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19-04-2013, 05:16 PM | #1 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Perth, Northern Suburbs
Posts: 5,035
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I have a very flat (but not “dead”) battery that I am trying to charge.
Pulled out my trusty old Projecta that I have had forever, and strted charging it up. Checked back in a few hours and the charger is dead as a dodo. Pulled out a Arlec I had, it too stated fine and died within an hour. Oh well, old chargers. Went out and bought a couple of newies. Projecta 4300, and something from Malz called an “Icanic.” Tried the Malz one, it lasted all of 5 minutes. The new projecta seemed to be going ok, but left it on several hours (its automatic) charger is now dead and battery worse than ever. Even had me checking to make sure it’s a 12V battery, and that I had +ve and –ve around the right way. These have all been 4~6 amp chargers. Should I be going with something bigger? If the battery has dropped a couple of cells, could that be destroying the chargers? I can’t see how, but FMD FOUR chargers???
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19-04-2013, 06:06 PM | #3 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Quote:
I assume they would have overload cut-offs, but even after letting them sit for hours, they don't come back. Thing is previously, I have charged really stuffed batteries and left them on charge for days. I can only assume that maybe the battery has lost several cells and so is effectively close to a dead short?
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19-04-2013, 08:11 PM | #4 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 548
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Mate spend the extra and get a C-Tek . $125 or so and all the inbuilt safety features you reqiure for safeguarding your cars electroncs. No offence but Projecta is a bit like a cheap tyre , built to a price. (my 30 year old Arlec still works fine but I don't trust unattended).
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19-04-2013, 08:45 PM | #5 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: George town, tasmania
Posts: 800
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Mate if your battery is dead flat your gonna struggle to find a charger that will bring it back up. That is if its even still any good. I love ctek. I've sold them for 7-8 years now but even a good one of those will struggle with a dead flat battery. The way they operate just wont allow them to.
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19-04-2013, 08:51 PM | #6 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Quote:
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19-04-2013, 08:53 PM | #7 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Rockhampton
Posts: 245
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When your battery is very flat the chargers will trip out on internal thermal overload. give them some time and they will cycle back on. it may take a few days to get the battery charged, you may be lucky.
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19-04-2013, 09:57 PM | #8 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Quote:
My ole faithful Projecta is back in business after an extended cool down. The “Icanic” from Malz, still “works” but just trips out quickly. My not-new but not that old Arlec is cactus, And the New Projecta has **** itself
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19-04-2013, 10:07 PM | #9 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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sounds like you might have a shorted cell, that would explain the high current draw. it would also explain why it isn't completely dead as the other cells would be delivering power and the bad cell being shorted just lets the power through
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19-04-2013, 10:12 PM | #10 | ||
BEN
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 4,875
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Sometimes you need to link the battery with another one in parallel to put some juice back into them before chargers will do anything.
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19-04-2013, 10:14 PM | #11 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Location: Perth
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As said, CTek the only way to go. I was able to rejuice a completely dead battery that had been sitting in the car for over 6 months without starting.
Put it on charge for 48 hours came back to life no probs.
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19-04-2013, 10:19 PM | #12 | ||
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Location: Foothills of the Macedon Ranges
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When a battery gets to this stage its best to get rid of it and buy a new one.
And if its only being used periodically, get a floating charger like a c-tek to keep it fully charged. |
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19-04-2013, 10:26 PM | #13 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Central Tablelands. NSW
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Quote:
After getting the car home I connected the completely dead battery from the Falcon to my trusty old Arlec charger that I bought in 1976 and charged it at 1 amp for about 3 weeks. To my surprise it came good. I installed it in my old rodeo ute that I use once or twice a week and six months later it is still working OK. The battery is an Australian made Century 450 CCA amps
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19-04-2013, 10:44 PM | #14 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Location: Melb north
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bigger is better i think, i bought a 20 amp charger about 15 year ago, from dead flat to cranking it does`nt too much time to put charge in, i think mine was arlec too, no complaints.
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20-04-2013, 05:46 AM | #15 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 994
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I have an old charger with 6 v and 12v on it. Dead flat charge with 6 volt then some hrs later switch to 12 no dramas. Seems some of the newer electronic chargers wont charge if they cant see an electrical path (ie dead flat battery). it sees it as an open circuit. The old units using a transformer werent that smart, more expensive to build though and so we get the electronic units which for the most part do a better job. i have retrofitted tiny charging units in the enclosures that had the old chargers from 30+ years ago in industry, huge inclosure with tiny charger inside, looks funny when you open the door.
