I need to buy a battery charger, tips please.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I want to use it on the motorbikes, as well as the car when I leave the inside lights on for a day or so.

whats good, whats not, what features do I need, and how much should I expect to pay?

[Disco Dan]

They are pretty basic devices... I think you can get different charge rates relating to how much you want to spend.

I have always thought that a slow trickle charge is better than a quick charge.

I have one lying around.. but your in the south island. May get lost.

[El Dopa]

I want to use it on the motorbikes, as well as the car when I leave the inside lights on for a day or so.

whats good, whats not, what features do I need, and how much should I expect to pay?

You might need two different ones - one for the car and one for the bike.

I have two: a small one for the bike and a larger one for the car. They are both exactly the same (except for size). A box you plug in to the wall with some lights on it, and a pair of wires with alligator clips on the ends.

You connect the alligator clips to the relevant terminals on the battery, plug the other end into the mains, and wait until the orange light turns green (a few hours). You don't need any more 'features' than that.

From memory, I paid $30-$40 at Repco for each.

[davereid]

A cheap battery charger will have two limitations.

Firstly, it will only provide a low charge current - ie less electrons per hour. So you battery will take longer to charge. This is usually not a problem, as even a small charger will charge a flat car battery overnight. (ie a 2 amp charger commonly sold as a 2200mA charger.)

The second problem with cheap chargers is that they don't know when to stop. They will keep stuffing electrons into a full battery, and it will gas, (hydrogen) get hot, and gradually die.

So, get a cheap charger, if you can keep an eye on it, and manually remove it from your battery when it is charged.

I use a cheap charger, and a $3.99 timer from Mitre10 to keep the battery charged on a car I don't use much. I use the charger (on the timer) to give the car a fifteen minute charge, once each day. Works great.

[Shadows]

Try and get something with a low (preferably 1 amp DC or less) rate / high rate switch. Most bike batteries like a slow charge, especially from new, the slower the better.
Obviously, you need to make sure your bike runs at the same voltage as the charger is designed for (usually 12 volt).

[orangeback]

I sell these a TWL , but they are not cheep , ask any auto electriction that had any thing to do with them hell tell you it the best on the market.
http://www.ctek.com/EN-GB/Buy-Charger.aspx?charger=mxs3600

http://www.twlnz.co.nz/Site/Files/a/06cc20404d351cbaa2520fcd0d5adc3/4856ef7865d9cb9017b56525600cd67c/Roadzone%20Nov%2007%20LR.pdf

this is what you need , it wont boil battary dry ,charges gel cells and much moore, read up about the xs3600 thats what id recomend and use for all my bikes and cars , ive got the bikes hard wired to it for trickel charge all the time to keep battary in optim condition,

[thehovel]

I bought a Protecta 2700ma Battery charger from Super Cheep Autos (can't remember how much) BUT it is a charge & maintain. it turns is't down when the battery is charged. So all you have to do is connect the charger to what ever vehicle you aren't using problem solved. Regards Richard

[Edbear]

I got a trickle charger from Dick Smith's for $58. It's an automatic so you can leave it hooked up for weeks and it just maintains the charge.