best battery charger ?

Mike W · 06-05-2011, 10:37 PM

I wanted to get some feed back on whats the battery charger everyone is using? Im charging a bracket car with 2 batteries. Thanks Mike

greg fulk · 06-06-2011, 12:10 AM

I have a Craftsman (stand up on wheels) that I use it has a 40 amp setting & also a 200amp jump start if your in a pinch.

Richard Grant · 06-06-2011, 01:39 PM

Use a digital Craftsman if you can afford it. One of the best purchases I ever made. It will tell you exactly how much you have charged your batteries. Charge to the max volts if you have time. Make sure that you can reach the same voltage everytime. It will make your car more consistent. Without a digital guage you don't know if you are reaching the correct voltage or not.

Mike W · 06-06-2011, 04:34 PM

Richard i looked on Sears website , are you referring to the battery charger thats called the microprocessor ?

Richard Grant · 06-06-2011, 04:53 PM

That's the one. Expensive isn't it? It's worth it though. I have had mine about 10 years. I've used mine to charge the boat battery, the scooter battery, the golf cart batteries, the trailer batteries, etc. It will sometimes shock a old battery back into service by placing it on high until it takes a charge.

ron mattson · 06-07-2011, 09:26 AM

I use a Schumacher speed charger, they are well built and show state of charge %
and charging volts plus have a setting for gel cell and agm batteries as well as conventional
types. Approx 100.00 here

k.pascoe · 06-09-2011, 12:38 PM

By far it has to be my old Snap-On charger. I'm at work so I don't have the model number. It's been ran over twice by a 4000lbs super stock car. And smashed another time by a 6800lbs Ford F350 dually. My god is it ugly, but yes it still works!!!

Chris Barnes · 06-15-2011, 10:58 AM

We use a Powermaster that I bought from Summit. It charges 12 or 16 volts. It stopped working within a couple of months so I sent it back to Powermaster and they fixed it right away and it's been fine ever since.

Chris Barnes
Wagons of Steel
Stock 6621

tim worner · 06-15-2011, 05:21 PM

I have used the Black & Decker units with zero problems. I also liked the little 2/6/10 Husky unit that is fully automatic and very light weight and small in size but does a good job. Both are available @ Home Depot Also don't forget to use the batt maintainer when your car is sitting around unused. Really helps with the life of your batterys.

Vic Santos · 06-24-2011, 12:15 PM

In my opinion any charger is good enough as long as it is big enough to do the job. The important thing is to monitor charger output VOLTAGE and not current. Voltage will tell you weather you are over charging or under charging the battery. If you are charging with the fan and water pump on unless the voltage is over 12.84 vdc you are not charging the battery. You are just providing current for the fan and pump. If you are pumping amps into a fully charged battery (because you forgot to shut it off) you will eventually damage the battery. The two things you need are: a timer that automatically shuts the charger off (part of a good charger) and a digital voltmeter to monitor volts at the battery. Until you know the voltage you won't know battery condition and weather your charger is big enough especially with two batteries.
Vic

06-05-2011, 10:37 PM	#1
Mike W Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 17 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	best battery charger ? I wanted to get some feed back on whats the battery charger everyone is using? Im charging a bracket car with 2 batteries. Thanks Mike

06-06-2011, 12:10 AM	#2
greg fulk VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: jackson Posts: 1,165 Likes: 0 Liked 5 Times in 3 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? I have a Craftsman (stand up on wheels) that I use it has a 40 amp setting & also a 200amp jump start if your in a pinch. __________________ Greg Fulk 308 308X P/SA "ALL AMERICAN"

06-06-2011, 01:39 PM	#3
Richard Grant Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West Monroe, La. Posts: 301 Likes: 9 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? Use a digital Craftsman if you can afford it. One of the best purchases I ever made. It will tell you exactly how much you have charged your batteries. Charge to the max volts if you have time. Make sure that you can reach the same voltage everytime. It will make your car more consistent. Without a digital guage you don't know if you are reaching the correct voltage or not. __________________ Richard Grant 4988 STK

06-06-2011, 04:34 PM	#4
Mike W Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 17 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? Richard i looked on Sears website , are you referring to the battery charger thats called the microprocessor ?

06-06-2011, 04:53 PM	#5
Richard Grant Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: West Monroe, La. Posts: 301 Likes: 9 Liked 13 Times in 7 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? That's the one. Expensive isn't it? It's worth it though. I have had mine about 10 years. I've used mine to charge the boat battery, the scooter battery, the golf cart batteries, the trailer batteries, etc. It will sometimes shock a old battery back into service by placing it on high until it takes a charge. __________________ Richard Grant 4988 STK

06-07-2011, 09:26 AM	#6
ron mattson Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: cloquet mn Posts: 462 Likes: 17 Liked 65 Times in 28 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? I use a Schumacher speed charger, they are well built and show state of charge % and charging volts plus have a setting for gel cell and agm batteries as well as conventional types. Approx 100.00 here __________________ Ron Mattson 5015 STK

06-09-2011, 12:38 PM	#7
k.pascoe Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Fenton, Missouri Posts: 107 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? By far it has to be my old Snap-On charger. I'm at work so I don't have the model number. It's been ran over twice by a 4000lbs super stock car. And smashed another time by a 6800lbs Ford F350 dually. My god is it ugly, but yes it still works!!!

06-15-2011, 10:58 AM	#8
Chris Barnes Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 139 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? We use a Powermaster that I bought from Summit. It charges 12 or 16 volts. It stopped working within a couple of months so I sent it back to Powermaster and they fixed it right away and it's been fine ever since. Chris Barnes Wagons of Steel Stock 6621

06-15-2011, 05:21 PM	#9
tim worner Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: duncannon Posts: 837 Likes: 14 Liked 126 Times in 20 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? I have used the Black & Decker units with zero problems. I also liked the little 2/6/10 Husky unit that is fully automatic and very light weight and small in size but does a good job. Both are available @ Home Depot Also don't forget to use the batt maintainer when your car is sitting around unused. Really helps with the life of your batterys. __________________ Tim Worner SS 1747

06-24-2011, 12:15 PM	#10
Vic Santos Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 27 Likes: 0 Liked 14 Times in 2 Posts	Re: best battery charger ? In my opinion any charger is good enough as long as it is big enough to do the job. The important thing is to monitor charger output VOLTAGE and not current. Voltage will tell you weather you are over charging or under charging the battery. If you are charging with the fan and water pump on unless the voltage is over 12.84 vdc you are not charging the battery. You are just providing current for the fan and pump. If you are pumping amps into a fully charged battery (because you forgot to shut it off) you will eventually damage the battery. The two things you need are: a timer that automatically shuts the charger off (part of a good charger) and a digital voltmeter to monitor volts at the battery. Until you know the voltage you won't know battery condition and weather your charger is big enough especially with two batteries. Vic