On vehicle battery trickle and boost unit.

[DrWazzock]

I have been searching for a commercially available unit to permanently install on my sprayer and permanently wire to the battery. It needs to plug into the mains when parked up, switch it on and it keeps the battery trickle charged. Then when I come to start the sprayer it needs a simple boost button with a time out. The only controls it needs is the boost button. I can switch it on and off at the mains, otherwise.
Can't seem to find anything that is that simple, doesn't need a few buttons pressing etc. It might need an indicator light to tell me its happy. It might need some antivibration measures.
Is there anything available?
Might be a small project if there isn't.
I do have a battery charger and a trickle charger but its a pain moving them from one vehicle to another, fiddling with terminals etc. I would prefer just to unwind a flying mains lead stored on the vehicle and plug it in when I park up. An antifrost heater and stat might be also be a useful addon.
Some might say I need to sort out the vehicles own charging system but it works fine. Its just long periods of idleness that spoil the battery and cold weather creates a lot of drag in the hydrostatics hence the need for the boost, to avoid caning the starter.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I have a couple of cheap (super cheap) Repco battery chargers that would handle that. Just small switchmode types that cut back to a trickle, and don't even need an external extra diode to prevent draw.

You could probably use a camper-style lead and plug on the vehicles, which is what we use to run the block-heaters and keep the systems charged on the fire appliance, they pull out if you forget.

 

[Magnificent Earwig]

I have been searching for a commercially available unit to permanently install on my sprayer and permanently wire to the battery. It needs to plug into the mains when parked up, switch it on and it keeps the battery trickle charged. Then when I come to start the sprayer it needs a simple boost button with a time out. The only controls it needs is the boost button. I can switch it on and off at the mains, otherwise.
Can't seem to find anything that is that simple, doesn't need a few buttons pressing etc. It might need an indicator light to tell me its happy. It might need some antivibration measures.
Is there anything available?
Might be a small project if there isn't.
I do have a battery charger and a trickle charger but its a pain moving them from one vehicle to another, fiddling with terminals etc. I would prefer just to unwind a flying mains lead stored on the vehicle and plug it in when I park up. An antifrost heater and stat might be also be a useful addon.
Some might say I need to sort out the vehicles own charging system but it works fine. Its just long periods of idleness that spoil the battery and cold weather creates a lot of drag in the hydrostatics hence the need for the boost, to avoid caning the starter.

I know it’s not a trickle charger but I have a small C-Tek smart charger which came with a separate loom which can stay on the battery and simply plugs into the charger.

 

[Andrew K]

How about fitting something like an Autolec 12V cut off switch, the machine is better protected against theft as well, and theres no load on the battery either?
Wouldnt cost more than £20 I would think. Easy to switch on/off.

 

[milkloss]

what Sort of boost are you looking for?

 

[Bobthebuilder]

Can you not just fit a good new battery and an isolator switch

 

[warksfarmer]

I have been searching for a commercially available unit to permanently install on my sprayer and permanently wire to the battery. It needs to plug into the mains when parked up, switch it on and it keeps the battery trickle charged. Then when I come to start the sprayer it needs a simple boost button with a time out. The only controls it needs is the boost button. I can switch it on and off at the mains, otherwise.
Can't seem to find anything that is that simple, doesn't need a few buttons pressing etc. It might need an indicator light to tell me its happy. It might need some antivibration measures.
Is there anything available?
Might be a small project if there isn't.
I do have a battery charger and a trickle charger but its a pain moving them from one vehicle to another, fiddling with terminals etc. I would prefer just to unwind a flying mains lead stored on the vehicle and plug it in when I park up. An antifrost heater and stat might be also be a useful addon.
Some might say I need to sort out the vehicles own charging system but it works fine. Its just long periods of idleness that spoil the battery and cold weather creates a lot of drag in the hydrostatics hence the need for the boost, to avoid caning the starter.

Bateman?

We had to buy a new battery every 12 months even with an isolator fitted. Never got to the bottom of what it was.

 

[DrWazzock]

Bateman?

We had to buy a new battery every 12 months even with an isolator fitted. Never got to the bottom of what it was.

Correct. Cant understand it. New battery seems fine for a bit then loses its edge. Give it a boost and it starts first turn. New starter a couple of years ago helped but it’s just not lively enough without help.

 

[warksfarmer]

Correct. Cant understand it. New battery seems fine for a bit then loses its edge. Give it a boost and it starts first turn. New starter a couple of years ago helped but it’s just not lively enough without help.

Yep exactly the same symptoms as we had. Local mechanic couldn’t find the issue neither could an electrician with some testing equipment so we gave up and just bought a battery every 12 months.

