Quote:
Originally Posted by Piwoslaw
As usual during the colder part of the year, I'm looking for an on-board battery charger. I'd like to ask what you think about pulse vs. transformer chargers? Does anyone have an opinion about which makers are better/worse, for example Yato and CTEK?
I'll most likely use it for 2 hours at a time while the engine heater is on, so what amperage is better - 4A or 1A? I already have a 1.5W solar trickle charger and haven't had problems with the battery yet, but it is 6 years old so I should start giving it more TLC, especially since the car is parked outside.
And can I use a charger designed for smaller batteries (<36Ah)? |
6 years old? 2 years is what I was told by an auto electrician as 'good' - I do know much more is possible, having only this year replaced an 8 year old battery, and knowing the last battery in the Sonata was 4 years old+!
As for chargers, any charger that charges 12V batteries will be fine, it's the rate of charge that matters and whether it's smart enough to stop.
If you keep charging, and charging, and charging past the battery capacity, you'll be doing a lot of damage to the battery. If you use too small of a charger, you won't do much at all to help the battery.