on both counts
Battery Charger Question?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 228
Likes: 24
From: Sedalia Missouri
Battery Charger Question?
I recently installed an Optima red top battery and was wanting to get a battery charger to keep it charged up. I was wondering about a couple different ones that are available across the street from where I work. One of them is by black and decker that is a 2 amp that comes with a cigarette lighter plug in. By the way how well liked is the cigarette lighter feature? The other charger Im looking at is by Schumacher and it is a 1.5 amp charger that can be used on a 6 volt or 12 volt. Thanks for your feedback it is always appreciated.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 763
Likes: 1
From: Oceanside Ca
2 amperes
I have a Sears Battery Charger prior to the 'vette. the charger has a setting for 2 amperes or 10 amperes. I hook it up right on the terminals and just leave the hood closed but not latched. I usually just charge it up about every three or four days and my battery has done fine. Of course I don't have the original battery any more. As far as the cigarette lighter attachment...whatever you like. I just like keeping the charging cord outside and under the hood. Personal preferences.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,170
Likes: 27
From: Magnolia Greens NC
I recently installed an Optima red top battery and was wanting to get a battery charger to keep it charged up. I was wondering about a couple different ones that are available across the street from where I work. One of them is by black and decker that is a 2 amp that comes with a cigarette lighter plug in. By the way how well liked is the cigarette lighter feature? The other charger Im looking at is by Schumacher and it is a 1.5 amp charger that can be used on a 6 volt or 12 volt. Thanks for your feedback it is always appreciated.
Last edited by trussme; Aug 24, 2007 at 06:51 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 104
From: Des Moines Iowa
I recently installed an Optima red top battery and was wanting to get a battery charger to keep it charged up. I was wondering about a couple different ones that are available across the street from where I work. One of them is by black and decker that is a 2 amp that comes with a cigarette lighter plug in. By the way how well liked is the cigarette lighter feature? The other charger Im looking at is by Schumacher and it is a 1.5 amp charger that can be used on a 6 volt or 12 volt. Thanks for your feedback it is always appreciated.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,737
Likes: 0
From: Northern VA
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
The kind of charger you buy depends on what you need it for. If you don't drive the car for long periods of time,(60 days or more) and all you want is a trickle charge, any of the low amperage units will do fine. Direct battery hook up or cigarette lighter doesn't matter. What DOES matter is that you don't get a charger that doesn't have a float-mode. A steady charge on an already charged battery will boil off all the water. I don't know how the optima handles this but I know they require special charging rates, etc. So you might need a special consideration for the optima.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: Spring, TX
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 33
From: Not on either liberal coast.
(DELTRAN) BATTERY TENDER PLUS (1.25 AMP) or BATTERY TENDER JR. (.75 amp) are optimal for an OPTIMA. Any well stocked motorcycle shop and/or PEPBOYS will handle the BATTERY TENDER products.
The CTEK is relatively new to the USA, but very popular in Europe. It is a little more expensive, but it has some features that the BATTERY TENDER products might not have.
The CTEK is relatively new to the USA, but very popular in Europe. It is a little more expensive, but it has some features that the BATTERY TENDER products might not have.
Last edited by hotwheels57; Aug 24, 2007 at 01:08 PM.