Automatic Battery Charger at Aldi

[p38arover]

I bought one of the automatic battery charges from Aldi yesterday ($25). See ALDI - special buys from thurs 21 oct - hurry, limited stocks in store* (http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/2827_15727.htm)

I'm not sure what "microprocessor controlled charging" really means.

It will be interesting to see what they are like. I'm interested in putting it on the motorbike battery and not worrying about forgetting it.

[fraser130]

Ron, does it have a maximum output current printed on it by any chance?
I might get one too if it is more than 3 or so Amps.
Might be good to permanently wire into the camper for winter.

Cheers,
Fraser

[p38arover]

Specs attached.

[fraser130]

Will pick one up today if they have any in stock.......
Thanks Ron!

Fraser

[Bushie]

I bought one of the automatic battery charges from Aldi yesterday ($25). See ALDI - special buys from thurs 21 oct - hurry, limited stocks in store* (http://www.aldi.com.au/au/html/offers/2827_15727.htm)

I'm not sure what "microprocessor controlled charging" really means.

It will be interesting to see what they are like. I'm interested in putting it on the motorbike battery and not worrying about forgetting it.

Hey Ron,

Is it still working :D:D


Martyn

[isuzu110]

Hi Ron

I'd like to put one on my camper trailer battery, but don't want to leave it on 24x7, put it on a 240V timer to run for say 1-2 hours a day.

If the unit gets 240V, will it start charging straight away or do you have to hit some start type button for it to start charging ? I'm looking for something that does not need manual intervention everytime it starts up.

[p38arover]

You have to press the button. It goes into trickle charge. That's what I want it for - to leave it on.

[p38arover]

I'll scan the user guide if anyone wants to read it first.

[p38arover]

Hey Ron,

Is it still working :D:D


Martyn

:eek:

I'd better go and check! Actually, I got Elisabeth to pick one from the stack - one that I hadn't touched. True!

[fraser130]

I'll scan the user guide if anyone wants to read it first.

That would be fantastic Ron.
Ta,
Fraser

[p38arover]

Bugger. I should have known someone would ask!

It'll be up shortly.

[fraser130]

Hi Ron

I'd like to put one on my camper trailer battery, but don't want to leave it on 24x7, put it on a 240V timer to run for say 1-2 hours a day.

If the unit gets 240V, will it start charging straight away or do you have to hit some start type button for it to start charging ? I'm looking for something that does not need manual intervention everytime it starts up.

There is an issue with this idea, I'ts actually better to trickle charge (hold battery at a fixed "float" voltage) than it is to start a 3 stage charge cycle every day, as during the charge cycle the "bulk" and "absorbtion" part of the cycle, the battery voltage is actually above what you need to keep the battery fully charged, and you are really just overcharging it for that time.
with wet cells, it just uses water and produces gas, in AGM and Gel cells it can contribute to the early demise of the battery.

The recommended float voltage varies with battery type and manufacturer.
but generally 13.8 is okay however some go as high as 14.1 (that's the highest I've actually seen)

Cheers,
Fraser


Bugger. I should have known someone would ask!

It'll be up shortly.
Had to be me eh?

;-)

[p38arover]

It had to be yoooouuuuuu!

[fraser130]

Thanks Ron, sounds good for the camper over winter.
I wouldn't have seen it otherwise.

Cheers,
Fraser

[isuzu110]

There is an issue with this idea, I'ts actually better to trickle charge (hold battery at a fixed "float" voltage) than it is to start a 3 stage charge cycle every day.

;-)

Yes, I take your point, except that I'm not convinced it is a 3 stage charger. From reading the manual, it appears that 'pulse' charging only occurs below 10.5V otherwise it just trickle charges. In my thinking, 3.6A is not really bulk charging if the battery is like mine at about 100AH.

Yes, I could leave it on 24x7, but my last experience with another trickle charging boiled off a enough electrolyte in the first month to kill the battery. I'm more cautious now.

This is probably a good unit, but I probably will not consider it as it needs someone to press the button to start it.

