Anyone use the Harbor Freight $4.99 12v Batt charger?

[toasty]

Anyone use the Harbor Freight $4.99 or $5.99 12v Batt charger?

Or should i pay more for a brand named unit?

link: http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;




2nd question: Is it ok to leave the 12v wires still connected to the leaf?

.

 

[ebill3]

Nope.

But I've got that coupon hanging on the fridge and the next time I'm near a store, I plan to get one and check it out. Seem to recall that I read once that it runs a bit high, but the guy was able to dial it down. For five bucks, I'll give it a shot.

 

[downeykp]

Anyone use the Harbor Freight $4.99 or $5.99 12v Batt charger?

Or should i pay more for a brand named unit?

link: http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;




2nd question: Is it ok to leave the 12v wires still connected to the leaf?

.

I have been using them for years. They work great. I leave one on my car in Hawaii that sits for 9 months. Battery stays charged.

 

[QueenBee]

FYI: Ingineer recommends one like this.

 

[Ingineer]

The "not for AGM batteries" is telling; it may overcharge the LEAF's battery. Next time I'm at HF, I'll pick one up for eval.

-Phil

 

[Ingineer]

Yes, I have tested this one, and it's excellent.

-Phil

 

[keydiver]

I have used several of that model over the years, and given many more of them away to friends that needed a float charger. They work great, and will not overcharge the battery. Most trickle chargers tell you to remove them from the battery after they are finished charging, but this one is safe to be left on indefinitely in my experience. It is a "Float" charger, and cycles off after it reaches a certain voltage. I suspect that the reason it says "Not for AGM batteries" is because AGM's have a lower float voltage, and this charger has a fixed float voltage.

 

[JimSouCal]

Yes, I have tested this one, and it's excellent.

-Phil

I believe the CTEK unit above is the OEM source for Porsche battery maintainers.

I think that this is what you are paying for: "CTEK’s chargers desulphate the lead plates by dissolving the large lead sulphate crystals, the battery regains partial or original capacity after this process."

For what it is worth, the physics of desulphating a battery would need to be explained to me, but I am familiar with the end result of fouling a battery and that is failure.

I would imagine the HF model is a basic float charge on and off--perhaps we will find out?

 

[DarkStar]

I use the one on sale for $19.99 (http://www.harborfreight.com/15-amp-three-stage-onboard-battery-charger-maintainer-99857.html) with some AGM batteries without any issues at all, floats at about 13.7 volts.

 

[ebill3]

Anyone use the Harbor Freight $4.99 or $5.99 12v Batt charger?

Or should i pay more for a brand named unit?

link: http://www.harborfreight.com/automatic-battery-float-charger-42292.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;




2nd question: Is it ok to leave the 12v wires still connected to the leaf?

I picked one of those up the other day.
At the start, the LEAF battery was just barely over 12 volts (it is always low).
By bed time, it was up to 13.19. Uncomfortable leaving it overnight, disconnected.
Reconnected this AM at 12.6 volts.
Eight hours later, 13.72 - too high for a float, and the open circuit voltage is >14 volts, so it was probably going higher.

I'll pass, find a use for the wall wart somewhere else.

 

[DarkStar]

I picked one of those up the other day.
At the start, the LEAF battery was just barely over 12 volts (it is always low).
By bed time, it was up to 13.19. Uncomfortable leaving it overnight, disconnected.
Reconnected this AM at 12.6 volts.
Eight hours later, 13.72 - too high for a float, and the open circuit voltage is >14 volts, so it was probably going higher.

I'll pass, find a use for the wall wart somewhere else.

13.72 volts isn't too high for a float charge. For a lead acid battery (SLA or flooded), at 70 degrees F, the recommended float voltage is 13.86 volts. The gassing voltage on a 12 volt battery is 14.49 volts anyhow, so you have a fair safety margin.

 

[ebill3]

13.72 volts isn't too high for a float charge. For a lead acid battery (SLA or flooded), at 70 degrees F, the recommended float voltage is 13.86 volts. The gassing voltage on a 12 volt battery is 14.49 volts anyhow, so you have a fair safety margin.

Source, please. Not doubting, just that what I read is that ideal float for a flooded battery is 13.3 - 13.6.

