Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

[n4wwl]

Saw this advertised on eBay and wonder if it is safe to use and wothwhile or if it is a safety risk. It has a pair of red and black battery cables on one end connected to a 12V charging module and an AC transformer on the other end.

The link is here if you want to see the picture: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/83-8...tegoryZ33578QQihZ020QQitemZ300078137034QQrdZ1

Any thoughts? I have a 1990 Ciera 2651 Sunbridge.

Thanks.



THE PROBLEM: You try to start your boat after it's been
sitting for a few weeks or months, and your
battery is completely dead.
THE SOLUTION: The Battery Butler® Storage Charger!
The Battery Butler® Battery Storage
Chargers are specifically designed for the maintenance of batteries that are stored or only
used periodically. These chargers will prevent the normal self-discharge of your battery,
while extending the life of rechargeable 12 volt batteries rated from 5 to 125 amp-hours,
by providing a minimum current, regulated output. Other types of chargers provide
a strong, rapid charge that tend to boil out liquids and decay electrodes.
With the Battery Butler® charger, once your battery has been fully charged,
it will automatically shut-off; then resume charging as your battery level drops.
Works on ALL wet cell, gel-cell or the new OPTIMA™ batteries.
Works on ALL years, ALL make & model car, truck, motorcycle or boat batteries.
The Battery Butler® Battery Storage Chargers are specifically designed for long term use.
You can safely leave it connected to your battery for days, weeks,
months, even years!
Did you know that every week your battery will lose 4% of its charge
just by sitting (with no load)?

 

[Bondo]

Re: Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

Well,........

Look at it This Way,.......

A Battery is an Electrical Storage Device,...... Right,.??...

As long as Everything was shut Off,.....
If you go down to the boat,+ it Doesn't Start because of a Dead Battery............

That means the Battery is Incapable of it's Job,+ there for Junk.........

That thing you linked to is Just a "Feel Good" device,......
Designed to Separate You from your Money........

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

There are a lot better battery maintainers on the market that that bunch of wires. I sort of agree with Bondo but since I'm a firm believer in battery maintainers for extended non-use applications I will defend them. A battery will self discharge over time but it should not discharge enough in a couple of weeks or months that it would fail to start the boat. Unless of course, the radio has a station memory and clock that requires constant power. My boat is idle from late November until mid - late March so I have two on-board chargers. One 6A up front for the trolling motor battery and a Schumaker 1.5A maintainer at the back for the start battery. They have been plugged in 24x7 since late November. There is a great deal of information published on the web by battery manufacturers and suppliers as to whether or not "maintenance" charging is required. They indicate it is beneficial and provides optimum battery life. That's their opinion, and I tend to agree with them.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

Like Silvertip said, there are plenty of good proper battery chargers available. I myself use a single bank charger made by Minkotta that costs about $50.00. It is hard wired in, no aligator clips . I can just plug the extension cord in and the battery is maintained. This is for my bowmount electric trolling motor. That way I am always ready to fish...The starting battery gets charged when I run the boat.

 

[ebsworj]

Re: Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

yes is will work, I have a similar one. Its keeps a fully charged battery charged. What is your worry?

Saw this advertised on eBay and wonder if it is safe to use and wothwhile or if it is a safety risk. It has a pair of red and black battery cables on one end connected to a 12V charging module and an AC transformer on the other end.

The link is here if you want to see the picture: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/83-8...tegoryZ33578QQihZ020QQitemZ300078137034QQrdZ1

Any thoughts? I have a 1990 Ciera 2651 Sunbridge.

Thanks.



THE PROBLEM: You try to start your boat after it's been
sitting for a few weeks or months, and your
battery is completely dead.
THE SOLUTION: The Battery Butler® Storage Charger!
The Battery Butler® Battery Storage
Chargers are specifically designed for the maintenance of batteries that are stored or only
used periodically. These chargers will prevent the normal self-discharge of your battery,
while extending the life of rechargeable 12 volt batteries rated from 5 to 125 amp-hours,
by providing a minimum current, regulated output. Other types of chargers provide
a strong, rapid charge that tend to boil out liquids and decay electrodes.
With the Battery Butler® charger, once your battery has been fully charged,
it will automatically shut-off; then resume charging as your battery level drops.
Works on ALL wet cell, gel-cell or the new OPTIMA™ batteries.
Works on ALL years, ALL make & model car, truck, motorcycle or boat batteries.
The Battery Butler® Battery Storage Chargers are specifically designed for long term use.
You can safely leave it connected to your battery for days, weeks,
months, even years!
Did you know that every week your battery will lose 4% of its charge
just by sitting (with no load)?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

I have 6 of I believe that same charger on the batteries in my electric car.Trojan 130 amphour true deep cycle 12 volt batteries).If you don't shut off the main disconnect the cars system will slowly discharge the batteries.These float chargers(even though they are 5 amperhours short) maintain the batteries very well even against the system drain.They don't charge a discharged battery but do maintain very well.They were on sale for something like 6 dollars at Harbor Freight.
I don't use the clamps I use terminal to connect them directly.

 

[n4wwl]

Re: Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

Thanks for all the replies. There are definitely mixed opinions out there.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Battery charger -- safe or sorry?

Thanks for all the replies. There are definitely mixed opinions out there.

Thats why I'm staying the hell out of it... (BUT..I DO have on sale 5 buck Harbor Freight cheap float chargers on 9 batt's again this winter, and if they didn't work, I'd toss them in the garbage,