Battery Chargers

[RCBS]

Our 07 Toyota had a Panasonic in it. Everyone I know that had it got atleast 7 years.

Had a 06 Toyo with a 'Truestart' 27f that came in it. Got 9 years out of a flooded battery. The replacement was also a Truestart that was ~$130 in 2015 and was in the truck still when I sent it in 2021. Had a couple amps and a woofer in that one too.

 

[Mad Professor]

I've had 2 Carquest 6V lead/acid batteries last > 10 years in a 1940s Ford tractor that lives outside under a tarp. I'm starting the tractor with one later today to plow the snow we got yesterday. Tractor is original 6V + ground system.

Here is a 5 oF day. Got the radiator covered up.



I can't find any battery comparable today for CCA (870) of the same size that will fit inside the battery compartment. I just shopped the same size for my cousin's 1953 Ford NAA, best I could find was 700 CCA.

 

[OnlyStihl]

I've had 2 Carquest 6V lead/acid batteries last > 10 years in a 1940s Ford tractor that lives outside under a tarp. I'm starting the tractor with one later today to plow the snow we got yesterday. Tractor is original 6V + ground system.

Here is a 5 oF day. Got the radiator covered up.

View attachment 476430

I can't find any battery comparable today for CCA (870) of the same size that will fit inside the battery compartment. I just shopped the same size for my cousin's 1953 Ford NAA, best I could find was 700 CCA.

Radiator Cover! LOL

So you are hooking the two 6V batteries up in parallel to double up the Amps, right? I know nothing about 6V systems.

 

[RCBS]

I've had 2 Carquest 6V lead/acid batteries last > 10 years in a 1940s Ford tractor that lives outside under a tarp. I'm starting the tractor with one later today to plow the snow we got yesterday. Tractor is original 6V + ground system.

Here is a 5 oF day. Got the radiator covered up.

View attachment 476430

I can't find any battery comparable today for CCA (870) of the same size that will fit inside the battery compartment. I just shopped the same size for my cousin's 1953 Ford NAA, best I could find was 700 CCA.

Purchased a new 30 horse Kubota in 2003. It had a Jap lead/acid battery in it. I finally was forced to change it two years ago as she wouldn't crank under freezing temps anymore. Would still crank over fine in summer but I use it in winter too and jumping it was a PITA.

 

[Mad Professor]

Radiator Cover! LOL

So you are hooking the two 6V batteries up in parallel to double up the Amps, right? I know nothing about 6V systems.

Yes newspaper/shopping bag works fine to cover the radiator and let the engine come up to temperature. At 5 oF it never would really warm up if you didn't.

Single 6V battery + ground like they came with. Carquest used to have 870 CCA (<----typo 780CCA) 6V lead/acid batteries in BCI Group 2 size.

They got bought out by Advance Auto and batteries they sell now are made by Die Hard (whoever makes those?). Advance and all other vendors I checked, and I spent a LONG TIME, were 700 CCA.

 

[Philbert]

Carquest used to have 870 CCA 6V lead/acid batteries in BCI Group 2 size.

Tractor Supply?

Philbert

 

[Mad Professor]

Tractor Supply?

Philbert

I just noted I made a mistake. My battery is 780 CCA, not 870.

TSC batteries are made by Interstate. I called Interstate Corp and asked the technical Rep and he said they have nothing with the CA/CCA capacity in that physical size of battery. It's BCI size/Group 2.

 

[Al Smith]

I keep my loader tractor on a maintainer all the time .At the house have three chargers ,A 10 amp 6-12 volt .An Exide that will crank out over100 amps older than the hills and a 36 volt Cushman/Lister for the golf cart that's at least 40 years old .The cart uses three marine deep cycle batteries hooked in series ,size 27 that weigh over 60 pounds each .Charges at nearly 30 amps on low charged batteries ,goes to zero at a full charge which takes maybe an hour once a week .Always starts,no gas no oil .Turn the key and off it goes at around 18 MPH .

 

[Wilhelm]

I only ever had this old school transformer charger, 4 Amp max, nothing smart nor digitally regulated.
It would take 24 hours to recharge the big 100Ah tractor battery.

So I decided to buy a new one, smart, digital, 10 Amp max - or so the packaging claimed.
It is not what I hoped for.
It will push 10 Amps only when the specific program is manually selected, and it pushes "up to 10 Amps" only for a short period of time with 3 Amps and less prevailing most of its charging cycle.
Talk about false advertising.






