On Fri, 29 Jan 2021 18:57:52 +1100, Xeno
wrote:

On 29/1/21 12:44 pm, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Thu, 28 Jan 2021 15:35:34 +1100, Xeno
wrote:

On 28/1/21 2:51 pm, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Thu, 28 Jan 2021 00:11:15 +1100, Xeno
wrote:

On 27/1/21 8:39 am, trader_4 wrote:
On Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at 2:59:21 PM UTC-5, wrote:
On 1/26/21 2:44 PM, alan wrote:
My 40 year old steel case 6 amp automotive battery charger finally died.
I only want to replace it (and I don't want a contraption that jumps cars).

I just want a new 120VAC simple sturdy 12VDC automotive car battery
charger.
And I don't get out to the stores much lately.

Mine had an analog meter, and a 6V/12V switch (which I never used at 6V).
If they still come with an analog amperage needle, that would be nice.

Any advice where to get a good simple sturdy 12VDC battery charger online?
Here is Amazon least expensive charger with meter

https://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Ba...dp/B07NVHBPDV/

URL says motorcycle but it's also for autos. 5 amp w/digital meter for
more than just amps

If he wants something that's low amp, that's the kind of thing I would get,
ie a charger/maintainer that you can leave on to keep unused batteries
fully charged, eg over winter. The other choice is a higher amp one that
is more useful for quickly charging a dead battery, getting a car going, etc.
I have an old sears one that does 2A/10A/50A, the latter is short term to
start. IDK if there are higher amp ones like that which can also be left
on indefinitely and have the functionality to safely maintain, thought there
is no reason they could not.

If you want a charger that can be left on indefinitely then you need one
that is capable of trickle charging. The one you have is *capable* of
trickle charging on the lowest setting and a normal charge is the mid
setting. The high setting should never be used to charge a battery if
you want a good life from it.
Not if you want any life from the charger either. It's goof dor about
60 seconds )for cranking smaller displacement engines with geared
starters) 50 amps for any length of time melts the ammeters.
sharging a low battery at 50 amps won't hurt the battery - in the car
it can charge at 100 amps on many of tofay's cars (150 amp alternators
are not uncommon)

Whilst the alternator is capable of charging at rates of 30amps and
upwards, It is never recommended that you let the alternator charge the
battery if it has been flattened to any degree. The rule I was taught
back in the 60s was you remove the battery from the car and charge it at
the *safe charging rate* which was, IIRC, 10% of the amp hour rating of
the battery. That ensures a long life. The alternator is designed to run
the car electrics and it is not designed as a charger per se. That's why
it is recommended that the car battery be occasionally put on a trickle
charger now and then to remove sulphation and top it off to the correct
voltages.
True - but every time a battery goes low and the car gets a boost,
the alternator charges that battery and they still last an average of
7 years. And with today's charging systems no float charge is required
because they caharge at up to 14.2 or 14.3 volts.

Battery technologyAND charging systems have changed significantly
since the 60s.. The biggest problem was with the small-frame GM
alternatoe the high ampersge ones would fry themselves trying to
charge the dead battery at 135 amps - - - -

Not to mention many alternators are now controlled by the engine
management system.
Like I said - SIGNIFICANT improvement