 

[Phil P]

If it starts fine with a new battery a basic trickle charger should be all you need, usually under £20 on eBay. You’ll be cranking with a fully charged battery every time you come to start so should be no need for a boost.
Also I’d mount the charger on the wall and run low voltage wires to the machine with a breakaway plug for the time you forgot to disconnect it!

If it’s a Bateman with a Deere engine? check the big terminal on the starter as they can work lose and corrode very quickly as they get hot when cranking. This leads to a slow turnover. I fitted a much bigger battery to mine and it always starts on the button now.
Another thing to check if it’s an early model is the fuse box (if is on the r/h side next to seat) check if it’s getting hot when running as the spade terminals get bad contacts on the back and it stops charging!

 

[s~~t shoveller]

We have fitted twin battery s to ours this year and it's revolutionised the starting.cleaned all earths et c well and that improves things a bit,but two batteries means no more boost ever.they weren't even new batteries.I have done the same thing to a,few tractors over the years.worked every time .I detest things that won't start under their own power.did both batemans last Oct Nov time and first turn starting every time no matter temp or how long since last started.

 

[Phil P]

We have fitted twin battery s to ours this year and it's revolutionised the starting.cleaned all earths et c well and that improves things a bit,but two batteries means no more boost ever.they weren't even new batteries.

Sure your not putting 24v through it now

 

[Adeptandy]

Correct. Cant understand it. New battery seems fine for a bit then loses its edge. Give it a boost and it starts first turn. New starter a couple of years ago helped but it’s just not lively enough without help.

I have the same issue with my Chafer

 

[An Gof]

On my car I can just plug a trickle charger into a cigarette lighter type socket. If it can work on a car must be a way or wiring it up to work on the sprayer. Been a godsend with the lockdown periods and hardly any use of the car.

 

[steveR]

I know it’s not a trickle charger but I have a small C-Tek smart charger which came with a separate loom which can stay on the battery and simply plugs into the charger.

Yep, one of these or the Optimate. Many folks with bikes or cars that are used infrequently use them. I have a similiar, low amperage one that is left on my bikes year round, I just rotate the connection to another vehicle every fortnight or so. Vehicles with Trackers or alarms are especially prone to killing batteries.

 

[HDAV]

I have been searching for a commercially available unit to permanently install on my sprayer and permanently wire to the battery. It needs to plug into the mains when parked up, switch it on and it keeps the battery trickle charged. Then when I come to start the sprayer it needs a simple boost button with a time out. The only controls it needs is the boost button. I can switch it on and off at the mains, otherwise.
Can't seem to find anything that is that simple, doesn't need a few buttons pressing etc. It might need an indicator light to tell me its happy. It might need some antivibration measures.
Is there anything available?
Might be a small project if there isn't.
I do have a battery charger and a trickle charger but its a pain moving them from one vehicle to another, fiddling with terminals etc. I would prefer just to unwind a flying mains lead stored on the vehicle and plug it in when I park up. An antifrost heater and stat might be also be a useful addon.
Some might say I need to sort out the vehicles own charging system but it works fine. Its just long periods of idleness that spoil the battery and cold weather creates a lot of drag in the hydrostatics hence the need for the boost, to avoid caning the starter.

Did you find something? We have tried small trickle chargers but they don't seem to do the trick even with isolators fitted smart ones seem to switch off too easily think the battery is charged when it isnt

after the old style that have a 1amp constant and 8 amp fats charge type that can be left in the machine and just plugged in when parked.

 

[ACEngineering]

Correct. Cant understand it. New battery seems fine for a bit then loses its edge. Give it a boost and it starts first turn. New starter a couple of years ago helped but it’s just not lively enough without help.

The route of the problem is most likely the starter motor! Do you know what starter motor you fitted before? there might be a much better one for it?

 

[ACEngineering]

Did you find something? We have tried small trickle chargers but they don't seem to do the trick even with isolators fitted smart ones seem to switch off too easily think the battery is charged when it isnt

after the old style that have a 1amp constant and 8 amp fats charge type that can be left in the machine and just plugged in when parked.

There only any good if they are big enough for the Ah rating of the battery, otherwise they wont fully charge it anyway. Most of these small smart chargers are only for tiny batteries not suited to tractors.

 

[harrow]

Any modern machines will have electronics, using a boost starter box that raises the voltage could be very risky, instead use a smart charger.

 

[tw15]

c tek i found one in lidls the other day£29 with damaged box found out it normally is about £80 on the net . Happy days works perfectly .