Battery Chargers

[HereWeGoAgain]

Can anyone recommend a good brand battery charger in the $350 dollar range?
Schumachers are all over amazon but the reviews are terrible.
I bought an $80 dollar one a year ago and the damn things dead already.
I do have one of the little maintainers that you install permanently and you leave the plug accessible through the grill so all you have to do is pull it in the garage and plug it in.
I still want a full sized charger though for jump starts.

 

[progressive hunter]

Can anyone recommend a good brand battery charger in the $350 dollar range?
Schumacher are all over amazon but the reviews are terrible.
I bought an $80 dollar one a year ago and the damn things dead already.
I do have one of the little maintainers that you install permanently and you leave the plug accessible through the grill so all you have to do is pull it in the garage and plug it in.
I still want a full sized charger though for jump starts.

might check with your local battery or parts store to see what they use,,

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

might check with your local battery or parts store to see what they use,,

I just might do that. A garage would be the best bet I'd think. But then they probably use those high end ones that run around $800 bucks.
Just dont want to ask anyone that sells them because you know they'll start telling you how great there's is.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

200 amp, it will jump start a car

2/10/40/200 Amp, 6/12V Automatic Battery Charger with Engine Jump Start

Amazing deals on this 2/10/40/200A 6/12V Auto Battery Charger at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

These portable jump starters work great.
I carry one in my car.
Amazon product ASIN B08KSZSPBM

 

[progressive hunter]

I just might do that. A garage would be the best bet I'd think. But then they probably use those high end ones that run around $800 bucks.
Just dont want to ask anyone that sells them because you know they'll start telling you how great there's is.

we as civilians are limited on what we can see,, a commercial shop has better suppliers with higher grade machines for commercial use and dont usually advertise their wares,,

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

200 amp, it will jump start a car

2/10/40/200 Amp, 6/12V Automatic Battery Charger with Engine Jump Start

Amazing deals on this 2/10/40/200A 6/12V Auto Battery Charger at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

These portable jump starters work great.
I carry one in my car.
Amazon product ASIN B08KSZSPBM

I generally shy away from the stuff from Harbor Freight especially electronics and power tools.
While they do have some decent stuff a lot of it's junk.
I made the mistake of buying their sandblast cabinet and spent more money making it function properly than I paid for the damn thing.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

we as civilians are limited on what we can see,, a commercial shop has better suppliers with higher grade machines for commercial use and dont usually advertise their wares,,

May need to check with Grainger,they deal in the high end stuff.

 

[toobfreak]

Schumacher are all over amazon but the reviews are terrible.

Just looked at one on Amazon for $350 on wheels that puts out 200 amps with a 4.5 star rating. But these days, with everything made in China, its hard to get all good ratings.

I do have one of the little maintainers that you install permanently and you leave the plug accessible through the grill so all you have to do is pull it in the garage and plug it in.

If you don't have one, I just LOVE the Battery Tenders with the maintainer feature that sends through pulses which break up mineral deposits inside keeping the battery working like new! Fantastic. You can get them in the $30-$50 range.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Just looked at one on Amazon for $350 on wheels that puts out 200 amps with a 4.5 star rating. But these days, with everything made in China, its hard to get all good ratings.


If you don't have one, I just LOVE the Battery Tenders with the maintainer feature that sends through pulses which break up mineral deposits inside keeping the battery working like new! Fantastic. You can get them in the $30-$50 range.

What brand was the one on Amazon?

 

[toobfreak]

What brand was the one on Amazon?

Schumacher

Model #SC1400

ASIN B07VSQ9NMN

For $350, the thing better work and hold up. I still have a 6A Schumacher that works like new so old the thing was entirely made out of steel.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Schumacher

Model #SC1400

ASIN B07VSQ9NMN

For $350, the thing better work and hold up. I still have a 6A Schumacher that works like new so old the thing was entirely made out of steel.

Go back and read my original post.
I've crossed them off the list. They get terrible reviews on quality and customer service when they die.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Schumacher

Model #SC1400

ASIN B07VSQ9NMN

For $350, the thing better work and hold up. I still have a 6A Schumacher that works like new so old the thing was entirely made out of steel.

Ah....there's the rub,it's an old one.
Apparently the new ones suck from the reviews on Amazon.

 

[toobfreak]

Go back and read my original post.
I've crossed them off the list. They get terrible reviews on quality and customer service when they die.