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20-04-2013, 07:41 AM | #16 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Location: George town, tasmania
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Quote:
One way to charge a still good but dead flat battery now days without an older style charger, is to put it back into the car jump start it and let the alternator bring it up for a bit then pull it out and charge it properly. This can damage your alternator though if you do it for too long
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20-04-2013, 07:45 AM | #17 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Rockhampton
Posts: 245
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i have used my arlec on a number of occasions on a flat battery and it comes back to life it just takes some time to get some charge on the plates so that it doesn't overheat the charger. If you go too big with your charger you can boil the battery. Chargers Are not all the same (switch mode etc), same for batteries especially if sealed or Maint Free.
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20-04-2013, 07:45 AM | #18 | |||
Regular Member
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Quote:
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20-04-2013, 10:57 AM | #19 | ||
KITTY Crew Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: WA
Posts: 5,267
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As mentioned if you have another good battery you can link it in parrallel (12v) with the dud.
Then connect charger. It tricks the charger a bit and stops cutout due to pumping too many amps. Thats if the old battery is not stuffed totally.
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21-04-2013, 01:09 AM | #20 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Perth, Northern Suburbs
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Well the battery has killed 2 chargers, and the Icanic simply keeps cutting out, and the old faithful projecta runs way too hot. After which battery voltage had dropped to about 2.2 Volts.
$215 for a new battery delivered and installed by RAC, with 2 yr warranty, seems ok. However I am going to keep my eyes open for a DECENT charger
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21-04-2013, 01:37 AM | #21 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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LOL
So how much all up has it cost ya including chargers?
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21-04-2013, 09:11 AM | #22 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Posts: 994
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wonder if the battery is partially shorted internally?
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21-04-2013, 11:58 PM | #23 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
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Location: Perth, Northern Suburbs
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I returned the new Projecta. I am hanging on to the Icanic, on the basis that it seems to work and may be ok for trickle charging not so dead ones.
But it fried my Arlec, so thats one down.
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22-04-2013, 12:18 AM | #24 | ||
Australia
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: behind a keyboard
Posts: 1,290
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I'm currently using a Projecta, not fussed either way about it.
To the guys recommending ctek, is this the best model for a falcon http://www.ctek.com/au/en/chargers/MXS%205.0 edit: it appeared to be the recommended model on their site then I saw others |
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22-04-2013, 07:53 AM | #25 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Quote:
Heres the actual one, good price too, $90 delivered, and i'd reccomend the seller. http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CTEK-MXS-...item4170f85aab Also just found this one, has a bonus bumper cover, same price http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CTEK-MXS-...item5d3d0b5782 |
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22-04-2013, 08:42 AM | #26 | ||
FPV BFII GT Cobra No.249
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Lake Macquarie & Sydney
Posts: 581
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I wouldn't use any other charger than a C-Tek, especially as I have an Optima deep cycle AGM battery.
This is the absolute best charger to have, I've had this for 6 years. http://www.batteriesdirect.com.au/sh...-special).html Watch the video at the bottom of the page for good info on size & usage. The 5 Amp ones fine for a falcon, but the 7 Amp one gives you more leverage, will charge quicker from a lower voltage charge, & will be useable on just about any 12V car/4WD battery. You can always go down, (use it on a smaller capacity battery), but you can't go up from the 5 Amp, put too big a battery on it, & it'll keep tripping out on overload. |
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22-04-2013, 08:56 AM | #27 | ||
Call me dirt... Joe Dirt
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Back in Perth for good
Posts: 5,302
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Another vote for C-tek here.
Had one on my car for nearly 6 years now and battery still going strong.
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22-04-2013, 02:10 PM | #28 | ||
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PERTH. WA
Posts: 4,697
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C tek
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22-04-2013, 10:10 PM | #29 | |||
I hate ricers
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Location: perth
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Quote:
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23-04-2013, 10:15 AM | #30 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Quote:
How many others purchased from this group buy? and did any others have an issue with theirs? by the way, ctek offer a 5 year warranty, so how is the replacement going? |
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