It does OK topping of the tractor battery every now & then.
It did fine charging a deep discharged car battery, but took like 10 hours.

 

[SawAddictedFarmer]

I only ever had this old school transformer charger, 4 Amp max, nothing smart nor digitally regulated.
It would take 24 hours to recharge the big 100Ah tractor battery.

So I decided to buy a new one, smart, digital, 10 Amp max - or so the packaging claimed.
It is not what I hoped for.
It will push 10 Amps only when the specific program is manually selected, and it pushes "up to 10 Amps" only for a short period of time with 3 Amps and less prevailing most of its charging cycle.
Talk about false advertising.

View attachment 476834
View attachment 476835
View attachment 476836
View attachment 476837

It does OK topping of the tractor battery every now & then.
It did fine charging a deep discharged car battery, but took like 10 hours.

NOCO GENIUS10 6V 12V 10A Smart Battery Charger For Trucks, SUVs, Cars, Diesel Trucks, & RVs – Automatic Charger, Maintainer, Trickle Charger

The NOCO GENIUS10 is a compact yet powerful 6V and 12V 10A smart battery charger, maintainer, trickle charger, and desulfator for lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, including automotive, marine, and deep-cycle types such as flooded, gel, AGM, SLA, maintenance-free, and LiFePO4. Compatible with...

no.co

 

[Philbert]

So I decided to buy a new one, smart, digital, 10 Amp max - or so the packaging claimed.
It is not what I hoped for.

Possible to send it back?

Old ones had lots of copper.

Philbert

 

[Wilhelm]

Possible to send it back?

Old ones had lots of copper.

Philbert

Purchased it locally.
I am keeping it as it still outperforms the transformer charger I have.
Also, it is splash proof.

I don't need a battery charger often, a couple times a year at most.
I don't bother with "dying" batteries, I replace them ASAP.

The smaller transformer chargers like the one I have don't have much cooper in them, hence the relatively low Amp rating.
I have been doing copper salvage lately so that I am aware that most weight of an electric motor and/or transformer is steel.

 

[Wilhelm]

NOCO GENIUS10 6V 12V 10A Smart Battery Charger For Trucks, SUVs, Cars, Diesel Trucks, & RVs – Automatic Charger, Maintainer, Trickle Charger

The NOCO GENIUS10 is a compact yet powerful 6V and 12V 10A smart battery charger, maintainer, trickle charger, and desulfator for lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, including automotive, marine, and deep-cycle types such as flooded, gel, AGM, SLA, maintenance-free, and LiFePO4. Compatible with...

no.co

Mine was under half that price and features some of the Genius "smart features" too.

Also, mine is a 12/24 Volt compared to the Genius 6/12 Volt.

 

[SawAddictedFarmer]

Mine was under half that price and features some of the Genius "smart features" too.

Also, mine is a 12/24 Volt compared to the Genius 6/12 Volt.

I've got one like that and it doesn't charge as fast as the black box Schumacher set at 10 amps but I imagine it's easier on the battery. It takes about a hour longer on dead marine batteries so not that much and you don't have to worry about unhooking it. Those old Schumacher's are awesome when you need a boost to start something, 250amp is nice on occasion.

 

[OnlyStihl]

I only ever had this old school transformer charger, 4 Amp max, nothing smart nor digitally regulated.
It would take 24 hours to recharge the big 100Ah tractor battery.

So I decided to buy a new one, smart, digital, 10 Amp max - or so the packaging claimed.
It is not what I hoped for.
It will push 10 Amps only when the specific program is manually selected, and it pushes "up to 10 Amps" only for a short period of time with 3 Amps and less prevailing most of its charging cycle.
Talk about false advertising.

View attachment 476834

It does OK topping of the tractor battery every now & then.
It did fine charging a deep discharged car battery, but took like 10 hours.

My old K-Mart charger is an Exide 12V 6amp/2amp, and it does regulate the charge progress. The dial will show smaller and smaller amps being output as the battery gets near fully charged. Still doing its thing after many many years.

 

[Philbert]

Those old Schumacher's are awesome when you need a boost to start something, 250amp is nice on occasion.

I frequently see the chargers cheap at garage sales.

The starters, not as often.

Philbert

 

[SawAddictedFarmer]

I frequently see the chargers cheap at garage sales.

The starters, not as often.

Philbert

Ours looks like this but goes up to 250amp. I wired in a switch on to so I can turn it all the way on or use the timer.