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Car Battery Charger Recomendations

Looking for a new car battery charger and have a budget of up to £100.

The one i have the now is like something from the 70's so even a slow charger is really quick (and may be damaging batteries) and doesn't have things like auto cut off when charged etc.

I have almost zero knowledge on these things, so was hoping someone with more insight to them could recommend something for me
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Comments

  • fred246
    fred246 Posts: 3,620 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I have got a Ctek which I really like. I think it's the 3600. Costco also do a CTek one (or they did when I last went there). Aldi/Lidl sometimes do smart chargers as a special which people rate highly.
  • A._Badger
    A._Badger Posts: 5,882 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I have a Ctek, too. After a lifetime putting up with cheep 'n cheerful chargers, I finally did the sensible thing. It was worth every penny.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 8,033 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The Other Car is connected to an Optimate as I type. Same sort of idea, you poke a "waterproof" (in their dreams: spray with JL69 or something) connector out of the bonnet and connect it up permanently, just remembering to disconnect before driving off.

    Got 14 years out of the battery on my motorbike by keeping it connected to an optimate when not in use.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    Ctek, if you want maintenance charging without disconnecting the car battery.... Other wise Aldi and Lidl do one that's perfectly good for around £15.

    What usually happens with the Lidl/Adli chargers is people buy them up and sell them on eBay at double the price to people who are shopping snobs and refuse to even enter those shops. But my local Aldi still has some in stock, so you may get lucky.
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  • marlot
    marlot Posts: 5,009 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I've used Aldi, lidl and ctek. All work fine, but all have trouble charging a very flat battery.

    The best of them all, and the one I tend to go for, is this one, if you can still find it: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Decker-Battery-Charger-Diagnostics/dp/B0013242I0
  • Wig
    Wig Posts: 14,139 Forumite
    edited 28 December 2014 at 3:41PM
    I have used old technology (really old like 50s & 70s)
    I have used Optimate & Optimate II
    I have used the Black and Decker quoted in the post above
    I haven't used Aldi/Lidl or Ctek but I suspect they are all as good as an Optimate.

    I think the best one is the Black and Decker as illustrated above.
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