Battery charger at Aldi... is it a smart charger..?

[bongolow]

Anyone know if this is a smart charger....?

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/sp ... _20978.htm

There's precious little info on the website but these things have a habit of coming round time and time again at Aldi so I wondered if it's been on sale before and if so can anyone give more details.

[wonkanoby]

http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... DI+CHARGER

might help

[mikexgough]

Sure is...... I did list it in "Bargains" the other day.....I have one hard wired into my conversion for the odd on site LB top up, with the Willinton it charges both the batteries and yes it's a smart charger - The latest version is the same inside gubbins with an LCD display rather than the LED display I have......going to get another this week....now they are on offer again... Lidl have a similar model that will probably be on store within 2 weeks... they usually are.
From Aldi german site translated via google

Features:
5-stage intelligent charging characteristics
For wet, gel, AGM and maintenance-free lead-acid batteries
With permanent conservation charging function
Battery capacity: 1.2 to 12 Ah (6V), 7.2 to 120 Ah (12V)
Eingangs-/Ladestrom: 0.4 A / A 0.1 to 1.0
Charging voltage 6,8 -16 V
Diagnosis and rescue function for deeply discharged batteries 1 V (6 V), 7.5 V (12 V)
Connectivity via double insulated charging clips or eyelets possible
High-quality feature connection
Gradually, the battery charge status display

[bongolow]

Great, thanks both. Off to Aldi first thing Thursday..!

[Nogob]

I suspect this is a really dumb question, but when I've charged battery, I've always disconnected the feed to the car and replaced it with the charge from the charger - I've got it in mind that I risk making the whole van live otherwise!

So when people say they've hardwired the chargers in, does that mean you can charge the battery without disconnecting the battery from he van?

Sorry if this is gobbledygook - I'm confusing myself!

[missfixit70]

The battery/s are being charged with far higher currents when the engine's running & the alternator is charging them, a mains charger is only putting 12v (ish) at whatever current output is stated, to the battery.
The car body is used as the negative side, so I guess your thinking is halfway correct, but also wrong

[Diplomat]

Hard wired or not, you still have to press the 'Mode' button to get it to start charging.

It won't simply work because mains is applied.


Frank

[mikexgough]

I suspect this is a really dumb question, but when I've charged battery, I've always disconnected the feed to the car and replaced it with the charge from the charger - I've got it in mind that I risk making the whole van live otherwise!

So when people say they've hardwired the chargers in, does that mean you can charge the battery without disconnecting the battery from he van?

Sorry if this is gobbledygook - I'm confusing myself!

Hardwired in means it's always connected to the Leisure Battery....as Frank says it needs to be switched on via the mode button after the mains is applied to the charger.....the Aldi one puts out to around 14V ish and a max of 3.6 amps......when finished charging it indicates and goes into "maintain mode" then ....either use mode to turn off or should you forget and unplug from the mains it defaults to Off setting........

[dave_aber]

either use mode to turn off or should you forget and unplug from the mains it defaults to Off setting

[Northern Bongolow]

i think you know what he means dave.

[Bob]

The battery/s are being charged with far higher currents when the engine's running & the alternator is charging them, a mains charger is only putting 12v (ish) at whatever current output is stated, to the battery.
The car body is used as the negative side, so I guess your thinking is halfway correct, but also wrong

Beautifuly put Kirsty.

[mikexgough]

either use mode to turn off or should you forget and unplug from the mains it defaults to Off setting

Well that will teach me to use PM instead of on main forum......

[dave_aber]

It's a bit like the I.F.F. system we used to have in the R.A.F. on Buccaneers - According to an American navigator we had on an exchange, it didn't work in O.F.F. mode.

[maxi_77]

Sure is...... I did list it in "Bargains" the other day.....I have one hard wired into my conversion for the odd on site LB top up, with the Willinton it charges both the batteries and yes it's a smart charger - The latest version is the same inside gubbins with an LCD display rather than the LED display I have......going to get another this week....now they are on offer again... Lidl have a similar model that will probably be on store within 2 weeks... they usually are.
From Aldi german site translated via google

Features:
5-stage intelligent charging characteristics
For wet, gel, AGM and maintenance-free lead-acid batteries
With permanent conservation charging function
Battery capacity: 1.2 to 12 Ah (6V), 7.2 to 120 Ah (12V)
Eingangs-/Ladestrom: 0.4 A / A 0.1 to 1.0
Charging voltage 6,8 -16 V
Diagnosis and rescue function for deeply discharged batteries 1 V (6 V), 7.5 V (12 V)
Connectivity via double insulated charging clips or eyelets possible
High-quality feature connection
Gradually, the battery charge status display

One small observation this seems to have a maximum output of 1 amp which is unlikely to be of much value even for overnight charging of an LB. My charger is 4A and is marginal but will just keep up with the fridge. I would suggest that an 8A charger would be about right with a LB capacity of 100 AH. If you use the max suggested capacity 50% that means you need to find 50AH which would be just over 6 hours at 8A. Now smart chargers though a lot faster than normal chargers they are not that good but still should be good to get your battery up to scratch overnight. The 1A chager will need a couple of days at least.

Yes a smart charger but not a very big one

[missfixit70]

Not sure about those figures, mine keeps up fine, I tought it was more like 4 amps max for the Aldi/Lidl ones?