Battery Chargers

[TransAmDan]

I've been asked by a few people what is the best battery charger to use. Well there are many out there to choose from. I used to have an big box shaped one with an analogue guage on the front from Halfords, thats about 25 years old, and still works. Its certainly lasted a long time, and has no intellegence, which can be a good thing.
With the car being off the road more than its on. Parked up in the comfy heated garage. I too was on the look for a battery charger to keep the battery alive when the car isn't used for many weeks at a time. I saw a post on the Pontiac owners club with a recommendation. I brought the same one.

The Ctek mxs 5.0

Prices seems to vary alot, Under £70 in Amazon, or £159 from Euro car Parts.
cpomes with the Crocadile clips to get straight on the battery and it also comes with a connector with Rings on the end so you can permanenty have that part connected to the battery.
Shown below, this has a bung over the end, gives a great point to just clip into the charger.

Picture showing its cliped into the charger below.

The Ctek has 4 main modes, Cars and Bikes, and each one a choice of AGM batteries or regular.
The Trans-am has an AGM battery so this charger is ideals for me.

Soo many sockets in the garage, always a socket near by, and can just leave the chearger plugged in and know my battery is going to be kept in good condition.

 

[saleen 192]

i have the clarke all in one unit that i won in a compation and two trickle chargers 1 of them is from aldi or lidi cant remeber which all work well,

 

[saleen 192]

For me ref car battery's, if you have to keep charging them up its time for them to be replaced bound to let you down when you need the vehicle,
understand about are toys are left standing over winter months or for repair they just need charging up ready for use again,
if you only have 1 car and battery is playing up for a cost of a charger against replacement battery that will have 3 to 5 year guarantee might just as well buy new battery,

 

[TransAmDan]

I had the red top battery some time ago. Didn't use the car for around a month. The ECU is drawining power, may only be a little, but eventually the 15 month old battery went flat. These types of batteries dont appear to recover well after going flat. So trying to stay ahead of the game and keeping the battery charged. They are not cheap.

 

[saleen 192]

chap at work this week moaning about his car battery had to keep jumping it battery is 5 to 6 years old just buy new one for 60quid job done save killing the starter motor as well,

 

[renchero]

i too use a Clark start / charger must be 20 years old still going. plus a pair of heavy duty jump leads and the "jump pack" that i won in a Renegades raffle is still going [ used regularly to start my motor mower ]

 

[TransAmDan]

i too use a Clark start / charger must be 20 years old still going. plus a pair of heavy duty jump leads and the "jump pack" that i won in a Renegades raffle is still going [ used regularly to start my motor mower ]

Glad to hear that one from the raffle is still going.

 

[mick]

Glad to

 

[mick]

Well I have a charger that goes way back to the 70’s possibly earlier, it was my dads , I’ll take a photo and post it

 

[TransAmDan]

It will be great to see a photo of that. 50 years old, and I expect it still charges with no hassle, it just gets on and charges it.