 

[DarkStar]

Source, please. Not doubting, just that what I read is that ideal float for a flooded battery is 13.3 - 13.6.

Here's a good start: http://www.powerstream.com/SLA.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Ingineer]

The problem is that floating a battery doesn't allow it to actually "complete" charging. Anyone familiar with lead-acid batteries knows from experience that most only last a few years with a "float".

You need a proper 3-stage intelligent charger to get the final absorption phase to fully complete the chemical reactions and halt sulfation. This is also why in many automotive systems, you'll see voltages well over 14. It's fine as long as it's not continuous, and for that you need intelligence. Many modern cars do implement a proper 3-stage charge algorithm, but sadly, the LEAF doesn't appear to do this correctly, and it's high idle draw doesn't help!

Skimping by going with the "Horrible Fright" wall-wart isn't worth it. The CTEK one I recommended is only $35 with free shipping, it will pay for itself in a relatively short time. (Especially on the LEAF!)

-Phil

 

[supra410]

I'm going to have to add in the "you get what you pay for". I've never trusted any cheap Chinese electronics. My friend bought a set of metal halide lights for his reef aquarium. I too was very tempted to buy as they were 85% cheaper than my German made lights. Long story short, one of the ballasts got super hot and melted part of the housing that dropped into his reef. That's pretty much all the demonstration of Chinese electronics I needed. If you decide to risk it. Don't leave it unattended. Might come home to a charred Leaf, or worse your home.

 

[downeykp]

I have been using these cheap float chargers for more than ten years and have never had a problem with any battery. I hook up all four cars and two atv batteries every summer for almost 3 months. Again, I have had no problems. All of the batteries have to be fully charged as these chargers will not charge a battery they will only maintain a battery.

 

[QueenBee]

I have been using these cheap float chargers for more than ten years and have never had a problem with any battery. I hook up all four cars and two atv batteries every summer for almost 3 months. Again, I have had no problems. All of the batteries have to be fully charged as these chargers will not charge a battery they will only maintain a battery.

They must be doing magic on those batteries to have them all last over 10 years.

 

[Ingineer]

I have been using these cheap float chargers for more than ten years and have never had a problem with any battery. I hook up all four cars and two atv batteries every summer for almost 3 months. Again, I have had no problems. All of the batteries have to be fully charged as these chargers will not charge a battery they will only maintain a battery.

They must be doing magic on those batteries to have them all last over 10 years.

Exactly. My point is most car batteries only last a few years, whereas PbA batteries in controlled situations treated with proper charge protocols can last 10. You are ADDING LIFE if you regularly give your PbA a proper charge protocol (Absorption Phase).

I have almost 40 years of experience with PbA in a wide variety of situations, including engineering extremely large battery arrays for telecom and data backup, and developing systems to maintain these uber-expensive arrays. If you can extend the life a few months it matters in big $!

Someone using a non-regulated float charger isn't going to convince me that it's a proper way to care for PbA.

-Phil

 

[keydiver]

I think we are losing focus here. Although the OP didn't tell us his exact application, most people here, including myself, use this type of float charger for a rather limited time. We're not discussing permanently installed battery arrays, or even longterm storage of a vehicle. I can't see how its going to significantly affect the life expectancy of a Leaf 12 volt battery if only used for a couple weeks, or even a couple months, while you are away on vacation or whatever. IMO, its much better than the alternative most people use, which is no charger whatsoever, and you come home to a stone dead battery, which GREATLY affects their lifespan.
FWIW, the batteries in both my collectible cars, which were left float charged for several days or weeks at a time, always lasted well longer than average. More anecdotal evidence: I have friends who are snowbirds, leaving a car and tractor up north all winter long, who use that exact Harbor Freight float charger, and they have yet to have to replace a battery in either after several years of use.
I'm not trying to argue here, as I'm sure the CTEK unit is a better charger, but for many of us the question is rather "which unit is good enough?", and this cheapy Harbor Freight unit has always done just fine for me.

 

[michapok]

Newbie here and a few questions about when to use these chargers - When leaving the Leaf for a few days? Once a week/month for maintenance? What about if the car has been left in ready mode overnight and the battery drains completely. Will the charger be enough to power the 12V system to turn the car on?