A word of caution

[jedimaster]

 

Don't buy this thing.

 

I have returned 3 over the past 5 months. They keep breaking. Same thing with every one. It will work fine for a while half a dozen charges, but after a while the circuitry goes wonky. When left on trickle charge it only updates the Voltage for a half an hour or so then gets stuck and will over change. If you unplug it and plug it back it the voltage gets updated.

eg PLug it in charge at 30 percent, climbs to say 60 percent, and stays there for hours. Unplug it and plug it back in now its at 90 percent.

I am now on my 4th one in about 5 months. The one good thing is they keep exchanging it because it has a 5 year warranty. Make sure you keep your eciept if you buy one, and keep an eye on it under the trickle charge mode. The quick charge cycle seems to work just fine. I think it just overheats or something.

 

http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_...fromSearch=true

Edited August 24, 2007 by jedimaster

[Fishn Technishn]

Thank you for the heads up!

I WAS looking at that one this morning.

I think I will try one of the on board chargers. Any advice on these. Looking at the BPS one that does 2 batteries but charges the one that needs it the most.

 

FT

[Guest Johnny Bass]

I should have bought the Nautilus!!!! I bought the Eliminator for $69.00 5 years warranty! nI figure this should last me. NOT!! Every time I am charging it starts to flash 888. I guess this stands for error and begins to drain the battery! It also is supposed to shut down after it charges. it doesn't!!

Now it will only charge to 60% when on 2 amp charge!!!

[marvin]

I should have bought the Nautilus!!!! I bought the Eliminator for $69.00 5 years warranty! nI figure this should last me. NOT!! Every time I am charging it starts to flash 888. I guess this stands for error and begins to drain the battery! It also is supposed to shut down after it charges. it doesn't!!

Now it will only charge to 60% when on 2 amp charge!!!

If someone is looking for a charger I was going to put one up for sale yesterday. Its 8 months old and I only took it out to replace it with a three bank one. Its a Pro series 10amp 2 bank onboard charger. First $100 bucks takes it. It has a lifetime warranty on defects . Email me and I can send pics and info .

[jedimaster]

I was going to buy a 2 bank one. but I am going to wait until next spring. Mine will hobble along until next year. Asumming this one works. but its not looking very promissing. I put my batteries on charge again and its acting wonky. I think ctc will just keep putting them on sale over and over until they clear the stock. then they will discontinue it and not do returns any more. They will offer to send it away for repair at some charge I am sure. Keep your reciepts if you got one. I can't stress it enough don't buy these pieces of crap.

[Pigeontroller]

Thanks for the heads up! I'm on my second one and continue to have problems, I was thinking it was my battery but I guess its the charger . I'm gonna take it back and get a different one!

[iceguy]

I put a two bank charger in my boat(BPS brand). Much better charger that the nautilis charger I bought from CTC last year. was going to sell it(nautlils) but if ever need a other battery(car or such) charged it's bit of a pain to pull the other's out of the boat.

[pikehunter]

Crap, I have one of those too. Bought it on sale, I hope I can find the receipt for it. It seems to act strange sometimes also.

 

I used it last night to charge my wifes car battery as my son left the lights on and drained it.

Started off at 60% charge (this is after it was boosted to start the car and then a half hour drive home,) then after about 2 hours later of charging at 12amps it was only at 70%. Around 11pm it finally hit 100% after being on the charger for about6 hours. Does that sound about right?

 

One day while charging my deep cycle I checked in on it and it was flashing all kinds of dofferent info and not charging but the fan was running. I unplugged it and started again, it worked OK then...I think

 

What do you think, is this one screwed too?

[iceguy]

Sounds a little screwy,like all the other units. Battries are suppose to take a lot charge at the begining than trickel the last little bit in.

[jedimaster]

I have never owned one that worked the way it was supposed to for more than one or two charges. Its really annoiying. My plan is to now wait til my current one freaks out then go return it, and take it back still in the box to a different ctc and get a store credit on the sale price. I am sick of this piece of crap.

Yours sounds like its buggered.

at the 12 amp charge setting it should only take about 20 minutes max to fully charge a battery.

Here is the test. put the thing on the voltage setting, and watch it. When yours is screwed the voltage will stay the same for a long period. If you unplug it and measure the voltage with a voltmeter and its different it means your charger is buggered. Take it back.

also often if you unplug it and plug it back in it will updte the voltage, however if you need to unplug it its not much of an automatic charger now is it.

If you over charge your batery it could explode. Thats why they invented automatic chargers. To avoid blowing them up. These stupid things don't shut off.

Your battery fully charged should read around 13.5 volts Don't let it go over 14.

[Guest Johnny Bass]

20 minutes to charge a Battery on 12 amps???? It takes me about 8 hours on mine and I thought that was normal!!!!

[jedimaster]

No man thats screwed up, yours is buggered for sure, your proabably over charging it or something. on 2 amp trickle charge it should take about 8- 15 hours depending on the battery type and how depleted(pretty much plan for overnight on 2 amp).

on the max setting it should zap it up to full in well under an hour sure. I don't charge deep cycles this way as the charge doesn't fully saturate the thicker plates, but for charging a starting battery its fine.

8 hours on 12 amps is really screwed up for sure.