I Was Wrong About Battery Chargers

kengill · 29 May 2007

Previously I have commented that I used Halfords automatic charger.

I was wrong to the tune of two batteries which the unit has fried for me!!!

Mea Maxima Culpa. So...... If you want to use one of these devices I would now suggest, based purely upon my own unfortunate experience, do not leave it on longer than overnight to bring the charge up in the batteries and never do what I did - which was to use it for a week at a time - in fact due to my unplanned hospitalisation earlier this year It was connected 24/7 for 8 weeks solid. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Aja · 29 May 2007

But

Hardly the fault of Halfords, surely...

Donald

kengill · 29 May 2007

Re: But

AS I said "I was wrong"
/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

FullCircle · 29 May 2007

Now an Optimate III on the other hand........

bluedragon · 29 May 2007

The instructions on the newest model do say it can be connected to the battery for an extended period of time, but it should be checked regularly. Longest I've left mine is 48 hrs, and all seemed OK.

nyx2k · 29 May 2007

i have an oxford optimiser permanatly attached to my old cars battery in the garage, as i only use it in the summer every now and then and that seems to be ok for being left on for months at a time.

sarabande · 29 May 2007

For a single battery installation, I'd support the suggestion for an Optimate, which is designed to keep a motorcycle battery up to scratch. My bike is always attached when it's not on the road, but it's a relatively small battery (about 15 aH, IIRC) so a big 110 aH which is pretty well discharged might cause the Optimate to work a bit too hard in the charging process.

pappaecho · 29 May 2007

If the item is described as being automatic it means just that. I have an automatic charge controller on the boat which controls the charge from the wind turbine and the solar panels to the four batteries. If I leave the boat for 8 weeks due to hospital I come onto the boat and the engine batteries are at 13.2 volts, and anything above it dumps via resistive circuit. In the winter it can often be 6 weeks between checks on the system.
I would ask Halfords for a couple of new batteries. Automatic means just that. If it needs to be checked after 8 hours then it is semi automatic, and therefore not fit for purpose

steve_cronin · 29 May 2007

Don\'t...

...expect the calibre of poster we get here to actually READ your posting.

I realised that long ago.

Steve Cronin

steve_cronin · 29 May 2007

My boat charger

...is connected whenever the boat is not being used. My classic car chargers likewise but then they are all fit for purpose.

Steve Cronin

William_H · 30 May 2007

Re: My boat charger

I can't help thinking that your charger has a peculiar problem Certainly the aitomatic charger is designed and intended to be connected for long periods ie many weeks without cooking the batteries. What you need is to fit an ampmeter in circuit and monitor the current of the charger through a cycle using a good battery. If it does not reduce from many amps to around an amp or less then it is not doing its thing. olewill

andyball · 30 May 2007

Re: My boat charger

Wasn't there a mention of a product recall for some of these Halfords chargers?

hmm yes http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/store..._38270_p2_53251

so maybe Vitalman wasn't wrong, and it was Halfords fault?

jimbaerselman · 30 May 2007

The double check, if you want to be sure that charging won't fry your batteries, is to check the voltage across the battery terminals once the batteries are charged and while the charger is runnning. It should not exceed 13.6v. Any more, and it's the frying pan.

steve_cronin · 30 May 2007

Re: My boat charger

No it hasn't. All my chargers are intended to be permanently monitoring the batteries and why I should fit an ammeter in the circuit, I cannot possibly see.

Steve cronin

bluedragon · 30 May 2007

Mine (latest model of Halfords Automatic) is "maintaining" a battery at home as we speak. It's cycling between 13.4V and 13.8V over about 5 seconds. I'll leave it run for a while and see if it settles to a fixed voltage.

Bilgediver · 30 May 2007

Re: My boat charger

Yes there was a product recall and I changed mine yesterday...

Brother in law with one of these chargers and finished up with duff batteries. It seems it was going to float mode too soon and not getting the batteries equalised with the result that one cell failed. (110AH)

I had the same charger on a 110 amp hour leisure battery and found it just wouldn t hack it on Chaka...I still have to test out the free replacement and brother in law is testing a Sterling pro budget charger .

It seems these Halfords chargers were not happy with batteries which were not 100% so could be a bit of a catch 22 situation as their characteristics seemed to allow deterioration of the batteries.

They are probably fine for top up duties on the average car battery.

kengill · 30 May 2007

Re: My boat charger

Thanks

I'll give them a call

Guest · 30 May 2007

Re: My boat charger

[ QUOTE ]
Yes there was a product recall and I changed mine yesterday...

Brother in law with one of these chargers and finished up with duff batteries. It seems it was going to float mode too soon and not getting the batteries equalised with the result that one cell failed. (110AH)

I had the same charger on a 110 amp hour leisure battery and found it just wouldn t hack it on Chaka...I still have to test out the free replacement and brother in law is testing a Sterling pro budget charger .

It seems these Halfords chargers were not happy with batteries which were not 100% so could be a bit of a catch 22 situation as their characteristics seemed to allow deterioration of the batteries.

They are probably fine for top up duties on the average car battery.

[/ QUOTE ]

This often happens if Switch is set to wrong battery type.

My halfords auto job is working fine and has been for 2 yrs now ... I leave it connected to various batterys that need it ....

Guest · 30 May 2007

[ QUOTE ]
Previously I have commented that I used Halfords automatic charger.

I was wrong to the tune of two batteries which the unit has fried for me!!!

Mea Maxima Culpa. So...... If you want to use one of these devices I would now suggest, based purely upon my own unfortunate experience, do not leave it on longer than overnight to bring the charge up in the batteries and never do what I did - which was to use it for a week at a time - in fact due to my unplanned hospitalisation earlier this year It was connected 24/7 for 8 weeks solid. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Never had any problem with mine ... as long as I remembered to change the switch to correct battery type. My boat in UK was left on it for over 4 months one time ... fine.

My garden tractor had flat battery after winter - charged of tractor (to stop any stray current reducing battery charging) --- replaced once charged up ... connected all time when tractor not in use ... fine.

So that's two different types of battery ... and two completely different sizes ... no problem

I suggest you have faulty charger or you had switch on higher rated type but was charging batterys that needed lower rate ...

I Was Wrong About Battery Chargers

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