[Blknight.aus]

bought one just on the fact that its listed as 3.8A on the box has a battery voltage indicator on it and is cheaper than the cheapest dumb as a post charger from supercheap.

also bought the inhex/torqz bit set, screwdriver set (I like the feel of the handles on them) and 2 bundles of the zipties.

[sheerluck]

I've just been and splashed out on one of these as well, it doesn't look too bad at all.

Have to wait until this evening to get home and try it out - if you hear of an explosion and a large smoking crater in the Jindalee area - don't buy one!

[fraser130]

Yes, I take your point, except that I'm not convinced it is a 3 stage charger. From reading the manual, it appears that 'pulse' charging only occurs below 10.5V otherwise it just trickle charges. In my thinking, 3.6A is not really bulk charging if the battery is like mine at about 100AH.

Yes, I could leave it on 24x7, but my last experience with another trickle charging boiled off a enough electrolyte in the first month to kill the battery. I'm more cautious now.

This is probably a good unit, but I probably will not consider it as it needs someone to press the button to start it.

I'm with you, it's all about the voltage it's floated at, your otherone must have been too high.

Fraser

[fraser130]

It would appear that this is not happening in Victoria, my local Aldi didn't have any :-(

Fraser

[Blknight.aus]

plugged it onto the deep cycle battery (100ah worth) which is a standard Lead acid type battery.

the LCD read a little lower than my multimeter(s) showing 11.5v as opposed to the 11.6v on the meters.

apparently it went to fully charged some time this morning showing 13.8v on the lcd and more or less the same on the meter (I am not going to argue the hundredths of a volt with a sub $30 charger)

Just plugged it onto a calcium battery again showing .1v less than the multimeter with 12.1v on the LCD and 12.2 on the meter.

so far everything has been done with the charger on the car battery setting.

[circlework]

Geeeez, I'd just be happy to have an Aldi within 200km of me! :(

Lucky buggers.








Cheers.

[p38arover]

It would appear that this is not happening in Victoria, my local Aldi didn't have any :-(

Fraser

Fraser, do you want me to get one for you? I won't touch it, I'll get Elisabeth to select it. I'll be in Melbourne in a couple of weeks. I'm sure we'll get out Lygon St way.

[p38arover]

Geeeez, I'd just be happy to have an Aldi within 200km of me! :(


I could post one to you.

[abaddonxi]

Geeeez, I'd just be happy to have an Aldi within 200km of me! :(

Lucky buggers.








Cheers.

How do you make a Tasmanian cry?

Just show them an Ikea catalogue.

:D:D

[circlework]

How do you make a Tasmanian cry?

Just show them an Ikea catalogue.

:D:D



Yeh, close.

Just show us Any catalogue from the mainland!!! :(

That's the price we must pay for isolation in Paradise!!! :D :D

Let me know if any mainlanders would like me to send you a box of Pure Tassie Air ..... you pay for the pack and post. :angel:

Cheers,
Daz.

[circlework]

I could post one to you.

Thanks Ron,

PM sent.

Cheers,
Daryl.

[fraser130]

Fraser, do you want me to get one for you? I won't touch it, I'll get Elisabeth to select it. I'll be in Melbourne in a couple of weeks. I'm sure we'll get out Lygon St way.

Thankyou SO much for the offer!

I managed to get one at the 3rd Aldi I went to.......and they had plenty....Sydney road Brunswick if anyone in Melb is having trouble finding one.

See you soon Ron:)

[gazk]

I tried mine out on the ride-on mower battery, using the "motorcycle" mode -seems to do what the manual describes - it took the battery up to 13.9V and went into standby. As long as you leave it connected to the battery and 240V I don't think you need to manually restart it to maintain the float voltage.
Following the test run I got another to use on my 6V 1928 Chevrolet.

For $25 it seems quite OK. I saw one guy in Nowra buying six!

[Utemad]

I picked one up today. Will be handy to have an extra beside the Ctek XS7000. Why is it that people blatantly copy the Ctek shape etc? This one has an identical mode button and even has XS in the model name.

This one says trickle charge whereas the Ctek trickles for 10 days or so and then just pulses and charges when required.

