Lidl battery charger

Very happy with it. Justified its value many times this year.
I was just wondering, if a second one in parallel would double or work one against the other ?
 
I can also recommend these I have one permanently attached to my van and another to a motor cycle. Went to start the van last week, first time for 3 months, started first turn of the key.
 
Excellent things. I have about five of them doing different jobs. So cheap that you can wire 'em in permanently wherever needed ... they even have fixing holes on the base to allow it. The only downside is that they default to "off" after a mains power outage.
 
daboss_uk said:
Store only purchase?
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Store only purchase!

Also not all specials are always available in all stores. There are sometimes regional variations.

Enter you details to check your local store.

Ginger nuts highly recommended while you are there. Check prices of other stuff you buy regularly too.
 
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yotter said:
According to the advert, it is suitable for 1.2 to 120AH, does anyone know if a 400AH domestic bank can be supported, just to keep topped up. Obviously not if significantly discharged.
Best Regards
Angus
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I imagine it will be fine. I doubt the manufacturers considered anything bigger than 120Ah being relevant, it's a pretty serious truck battery.
As you say, a seriously flat 400Ah bank will draw max current for a long time, there might be thermal issues.
I doubt it's doing any current sensing and calculations that would be thrown out by a bigger bank, but you never know.
As with all electronics, if you don't know what's inside it, you use it outside the instructions at your own peril.
 
pelissima said:
Very happy with it. Justified its value many times this year.
I was just wondering, if a second one in parallel would double or work one against the other ?
Click to expand...
Probably not a good idea, you might get a bit more current to start with, but it might shut both down when the regulation kicks in. The two units won't be exactly matched or synchronised.
getting twin PSU's to share is a dark art IMHO!
 
Lidl 3.8A charger

Many thanks for the prompt answer. I actually have 5x 80AH batteries in parallel in the domestic bank. My Cristec 25A charger is on the blink, so just looking for a tempory top-up facility, until I either fix or replacing the Cristec. That way the job can be temporially demoted down the evergrowing winter to do list:-)
Angus
 
I noticed today Lidl also have a moisture meter in store, for £9.99.

Could be useful for boaters checking hulls (although sold for brickwork and other things).
 
Decided at the price it was worth buying a couple of the chargers. One will be for the 80 amp engine start battery and the other for the domestic bank of two 110 amp (also charged by solar panel). Will probably only be used whilst on the boat in the marina, so should not be a problem of overheating, etc.
 
Concerto said:
In the instructions I see they say the battery must be disconnected. Is that really necessary? I can do it easily, but reading post#3 he has them permanently connected.
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No, it's not absolutely necessary although the caveat is that the battery should be isolated during charging to protect both the charger and on board systems.

A small charger doesn't have the output to supply equipment as well as charge the battery and may have poor voltage regulation and / or produce potentially damaging voltage spikes

The more expensive chargers such as C-tek, Sterling etc are capable of , and are stated as being suitable for, directly supplying 12v equipment including electronics. Basic automotive chargers are not and may cause damage to sensitive equipment

The cheap charger in question does at least have a couple of basic modes. Mode 3 looks OK for sealed lead acid and gel batteries, mode 4 for AGM

At such a low output current the lack of three stage charging is not an issue :)
 
Concerto said:
In the instructions I see they say the battery must be disconnected. Is that really necessary? I can do it easily, but reading post#3 he has them permanently connected.
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I have a friend who has killed three of these chargers by starting his engine whilst the charger is running. Don't really understand why it kills the charger but it does.
 
alahol2 said:
I have a friend who has killed three of these chargers by starting his engine whilst the charger is running. Don't really understand why it kills the charger but it does.
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Might just possibly be something to do with the initial starting current being perhap 50 to 100 times greater than the charger can output and it not having an overload cutout because it's a cheap bit of kit not intended to be used in that way!
 
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