any one that has a charger repair unit ?

[angellonewolf]

ok at work we have quite a few buggys petrol but need the 12v battery to run as a car

over the winter the buggys are just left have a going over before putting back in to service but a few of them the batterys die and we buy new ones but ive seen a few of these charger/repair units ive a family member that has one and said there great but he said its very expensive (did not say a price)

are there any good quility units at a fair price dont need cheap but do they work ?

 

[JOEPRO]

Do you mean a 12v lead acid "pulse repair" type charger?

Ie Not something that's specific to golf carts?

A CTEK charger in recon mode is worth a try but in most cases once a battery becomes sulphated it's not going to come back regardless of whatever claims som of these smart chargers make.

 

[angellonewolf]

Do you mean a 12v lead acid "pulse repair" type charger?

Ie Not something that's specific to golf carts?

A CTEK charger in recon mode is worth a try but in most cases once a battery becomes sulphated it's not going to come back regardless of whatever claims som of these smart chargers make.

yes there only petrol engines that use the standard 12v batterys as a car does over the winter they sit unused they cant be used on the course over the winter so just sit there and a few vehicles as well every time they die we charge them if they loose charge again they get replaced

a charger/repair unit if it only saves 1 out of 4 or 3 batterys would pay for its self in a short time so worth spending a few quid if they work well

 

[JOEPRO]

yes there only petrol engines that use the standard 12v batterys as a car does over the winter they sit unused they cant be used on the course over the winter so just sit there and a few vehicles as well every time they die we charge them if they loose charge again they get replaced

a charger/repair unit if it only saves 1 out of 4 or 3 batterys would pay for its self in a short time so worth spending a few quid if they work well

Prevention is better than the cure. The best thing would be to have the batteries on a quality trickle charger when laid up over winter.

Lots of these can support multiple batteries from the one charger and can include anti suplhating pulses.

I cannot recommend any "repair' chargers that work unfortunately but curious what others have to say about it.

 

[angellonewolf]

Prevention is better than the cure. The best thing would be to have the batteries on a quality trickle charger when laid up over winter.

Lots of these can support multiple batteries from the one charger and can include anti suplhating pulses.

I cannot recommend any "repair' chargers that work unfortunately but curious what others have to say about it.

agree on that but time scales room to keep them have all cheaked and cover a persons wages not forgetting the chance of a fire if somthing goes wrong a few batterys ever year is not that much off set even at 60 quid a battery


just needed to know if the repair ones actual work real world experance or just bin the idea and keep buying batterys

 

[MetalMonkey]

Take the battery off over winter and store it inside the garage. Do a periodic top up charge or put it on a maintainer.
One of the worst things you can do to a lead acid is let it go completely dead.

The topdon chargers have a repair mode which has helped me out a coupe of times, but there is only so much you can do.

 

[angellonewolf]

we have 30 ish buggys so time taken removing keeping charged and then refitting once needed again far out ways the cost of say 3 batterys every year even if you say 6 batterys replaced it would be close


topdon chargers got a link ? and do so much ? im not hoping to revive 12v down to 1 volt batterys here just save a couple if we can if the batterys are 60 each the repair charger is 120 but works on 2 batterys a year for 5 years its worth doing but if the repair bit is tosh and does realy nothing its not woth it

 

[reb78]

The ctek chargers (at least the 10 amp one I have) have this function and it's saved a few. I don't think it works with AGM - well they're the ones that have not worked for me!

 

[angellonewolf]

The ctek chargers (at least the 10 amp one I have) have this function and it's saved a few. I don't think it works with AGM - well they're the ones that have not worked for me!

Got a linky? For those ?

 

[frank horton]

I norm buy Yuasa batt's ( ride on mowers, converted to take car batts, Fiesta /Golf) I norm get 3-5 years without any probs (had one that went 8 years) and no special care over winter .......
BUT the mowers are stored inside a barn, covered over with old duvets and a tarp.........
Never worry about cost but I seem to remember they cost 50% more than ur average batt.....

