Best value car battery for family car

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#1537275 21-Apr-2016 10:29

timmmay:

Thinking about regular conditioning, is there a charger that can do car batteries and the 33SLA batteries I have for emergency backup? They just sit in the shed, I have no charger for them.

I use one of these

http://smartercharger.com/products/batterychargers/ctek-multi-us-4-3/

will work on Lead Acid Batteries, 1.2 - 110 Ah, up to 160 Ah for maintenance

timmmay

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#1537316 21-Apr-2016 11:20

CTek 0.8 can do batteries up to 32AH, so I guess 33AH is just over but I'd give it a shot. Probably fine for car batteries and my AGM SLA batters. $89 or so. Next charger up is the 3.8 which is $155. The smaller one I could probably get my wife to agree on...

CTek 0.8: is CTEK’s smallest 12 V charger. It offers state of the art technology and is perfect for charging smaller 12 V batteries that can be found in motorcycles, jet skis, ATVs and lawnmowers. It is also suitable for maintenance charging “normal- sized” batteries such as car batteries.

CTek 3.8: higher current, one extra stage.

Probably wouldn't try to sign my agency up just to save $25 on a car battery.

Jase2985

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#1537324 21-Apr-2016 11:27

the one that will do car battery's comfortably will also do right down to the small house alarm ones (7ah)

I would get the MXS 3.8. just wait till repco have a big sale as that's where I got mine from

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#1537332 21-Apr-2016 11:37

I don't get brochures or advertising, wouldn't hear about sale. Signed up for their platinum card though. I'll see what happens in their next sale, probably get the cheaper one if it'll do the job, unless there are clear advantages of more expensive one.

Jase2985

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#1537390 21-Apr-2016 12:33

normally all over the radio and TV :)

timmmay

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#1537391 21-Apr-2016 12:34

Jase2985:

normally all over the radio and TV :)

I don't listen to the radio, I don't watch broadcast or cable TV, I don't get any junk mail. I'm very difficult to advertise to.

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Wheelbarrow01

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#1537396 21-Apr-2016 12:42

xpd:

For N3, thats the one. See your HR or office admin (they usually know such stuff) about it. We had it at a PTE I worked for, were given a card IIRC with the company ID# etc on it - just flashed that at stores and got discounts.

Are you sure you don't work for Spark? It's acronym central around here as well LOL

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

MikeAqua

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#1537431 21-Apr-2016 13:23

I just buy house branded batteries from Repco. Usually get 3 winters in an outside vehicle. 5 in an inside vehicle. This is in Blenheim/Nelson with low temperatures at night in winter.

A lead acid battery is a very simple device. IMO there is no need to go high end except for high impact applications like off-road or boating.

Mike

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#1537447 21-Apr-2016 13:34

Repco are the top of the retail price, $190 for what I need. Another place is $50 cheaper. I'll go to Bridgestone today and see what kind of deal they can do me, seems easier than doing it myself.

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#1537467 21-Apr-2016 13:46

That's unusual, normally they are cheap.

Battery replacement is a 5 minute job to do yourself as long as you are physically able it should be no problem. A professional will often charge you a fitting fee and a disposal fee for your old battery (free to dispose of at transfer station).

Repco sell a multi-stage multi-mode charger for batteries too. I bought one for the boat (calcium batteries). Significantly cheaper than c-tek at the time and after ~4 years I can't fault it.

Edit: currenty 40% off http://repco.co.nz/catalogue#view=catalogue2&saleId=7906&page=7

timmmay:

Repco are the top of the retail price, $190 for what I need. Another place is $50 cheaper. I'll go to Bridgestone today and see what kind of deal they can do me, seems easier than doing it myself.

Mike

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#1537474 21-Apr-2016 13:53

Problem with repco is no online store. Supercheap has an online store, but chargers are all similar to Ctek.

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#1537616 21-Apr-2016 16:44

Would you buy a car battery online?

timmmay:

Problem with repco is no online store. Supercheap has an online store, but chargers are all similar to Ctek.

Mike

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#1537630 21-Apr-2016 17:07

MikeAqua:

Would you buy a car battery online?

Over $99 freight free on super cheap, so yes, but I seem to recall that it wasnt possible when I last tried it.

Richard rich.ms

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#1537637 21-Apr-2016 17:22

I would buy online, yes. However I went to the store to buy a battery, they tested it, and it tested 100% fine - see attached. It had been sitting in a car park all day, then started, driven there (5 mins) and tested fine. They said to test it again in a couple of months when it's colder. Ideally it would be tested in my shed after sitting there overnight, but I don't have a tester. I guess I'll just leave it for now and see what happens.

Jase2985

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#1537649 21-Apr-2016 17:43

thats the problem with starting it and doing a little drive then testing it straight after its been turned off. The voltage can dissipate over time

do you have a multimeter? if so test it before you start it in the morning

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