Quote:
Originally Posted by mss
Thank you, your sentiments align exactly with mine.
I bought a Lidl microprocessor controlled charger about 18 months ago just to see what it was like internally given all the glowing reprots on the forum. All I will say is that only my CTEK and Optimate maintenance chargers are connected to my car batteries in-situ.
The cheap one is reserved for the odd occasion that I want to give a maintenance charge to the ride-on lawnmower battery or the spare battery in the garage as these are completely isolated from any of the vehicle's electronics. |
I too have looked inside them - well made, to modern standards, good design and using microprocessors to carefully control the charge process. In fact just like the Ctek. I have past experience of the Optimate - they were absolute rubbish, not to be trusted.
I think you are over reacting in respect to these chargers. I have lots of batteries I need to maintain and have three or four of the Aldi/Lidl chargers. As an engineer, I have checked the way they work and satisfied myself that they are perfectly good, safe chargers. I have three large batteries which I am quite happy to charge once per month in situ (and still connected), including that of the 75 - absolutely no reason not to as I have done for many years.
All the warnings about never charging a battery whilst connected to the car, are an hangover from the days of uncontrolled chargers from pre 1980's and the rapid boost chargers, which can take the battery voltage very high and wreck the electronics on modern cars. None of which is an issue with modern chargers.