 

[Turbo]

I have rescued a few batteries with a smart charger, I think its a ctek. I'll let you know the model.

Would it be possible to start and run the buggies for an hour every month to keep the batteries topped up?

 

[Greeves246]

Optimate. Range of chargers to suit different batteries. Never charge at more than 10% of a batteries capacity, ie 12ah battery charge at 1.2a or less otherwise the plates can get hot and buckle. I sold chargers as a rep in the motorcycle trade for many years and have seen lots of batteries ruined by overcharging, you can feel the distortion on the outside of the case. The 1.2a rated charger will charge a 100ah battery it just takes longer. Recently bought a new one for the VW as it has a stop/start battery with different requirements. Have leads on all my bikes and just plug in if they have been unused for a spell.

 

[dobbslc]

Have a look here. https://www.optimate.co.uk/motorcycle-powersport/

I've had an Optimate charger for years on my bikes and it's been great. On my road bike I bought from new I've only had three batteries in 23 years!
Have a look at the dual and quad chargers.
Edit: @Greeves246 beat me to it!

 

[premmington]

ok at work we have quite a few buggys petrol but need the 12v battery to run as a car

over the winter the buggys are just left have a going over before putting back in to service but a few of them the batterys die and we buy new ones but ive seen a few of these charger/repair units ive a family member that has one and said there great but he said its very expensive (did not say a price)

are there any good quility units at a fair price dont need cheap but do they work ?

Save your money mate.

I am full time auto elctrician - I got loads of expensive battery chargers and battery support units that have this pulse functon - and I confirm it does not work.

"high-frequency pulses into the battery, which should theoretically cause the sulphate crystals to break down"

----------

If you want to store a battery - leave it in a high state of charge and on a "float charger" - store in a cool dry place.

 

[bricol]

I had an optimate 20 yrs ago - didn't seem to do what they advertised then.

Had a couple of CTEK ones for the last few years - small one for the lawnmower battery in the Caterham, bigger one for the car batteries. They seem to do what they claim - couple of cheapo Sun sized batteries in sometimes little used cars, and a big old battery not used much at all, must be ten yrs old, all seem to be kept in decent condition. Don't leave them on all the time, couple of weeks, then a couple weeks off, then back on as I cycle the larger charge around the three bigger batteries.

 

[addjunkie]

Simple solution……start them up now and again over the winter….charge the batteries. Petrol engines do work in winter too

 

[premmington]

I had an optimate 20 yrs ago - didn't seem to do what they advertised then.

Had a couple of CTEK ones for the last few years - small one for the lawnmower battery in the Caterham, bigger one for the car batteries. They seem to do what they claim - couple of cheapo Sun sized batteries in sometimes little used cars, and a big old battery not used much at all, must be ten yrs old, all seem to be kept in decent condition. Don't leave them on all the time, couple of weeks, then a couple weeks off, then back on as I cycle the larger charge around the three bigger batteries.

Two different subjects going on here.

1. Float charging - yes that works...

2. Pulse battery reclamation - not ever worked for me...

 

[dobbslc]

Yes they have to be on charge at low amps almost constantly.
I cycle mine around the batteries and haven't had any trouble.
I'd also say the Optimate chargers are way better than the Ctek ones.

 

[Barking Mat]

Even some smart chargers with 'recovery' function are mediocre.

We had a coil agm battery, only 6 months old go flat.

Recovery function refused.

Broke out old style charger, 20 minutes, onto a smart charger, all good.

It was an Optima blue top battery.

 

[angellonewolf]

ok so seams like the general consensus is they dont realy work or may be just on slow charge perminent

so looking like its going back to buying new batterys then

keeping them charged over the winter is a no go as to charge them its not like a car where you start them and leave running for half hour they work by you press a pedel they start press the break pedel the engine stops so they do a lot of stop start

there are plans to build a buggy store so there stored in the winter and when there in use in summer we have a big store to use in the summer months but i can see that a couple years away as yet


thanks for all the input