Battery charger question

[Cornbread9]

So I have a two battery setup. One cranking battery and a 27 series deep cycle for the trolling motor. The new XPS charger from Bass Pro Shop that I'm looking at is a dual band 5/5 battery charger. 5 amps for each battery, but it will send 8 to one and 2 to the other if one is stronger. It states that it "reconditions" batteries or de-sulfates them. It is reg price $139 on sale for $89. Is it any different than the $29 dollar 2/4/6 amp charger from Walmart? Walmart charger doesn't say anything about reconditioning on it. Time isn't a factor as I have all week to charge the batteries for the weekend. I also thought that the 2 amp charge would be better for the battery than the 5 amp charge. Thanks for the advice on whether the bass pro charger is worth the price difference. Note that I will have to buy a XPS charger cable extension for $40 since it is only 5 ft and won't reach both batteries.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Battery charger question

The $29 charger will require you to charge one at a time.
The XPS will charge both batteries at the same time. A convenience feature.

Once the battery is full the extra current Out-Gasses the water in the battery.
If the $29 charger is NOT an Automatic/Smart charger, you will need to remember to remove the charger after 24 hours to prevent overcharging. An inconvenience feature

Reconditioning!.... You can't resurrect the dead. Marketing hype!

2 Amp vs. 5 Amp .... The Amp rating is not what the batteries will be charging at, it is the Maximum the charger can deliver.
Yes, the 5 amp charger will charge the battery faster. But not 2-1/2 times faster.
On a very discharged battery the 5 amp charger will deliver 5 amps at the beginning of the charge.
The charge current decreases as the battery charges.
For both chargers, the last 5-10 hours will be at less than 2 amps.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Battery charger question

big diffrence is the 5/5 is a onboard charger so if you buy the plastic adapter that holds the plug all you have to do is plug in a drop cord and walk away (gfci outlet). The charger will take care of the batteries so there ready for when you want to go fishing. I think the 5/5 also can transfer power between the batteries while the motors running as well (wont make much diffrence realy but its on there).
5 amps is not going to hurt a battery even if its realy flat.
40 bucks for the cable is a rip off and theres ways to extend the wire with out cutting the rings off the charger.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Battery charger question

...40 bucks for the cable is a rip off and theres ways to extend the wire with out cutting the rings off the charger.

Or, cut the rings off, and splice in a piece of 16ga Extension Cord with 4 Butt Splices.
Its 5 amps! Not 500!

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Battery charger question

the one year warranty is void if you cut the rings off. i found with my 3 bank that i was only short on one lead and that was a ground wire that missed by 5" so i just installed another ground block i had laying around then added a short wire from that to the battery.
The leads are 5' each set so it depends on where you mount it.