3.8 amp automatic battery charger at Lidl

Not bad for 15 quid but i'm not that convinced that they are really any better for ordinary use than an old trickle charger,certainly not intelligent!
The one I bought from ALDI would'nt start at all on my old heavily discharged battery & had to be bump started so to speak using my old trickle charger & then was defeated by the heavily discharged battery malfunctioning.My trickle charger just keeps going.Touch wood :)
Shall buy the LIDL one if I get the chance but I bet my old heavily discharged battery gets the upper hand.I bet any money it can't revive as it says in that video.
 
Bought one and tried it on a small sealed battery that had been neglected. Even after attempting to charge with another charger it would slowly return to 11.5 volts, and I'd just about given up with it.

Charged with the Lidl charger and it's now been at 12.9V for 5 days. Don't know how much capacity but it's a start.
 
I've got one of these and find it quite versatile but a bit fiddly to use. I have to put my glasses on to operate it unlike my simple one I've had for years.
 
Nicholas123 said:
That is with the 15 quid Lidl one.How long did you leave your battery on charge?
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You generally leave automatic chargers on until they say the battery is charged and even then they are safe to leave on indefinitely as they reduce the output to a float or maintenance charge mode.

My Ring Smartcharger will eventually shut down and give an error code if it decides that the battery is knackered and cannot be reconditioned and charged. Otherwise it goes into a maintenance charge mode when the battery is fully charged.
 
VicS said:
You generally leave automatic chargers on until they say the battery is charged and even then they are safe to leave on indefinitely as they reduce the output to a float or maintenance charge mode.

My Ring Smartcharger will eventually shut down and give an error code if it decides that the battery is knackered and cannot be reconditioned and charged. Otherwise it goes into a maintenance charge mode when the battery is fully charged.
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I'm afraid it will blow up if I leave it on any longer Vic.You can hear it gurgling & bubbling away & when I test it it will be above 12volts but within seconds will drop down below 12.
 
The battery I tried the Lidl charger on used to just die after charging, voltage falling to 11.5V. The new charger decided that the battery was full and went into a maintenance mode, but giving a quick kick every now and again. The period between the kicks seemed to get longer and longer. When the kicking stopped the battery was charged and is longer rapidly dropping in voltage when disconnected.
 
ostell said:
The battery I tried the Lidl charger on used to just die after charging, voltage falling to 11.5V. The new charger decided that the battery was full and went into a maintenance mode, but giving a quick kick every now and again. The period between the kicks seemed to get longer and longer. When the kicking stopped the battery was charged and is longer rapidly dropping in voltage when disconnected.
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I shall turn my charger on again & see what happens.I only hope the bloody thing can't boil dry & explode!
 
Nicholas123 said:
I'm afraid it will blow up if I leave it on any longer Vic.You can hear it gurgling & bubbling away & when I test it it will be above 12volts but within seconds will drop down below 12.
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It sounds to me that one of the cells has had it. For a fully charged good battery the voltage would be about 14.5 volts immediatly after charging dropping to 13.8 or so after a couple of hours. It sounds as if your battery is about 2 volt (one cells voltage) lower. The charger may be able to get it back but I doubt it and if it does the chances of it having the same capacity as the other cells is very slim. If you do leave it on charge make sure you keep it topped up with water.
 
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