Battery Chargers:

[40ford]

The battery in my 40 was very weak.I have three different chargers and the only would that I could get to correctly charge battery in my car was the far left which I have had for at least 45 years.Just a 6 amp charger but does the job!Is it just me not doing something correctly or is these so called high tech chargers junk.See photo.
CHARGERS.JPG

[Zax40]

What battery do you have? If it is one of the AGM Optimas they are very picky on what chargers will work.

[40ford]

6 volt Duralast from Auto Zone,nothing fancy.It was very very weak.

[rotorwrench]

I use an old Schauer battery charger that dates back to the late 60s and it still works like a champ for 6 & 12-volt batteries. It's a 6-amp max with diminishing rate of charge as the battery gets closer to full charge. I like it because I can tell if the battery has a problem just by connecting it up. The charge rate will be too high. Most batteries that are still in usable state will only charge at around 2-amps or less to start. If it's more than that then I have to keep an eye on it while it charges. When they start relatively low and then almost max out after a time then I figure the battery is likely on it's last legs due to cell shorting. Sulfation is a battery's worst enemy.

A lot of folks use the smart chargers or "tenders" for the AGM or jell cell batteries. They work until they eventually have an electronic malfunction that renders them useless. I avoid AGM & jell cell types so I don't have to worry about all that. If the vehicle is going to set, I take the battery out and put it in my charging station so I can throw a charge at it now and then.

[drolston]

I have had the same frustrating problem. It turns out that the so-called smart chargers will not even try to charge a completely dead battery. It has to sense a little voltage from the battery to figure out what to do. I have been through three such smart chargers and they all have the same problem

Solution: I bought an old Wizard (Western Auto) battery charger off of Ebay to get the dead ones going. Then hook up the "smart" one.

[rockfla]

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I bought one of these a little over a year ago and has performed flawlessly. Have used it on an Optima too!!!

[1931 flamingo]

I have one similar to the above, charges both 6V and 12V.
Paul in CT

[jimTN]

I have two state of the art chargers I would not ever buy again. Neither work well with a 6 or 12v and you cannot tell the rate of charging because there is no amp meter on them. I have bought a couple of old transformer type chargers off ebay that work very well. The electronic stuff is just junk.

[fordor41]

I use a Craftsman from '65. 6/12V workes great. I tried a Schumacher hi-tech charger. it quit after a yr or so. Now back to te ole craftsman

[Ford Freak]

Originally Posted by fordor41

I use a Craftsman from '65. 6/12V workes great. I tried a Schumacher hi-tech charger. it quit after a yr or so. Now back to te ole craftsman

Yes, I also am still using my old Craftsman 2/10 amp charger from 1982.- F F

[Bertha]

Originally Posted by drolston

I have had the same frustrating problem. It turns out that the so-called smart chargers will not even try to charge a completely dead battery. It has to sense a little voltage from the battery to figure out what to do. I have been through three such smart chargers and they all have the same problem

Solution: I bought an old Wizard (Western Auto) battery charger off of Ebay to get the dead ones going. Then hook up the "smart" one.

I have MacGyver wires I attach to a 9v battery and then to 'Bertha's 6v to fool the 'smart' in my charger.
Just remind me to pull it off quickly.

Bob