12V battery charger that will charge a DEAD battery?

[pacer 3,168]

OK guys with all the tractors so many of you have sitting over long periods of time and the batteries often going completely flat - is there a modern charger that will start a charge with low or no voltage?? I know that many (or all??) of the newer chargers if they cant sense some amount of voltage they wont do anything. I read about one that had to sense 9 volts -- say what??

 

I presently have an old Schumacher 8 amp that will charge a dead battery (leads will spark when you touch them) some of the new specs I was reading says "no spark leads" I would like to get a bit higher amp charger, say 12 amp or so, but I'm not gonna fool with one that wont even bring a dead one up. This is prompted because I left the switch on on the 1054 and it killed the batt dead, the little 8 amp brought it back up but takes some 24 to 36 hours.

 

So -- is there such a creature out there? Am I gonna have to hit all the pawn shops and hope to find old technology??

[SPINJIM 1,981]

I've had success with an old fashioned 8 amp charger, but I only use it for about a 1/2 hour to get enough of a charge into the battery to trigger one of the newer chargers that have to sense the battery connection.    I've also found that some batteries are just too far gone if they've been left without a charge for too long, especially if they've been left out over the winter.   A battery without a charge just doesn't seem  to survive cold weather.  That's where trickle chargers come in.  Good luck.

   Jim

[47JDG 65]

I picked up an old 12 amp at a local pawn shop this past spring. It was sitting on the shelf with no price and I asked them what they wanted for it. He said to make him an offer so I asked him if he could prove that it worked. He plugged it in and I couldn't hear it hum it all so he touched the leads together and it didn't do anything. He was going to throw it out at that point and just let me have it. I brought it home and took it a part, a terminal connector had come off inside for the power plug, and the positive lead clamp had a slice all the way through the wire and wouldn't have worked even if the internal problem didn't exist. I repaired it and now it works great. I would say if its taking 24 to 36 hours to bring your little garden tractor battery back up with your 8 amp charger then its time for a new battery anyways. Is it staying up now that its charged? If not, time for a new battery. I also have an old 6 amp charger and it has never taken longer then 6 hours to charge a completely dead garden tractor battery up enough to the point it would work...provided of course that the battery was good still..Do you have a battery tester? They are a nice tool to have.

[rwilson 128]

Get a Battery Tender. When your tractor is going to be sitting for a long time or you are not going to use the battery for a while just put the battery tender on it. then they should never be dead.

[Kelly 1,029]

I try to keep a cheap batt. tender on tractors that set for long times, no dead batt. that way, I bought mine at Harbor freight for about $4 each on sale.

 

 

  We must have been typing at the same time   

Edited July 24, 2013 by Kelly

[Wmanning416 9]

Connect the dead battery to a good battery positive to positive negative to negative. Then hook up your charger. This will trick the charger into charging the dead one.

[Jack Fate 7]

got a Schumacher 2-200 amp that will do what you ask .Mine is a couple years old though .It is manual with timer.

 

good thing to have around 2 amp-10 amp -40 amp//40 amp start ,what I use for GT's also does 6 volt & 200 amp start.

 

$90 rural king

 

 oh and neat trickWmanning416

[Fordiesel69 259]

Off topic, but if a battery just goes flat overnight, you are generally ok.  If it sits for a while, the battery will be shot.

[meadowfield 2,570]

When a battery has been left flat for a few weeks then sulfation occurs. This prevents the plates from holding charge and usually means dead battery.

If you are brave enough and understand the risks of high currents this can be reversed to some extent on batteries that haven't been damaged - i.e. the plates are decomposing. I wouldbe wary of high currents on SLA batteries as there is no vent mechanism, less of an issue if you can unscrew the caps and try pulse high currents.

If a battery won't charge or hold charge I personally would just replace it...

mark

[pacer 3,168]

My original question was - is there a charger on the market today that would charge a DEAD battery (left key on, left light on, etc)? and since no one has given a manufacturer, or a link to one, and from my research, there must not be a charger that will perform like "they use to"

 

The old technology charger would try to charge a bad battery, it just wouldnt succeed, or if the battery was borderline it would still often charge it enough to get a start off it and get into the shop or moved, etc.

 

I worked for Delta Air lines for many years maintaining ground equipment, and those ramp guys wernt very respectable to equip. One of my most common tasks was to get a belt loader, tug, etc battery back up after the switch had been left on or lights left on... I kept spare batteries and would switch out, but then I had to re-charge the dead one in the shop, or even sometimes on the ramp. After the new technology chargers started appearing, these common simple tasks became more and more complicated. but until I retired, I was at least able to keep "old technology" chargers from pawn shops to help.

 

I'll just have to prowl the pawn shops and garage sales I guess - or live with my old Schumacher.

[MrTrimmier 12]

Check amazon.com for Shumachers (new). I got an old school one with 2,10,50 amps for 50 bucks. Also, I've seen original bayer asprin used in the cells of a long dead battery to help bring it back to life. I suppose it helps with the sulfation. Gonna try it on my 701's ancient battery and see what's what....

Regards

Mike T

Edited July 24, 2013 by MrTrimmier

[JamesBe1 82]

I here good things about these.  They're pretty pricey though:

 

http://www.r-charge.net/Battery-Chargers_c_16.html

[pacer 3,168]

I here good things about these.  They're pretty pricey though:

 

http://www.r-charge.net/Battery-Chargers_c_16.html

 

YEOW!! You are kidding, right?

[SPINJIM 1,981]

Look for an old Schauer charger on ebay or at an auction.  

[JamesBe1 82]

 

I here good things about these.  They're pretty pricey though:

 

http://www.r-charge.net/Battery-Chargers_c_16.html

 

YEOW!! You are kidding, right?

 

Lol, I guess the sticker shock got you.

[AMC RULES 37,127]

 For that kind of $ they should recharge the Sun.  

[bewford 21]

I here good things about these.  They're pretty pricey though:

 

http://www.r-charge.net/Battery-Chargers_c_16.html

I can buy a lot of batteries and trickle chargers for that kinda loot, but they do sound neat.

[bewford 21]

 For that kind of $ they should recharge the Sun.  

If the hippies have there way we will be mowin with mowers that are charged by the sun, before long.

[JamesBe1 82]

 

 For that kind of $ they should recharge the Sun.  

If the hippies have there way we will be mowin with mowers that are charged by the sun, before long.

 

If Nicola Tesla had his way, we would be mowing with mowers powered by the wheelworks of the universe.

[bewford 21]

 For that kind of $ they should recharge the Sun.  

If the hippies have there way we will be mowin with mowers that are charged by the sun, before long.

If Nicola Tesla had his way, we would be mowing with mowers powered by the wheelworks of the universe.

Tesla was a unique fellow, to bad he was shunned

[bewford 21]

Snap On and Napa still have the bigger chargers that are the old style technology.

Pulse chargers can be bought reasonable, I have a buddy who bought one and it has brought back couple of dead dead batteries

Edited July 26, 2013 by bewford

[Jack Fate 7]

Schumacher se 4020 at advanced auto

$129 look at other places as I know you can get better price

This is the one I have $90 Rural King

They do still make them . Look for ones with manual dial timer

[Jake Kuhn 1,554]

You Should just be able to buy a manual battery charger I would think? I have one I got last fall for my birthday. Its made by diehard which I believe is carried at sears. Its got 2, 10 and 75 amp. I have no idea how much they cost.