Datatek

Datatek

Well-Known Member
It would seem these smart chargers are not so smart. Connected to my first battery, start voltage 11.5 volts, 24 hours later, charger reports battery full,unfortunately the battery built in charge indicator reports the battery as in need of charging, not even half charged, meter test suggests the same.
Second battery start volts 7, smart ass charger treats it as a fully charged 6 volt battery and is incapable of charging it.
Both are modern lead calcium batteries that need around 14.2 volts to fully charge, the max voltage output from the charger seems to be 12.9 volts.
OK for maintenance but no good for charging a flat lead calcium battery IMO.
OH and both batteries recover fine with a decent charge.
Just food for thought.
 
Datatek said:
It would seem these smart chargers are not so smart. Connected to my first battery, start voltage 11.5 volts, 24 hours later, charger reports battery full,unfortunately the battery built in charge indicator reports the battery as in need of charging, not even half charged, meter test suggests the same.
Second battery start volts 7, smart ass charger treats it as a fully charged 6 volt battery and is incapable of charging it.
Both are modern lead calcium batteries that need around 14.2 volts to fully charge, the max voltage output from the charger seems to be 12.9 volts.
OK for maintenance but no good for charging a flat lead calcium battery IMO.
OH and both batteries recover fine with a decent charge.
Just food for thought.
Click to expand...

I got me one of these, sod the toy ones. 190741188979 :):):)
 
Datatek said:
It would seem these smart chargers are not so smart. Connected to my first battery, start voltage 11.5 volts, 24 hours later, charger reports battery full,unfortunately the battery built in charge indicator reports the battery as in need of charging, not even half charged, meter test suggests the same.
Second battery start volts 7, smart ass charger treats it as a fully charged 6 volt battery and is incapable of charging it.
Both are modern lead calcium batteries that need around 14.2 volts to fully charge, the max voltage output from the charger seems to be 12.9 volts.
OK for maintenance but no good for charging a flat lead calcium battery IMO.
OH and both batteries recover fine with a decent charge.
Just food for thought.
Click to expand...


A lot of the smart chargers need to register some of voltage, to be able to decide what current to supply, if any. If the battery is completely flat, it cannot decide, and therefore will not charge.
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
A lot of the smart chargers need to register some of voltage, to be able to decide what current to supply, if any. If the battery is completely flat, it cannot decide, and therefore will not charge.
Click to expand...

Generally fecking useless then. :):)
 
wammers said:
Generally fecking useless then. :):)
Click to expand...


Nope - very good in a "maintenance" mode. To keep a cars battery topped up over winter, etc, for those vehicles laid up in bad weather, but they should really be called "maintenance" chargers, not "smart" chargers as they will keep a battery in top top condition for years. That is what they were designed for - not charging from zero (or jump starting :eek:).
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
Nope - very good in a "maintenance" mode. To keep a cars battery topped up over winter, etc, for those vehicles laid up in bad weather, but they should really be called "maintenance" chargers, not "smart" chargers as they will keep a battery in top top condition for years. That is what they were designed for - not charging from zero (or jump starting :eek:).
Click to expand...

Yes CAR batteries. They often will not play with much over a 70 amp battery.
 
Datatek said:
It would seem these smart chargers are not so smart. Connected to my first battery, start voltage 11.5 volts, 24 hours later, charger reports battery full,unfortunately the battery built in charge indicator reports the battery as in need of charging, not even half charged, meter test suggests the same.
Second battery start volts 7, smart ass charger treats it as a fully charged 6 volt battery and is incapable of charging it.
Both are modern lead calcium batteries that need around 14.2 volts to fully charge, the max voltage output from the charger seems to be 12.9 volts.
OK for maintenance but no good for charging a flat lead calcium battery IMO.
OH and both batteries recover fine with a decent charge.
Just food for thought.
Click to expand...

Haven't tested mine yet, shame it hasn't lived up to expectations for you
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
Nope - very good in a "maintenance" mode. To keep a cars battery topped up over winter, etc, for those vehicles laid up in bad weather, but they should really be called "maintenance" chargers, not "smart" chargers as they will keep a battery in top top condition for years. That is what they were designed for - not charging from zero (or jump starting :eek:).
Click to expand...

+ 1 for maintaining not charging ..,
 
Datatek said:
It would seem these smart chargers are not so smart. Connected to my first battery, start voltage 11.5 volts, 24 hours later, charger reports battery full,unfortunately the battery built in charge indicator reports the battery as in need of charging, not even half charged, meter test suggests the same.
Second battery start volts 7, smart ass charger treats it as a fully charged 6 volt battery and is incapable of charging it.
Both are modern lead calcium batteries that need around 14.2 volts to fully charge, the max voltage output from the charger seems to be 12.9 volts.
OK for maintenance but no good for charging a flat lead calcium battery IMO.
OH and both batteries recover fine with a decent charge.
Just food for thought.
Click to expand...

If it's a ULG 3.8 A1 i've just looked at it's spec and it ticks all the boxes. Maybe you have a duffer. It's supposed to service everything 6 or 12 volt between 1.2 and 120 amps. Wet or gel.
 
I have a several chargers an optimate that occasionally says battery is duff when the supplied fused adapter corrodes slightly.

A cheap lidl/aldi charger that resets if you have a power cut and a trolley battery charge/start
 
Of my "smart" chargers, only one will charge a completely discharged battery, I have to connect another (weak) battery to get it started. The SIP one will charge completely flat batteries, the Optimate, Optimate II, Oxford Maximiser, LIDL and CTEK ones will refuse to charge.
 
Regretably it will not fully charge any modern sealed or semi sealed battery, the voltage is too low. It will maintain a battery but not at anywhere near full charge.
 
defender300td1 said:
What does it say on the packet "maintainer " or charger ...,
Click to expand...
Charger, including (sic) empty 12 volt batteries! Which it cannot do as if the voltage is less than 7.5 volts it classes it as a fully charged 6 volt battery and it is not possible to select 12 volts.
 
Datatek said:
Charger, including (sic) empty 12 volt batteries! Which it cannot do as if the voltage is less than 7.5 volts it classes it as a fully charged 6 volt battery and it is not possible to select 12 volts.
Click to expand...

I wil dig my one out later and take photo and give out puts ect not sure what make it is.i havevdone a full cycle on rr battery came up as good you got choice after cycle of good/ weak and bad/ Defused but I must admit it took nearly two days to do its cycle and the battery was supposedly well had 12v plus in it
E2196F7C-066B-4CB4-B414-EA1B19E86852-2232-000003102F7D68EA.jpg
made in Belgium. No ratings on charger apart from automatic charger 12v acid battery,not got box or info anymore but it's been fine all these years about 10 of them :)
 
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