry camping.
I'd be interested to hear that unit performs.
Around here we're a little more familiar with the 1093DBD. But as near as I can tell, the only notable difference is the addition of an equalizing mode on the old Vector unit. Plus it's got a pretty solid, proven track record. And of course... with one of these Harbor Freight units, there is little use for the equalizing mode. The Black & Decker's mode is a little too automatic, though it IS nice to know that it will turn itself off at some point.
We'd all appreciate your review and impressions of your new charger.
Why buy a charger that from the reviews has a terrible failure rating ? Did anybody even bother to read them ?
Rich
'01 31 ft Rexall Vision, Generac 5.5k, 9245 conv, 400 watt inv, 2 12v batts, ammeters, KingDome/sat, Two Oly Cat heaters, and towing a '05 Jeep Liberty, or sometimes towing a Lowe bass boat.
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