Dunno, they've always worked for me. Got two of that brand.

And the model I linked to gets 79% 4 and 5 star reviews.

I've found a lot of bad reviews on A are flukes damaged at factory, etc., or written by idiots.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Dunno, they've always worked for me. Got two of that brand.

And the model I linked to gets 79% 4 and 5 star reviews.

View attachment 636088

I've found a lot of bad reviews on A are flukes damaged at factory, etc., or written by idiots.

There were still a bunch of people saying the customer service was terrible.
I'll take a chance on some stuff if the customer service is good and the item isn't so expensive.
I spent $800 bucks on a yamaha generator and it showed up damaged. The guys had the nerve to say I bought a scratch and dent one.
Of course when I asked him why they charged me full price for a scratched and dented generator he STFU right quick.
I order a shit load of stuff from Amazon and when I contacted them and told them what was going on they got my money back immediately.
So I may take a chance on one if I cant find anything better.
It seems to me that in this day and age getting stuff made in china can be hit and miss,ya might get a good one or ya might get a lemon.

 

[toobfreak]

There were still a bunch of people saying the customer service was terrible.
I'll take a chance on some stuff if the customer service is good and the item isn't so expensive.
I spent $800 bucks on a yamaha generator and it showed up damaged. The guys had the nerve to say I bought a scratch and dent one.
Of course when I asked him why they charged me full price for a scratched and dented generator he STFU right quick.
I order a shit load of stuff from Amazon and when I contacted them and told them what was going on they got my money back immediately.
So I may take a chance on one if I cant find anything better.
It seems to me that in this day and age getting stuff made in china can be hit and miss,ya might get a good one or ya might get a lemon.

That's right. No guarantees. It has gotten real hard to find anything made well no matter what price range you are in. I just bought a new stainless steel toaster from Hamilton Beach, a really nice one, best toaster I've ever had, but one reviewer said his arrived with a dent in it and mine arrived with a dent creased in the corner too! Box was perfect.

But I had really researched the model well so ordered a replacement. Second one was fine except one of the metal louvers inside which closes to hold various thickness bread centered did not move. But knowing how stuff works, I grabbed it and pulled up hard on it and fixed it. It must have gotten jammed in shipping when they put a cardboard protector in there. The thing has worked delightfully ever since.

With the current flummoxed manufacturing and supply chain base now operating out of China with Covid and now the supply breakdowns, I would expect product defects and things to rise higher. Companies are really cutting corners now trying to stay afloat.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Just looked at one on Amazon for $350 on wheels that puts out 200 amps with a 4.5 star rating. But these days, with everything made in China, its hard to get all good ratings.


If you don't have one, I just LOVE the Battery Tenders with the maintainer feature that sends through pulses which break up mineral deposits inside keeping the battery working like new! Fantastic. You can get them in the $30-$50 range.

I ended up going with the Schumacher.
It has a shit load of features,all I can do is hope it lasts.
I talked to a buddy this evening and he has a couple of Schumacher's that are pretty old and he has no complaints.
If it shits the bed I'll just complain like a Mother Fucker until they either replace it or give me my money back.

 

[progressive hunter]

I ended up going with the Schumacher.
It has a shit load of features,all I can do is hope it lasts.
I talked to a buddy this evening and he has a couple of Schumacher's that are pretty old and he has no complaints.
If it shits the bed I'll just complain like a Mother Fucker until they either replace it or give me my money back.

its all those added features that cause the problems,,
a few modes for charging a battery and having a timer is all thats needed,,

good luck

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

its all those added features that cause the problems,,
a few modes for charging a battery and having a timer is all thats needed,,

good luck

It shouldnt be a problem.
The features I'm talking about are pretty simple and most chargers have them.
Things like automatic switch to maintain after the battery is charged.
I want the ability to jump start which many of the smaller rigs dont have.
I dont mind spending 3 or 4 hundred bucks for a decent product. We'll see if it measures up real soon.

 

[lg325]

Had bad luck with those in my former employer's workshop with the switches wearing out after very little use. Hope yours hold up better.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Had bad luck with those in my former employer's workshop with the switches wearing out after very little use. Hope yours hold up better.

It did get some bad reviews but it also got a lot of good reviews.
Considering it's not going to be used in a repair shop it should be okay.
If it fails Amazon will get lite up.
When the $800 dollar Yamaha generator came in damaged Amazon jumped through hoops and I got my money back within days.