Battery question

[Tony B]

I'd look for a good known name like Exide or Black and Decker. It's worth paying for a good bit of kit.We get a manufacturer called Red devil in UK. They manufacture a lot of sub-contracted parts for Well known makes like De Walt and Bosch, but these are assembled by themselves. Good value kit for light to medium use.

[Ugg]

Hi Tony:

I don't know if they're available in the UK, but Schumacher is the very best for vehicle battery chargers here in the US. That's who makes all the professional grade stuff. You can even run em in the rain (found out by accident ).

Later

[Jim M]

Ugg,
It is a Die Hard smart charger. Cost was about $30, little extra when you add shipping.

Jim M

[Tony B]

Hi Tony:

I don't know if they're available in the UK, but Schumacher is the very best for vehicle battery chargers here in the US. That's who makes all the professional grade stuff. You can even run em in the rain (found out by accident ).

Later

No don't know this make. One of the best suppliers in UK is a company called Screwfix, they do all sorts of things over the net and deliver very fast.

[Phil P]

In the UK also try Machinery Mart. I have got 2- 6 volt traction batteries in series off a pedestrian controlled FLT which the ex Scout car dynamo/ regulator keep well pumped up!
No problem cranking da lump with these 2!

Never leave a battery fully discharged in freezing conditions as it will freeze up and that will be the end of it. If a battery is absolutely flat as a witches tit put it on the lowest setting on your charger about 1/2 amp if it will go that low and leave it 24 hours then slowly raise the charge rate say up to 3 amps for 24 hours and then 5 and leave it at that for say 48 hours. Check the level regularly and the SG with an hydrometer. When it is fully charged take it off. Don't put a dead flat battery on a boost charge as you will either grenade it if it has an internal short and it makes a very poor eye wash or buckle the plates and shorten it's life. It does batteries good to slowly discarge them flat and then gently recharge them. I had a pair of 12 volt batteries on the Hippo that were always kept charged and then slowly discharged and recharged and one lasted 13 years and one lasted 11 years. It would have lasted like the other if I hadn't dropped it! They were not top of the shop expensive batteries but economy types.