[circlework]

I picked one up today. Will be handy to have an extra beside the Ctek XS7000. Why is it that people blatantly copy the Ctek shape etc? This one has an identical mode button and even has XS in the model name.
This one says trickle charge whereas the Ctek trickles for 10 days or so and then just pulses and charges when required.



Why is it that Ctek blatantly copy the Aldi shape etc? This one has an identical mode button to the Aldi and even has XS in the model name. :wasntme:

Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. My apologies.

:angel:
Cheers.

[Utemad]

Maybe Aldi and Ctek copied the Jaycar charger as it looks the same too :-)

[Blknight.aus]

doesnt look like its fully charged the calcium battery...

my proper battery tester is showing it as lighting up the 90+100% lights.

[sheerluck]

Let me know if any mainlanders would like me to send you a box of Pure Tassie Air ..... you pay for the pack and post. :angel:

Thanks, but if I want cold air, I can just turn the air con on :p

[p38arover]

I picked a couple of these up for Circlework.

He didn't understand my reference to my wife selecting them, not me. Boy, Daryl would have been in for a surprise if I'd picked them! He didn't know of my skill in buying faulty goods. :D

That's why Fraser130 went to three Aldi shops to find one - he wasn't going to trust my luck. :(

[fraser130]

I picked a couple of these up for Circlework.

That's why Fraser130 went to three Aldi shops to find one - he wasn't going to trust my luck. :(

:p

Fraser

[circlework]

So, Ron, what are you going to do with the two broken chargers that you bought for me?? :banana: :banana:

After reading that thread, I'm presuming of course that anything electronic can detect your proximity and clap out without being opened or used?? :D :D

Cheers,
Daryl.

[digger]

I have a small solar panel (12v) for my camper trailer and for my s1.

It has a ciggy charger fitting but I bought a (lion ?) premade cig fitting with battery clips, it trickles away all day and Ive never been short of charge yet!

I intend to get a couple more as I think at the cost to run (Ummm ZERO!)
and the fact it trickle charges all daylight hours (even crappy days its plugging away) makes it ideal to "set and forget".

The solar panel cost about $15 and the plug etc about $10.


so...."Nah" to all you people with Aldis!
(but we do have a ikea! they only set it up a few years ago.... took 20 workman and 16 giant alln keys and 4 big stamped out spanners!)

[p38arover]

So, Ron, what are you going to do with the two broken chargers that you bought for me?? :banana: :banana:

After reading that thread, I'm presuming of course that anything electronic can detect your proximity and clap out without being opened or used?? :D :D

Cheers,
Daryl.

The broken one I got has been replaced by one of yours. Your two broken ones will be posted today. :p

[circlework]

The broken one I got has been replaced by one of yours. Your two broken ones will be posted today. :p

Oh goody! More broken stuff to fix. :o

I'm glad I'm a technician. :p :D

Hey, wait a minute, I just had a brain snap ....... why don't I just sit outside your place, Ron and wait for you to throw broken chit out on the footpath?? Fix it in the back of the Disco and set it up as a permanent car boot sale ..... spooky! And it's not like I'd have to wait very long for the stuff to appear!!


Cheers,
Daryl.

[drivesafe]

Hey, wait a minute, I just had a brain snap ....... why don't I just sit outside your place, Ron and wait for you to throw broken chit out on the footpath?? Fix it in the back of the Disco and set it up as a permanent car boot sale ..... spooky! And it's not like I'd have to wait very long for the stuff to appear!!


Cheers,
Daryl.

With Ron’s golden touch, it’s probably worth the drive from Tas.

[circlework]

One thing I have noticed, is that to date, none of these chargers have shown up on the bay of evil.

I thought, albeit mistakenly that someone (like Ron) (darn, how did that name appear in here) would horde these and slowly sell them off on eBay. Then, I guess that wouldn't work, as they'd all be broken. :D


Cheers.

[Milhouse]

Got one on Saturday - reduced to $19.99 :)

[circlework]

Got one on Saturday - reduced to $19.99 :)

That was the one that Ron broke and took back!! :p