[Solved] Best Non-Microprocessor Chargers for Christmas Gift: Top Simple & DIY Repairable Models

I would like to buy a rectifier for Christmas as one of the Christmas gifts for my son. It is important that it is simple and preferably without a microprocessor. Just one that (if what) I can fix myself. Which of the currently available on the market are relatively good?

I have one and it's very nice
CTEK MXS 5.0 56-998 charger

The high-quality CTEK MXS 5.0 charger should be included in the inventory of every driver. It works especially well in winter, when low temperatures cause problems with batteries in vehicles and other equipment. Also in the spring, it will help to start motorized recreational or utility equipment, which was unused during the winter break. The model is designed for 12 V lead-acid batteries with a capacity of 1.2-110 Ah.

Product features:

battery type: lead acid

battery voltage: 12 V

maximum charging current: 5 A

battery capacity 1.2-110 Ah

supply voltage: 220-240 V

functions: 8-step, automatic charging cycle, battery diagnosis, AGM battery charging, trickle charge, regeneration

in the set: cable end to be installed permanently, cable end with "crocodile clips", cover

warranty: 5 years

zybex wrote:

I would like to buy a rectifier for Christmas,

first of all, what is it supposed to be used for? How old is your son? Is it supposed to be a ready-made product or something to be assembled, for example?

You go, buy anything and give, we do not know your son's technological advancement. A good one is a Kulon 912, and a straight one is a Kulon 405

The son is 40 years old. It has little to do with electrical engineering. He is an economist and, let's say, a computer scientist. It has an SUV and a large battery (probably around 120Ah). Until now, when he had a smaller car, he successfully used a rectifier I made for him. Trafo TS50 / 11, two diodes and an ammeter. Now it seems to me that this rectifier may not be enough for it (as if what). I am interested in such up to a maximum of PLN 150. Ease of use and reliability are important.

So it can be anyone with a maximum charging current in the range of 10 - 15 A. What, unfortunately, I do not know, the choice is huge. I've always done for myself and thought that maybe you meant something to DIY.

krisss22 wrote:

I have one and it's very nice
CTEK MXS 5.0 56-998 charger

I would prefer something like this with a traditional transformer. These "pocket money" somehow don't appeal to me. I have already repaired 3 such rectifiers from Lidl.
I like the "Kukla" rectifier with ammeter and rotary switch. There is, among others version 15A. Another, recommended in some topic, is the rectifier by the company "Stef-Pol".

So what I have is enough. Rectifiers are a complement. And not that he has to do something every day. And most of all that to recharge from scratch.

Today I noticed such a rectifier in a certain supermarket.



11A rectifier from the German brand Absaar. Ideal for charging 12 V lead-acid batteries from 25 Ah to 120 Ah.
The charger is very easy to use and safe for the battery.
A durable metal housing protects the charger against mechanical damage.
The output current is very stable. It has protection against overcharging and overvoltage.
Input voltage: AC 220V - 240V / 50Hz.
Current (output): 11 A maximum
Charger weight approx. 3.3 kg

Support Polish industry, you have Stefpol.

zybex wrote:

Today I noticed such a rectifier in a certain supermarket.



11A rectifier from the German brand Absaar. Ideal for charging 12 V lead-acid batteries from 25 Ah to 120 Ah.
The charger is very easy to use and safe for the battery.
A durable metal housing protects the charger against mechanical damage.
The output current is very stable. It has protection against overcharging and overvoltage.
Input voltage: AC 220V - 240V / 50Hz.
Current (output): 11 A maximum
Charger weight approx. 3.3 kg

It is a pity that I do not have the one I opened - because I would take photos of "guts" and ... I suspect that it is similar.

What I remember:

The transformer - by the eye (but copper though) will not pull 10A for a long time
Bridge - some Chinese KBPC 50A riveted through the aluminum plate to the rear panel.
Thyristor - 10A

And crazy regulation system on 3 transistors, I think.

It actually works, but ... with my hand on my heart, I would not give it to my son as a gift.

For my own - I did it myself.
The fact that I had the opportunity to make the enclosures in an aesthetic way, but that's a different story.

zybex wrote:

I am interested in such up to a maximum of PLN 150. Ease of use and reliability are important.

When you buy one, test it whether it will charge the battery or just charge it.
If it makes the electrolyte density 1.26-1.28g / cm3, I will also gladly buy it.
Regards.

Added after 4 [minutes]:

krisss22 wrote:

I have one and it's very nice
CTEK MXS 5.0 56-998 charger

Is this device actually making the electrolyte density at the right level?
How long did you charge the battery? what capacity?

Interno wrote:

Is this device actually making the electrolyte density at the right level?

What do you think "electrolyte density" means? Because the fact that the electrolyte density changes during charging, I know. But I don't know how the rectifier does this electrolyte density "do". And how some rectifiers can "do" it, while others you doubt.

Unfortunately (so far) I have not received a satisfactory answer and I will rather not buy a rectifier for a gift. There is less and less time, and holidays are just around the corner. Therefore, the traditional pajamas and some sweets will remain.

zybex wrote:

Unfortunately (so far) I have not received a satisfactory answer and I will not buy a rectifier for a gift.

Because it is such a simple (nomen omen) device that I do not understand what you expect. For me, for example, it would only be important to rectify on a full bridge, to have a charging current regulation and an ammeter to control this current. And nothing more, because I use the charger rarely and only to recharge the battery in the winter in the car.
Someone else, however, will consider such requirements primitive, because, for example, he would like to be able to work in the "plug and forget" mode, with electronics that protect the battery against overcharging, with a discharge mode, etc. including the concept. That is why such gifts are bought in agreement with the recipient. Because even when you try and everything will suit you, it does not necessarily suit him.

A battery charger is the simplest thing in the world. Strong trafo, two Strong LEDs and thick wires. That's all a battery needs for happiness.
Economics has led to the depletion of these three things.

retrofood wrote:

Interno wrote:

Does this device actually make the electrolyte density at the right level?

What do you think "electrolyte density" means? Because the fact that the electrolyte density changes during charging, I know. But I don't know how the rectifier does this electrolyte density "do". And how some rectifiers can "do" it, while others you doubt.

I believe that the vast majority of rectifiers-chargers only recharge the battery, i.e. the voltage on the clamps, but the electrolyte density is at the level of 1.20-1.25 g / cm3 even after 24 hours of charging, which proves that the battery is still not charged.
The voltage provided by the device 14.5-15.5 V is responsible for this state, it is not enough to make the electrolyte density and thus to charge the battery.
You need a voltage above 16V, sometimes it even reaches 17V, but of course in the final phase of battery charging with decreasing current intensity, when the electrolyte is saturated to its desired density of 1.27-1.28 g / cm3.

retrofood wrote:

Because it is such a simple (nomen omen) device that I do not understand what you expect.

I expect the rectifier to have a traditional transformer, bridge, ammeter and smooth current regulation. As if it had additional protection against wrong connection and possibly short circuit, that's also good. Still, I am considering the purchase of the Kukla 15A charger, although some criticize it. Now a new model for 2020 is on sale. I even wrote to the manufacturer about this, asking what this new model is characterized by. I wonder if I'll get an answer.

zybex wrote:

Unfortunately (so far) I have not received a satisfactory answer and I will rather not buy a rectifier for a gift. There is less and less time, and holidays are just around the corner. Therefore, the traditional pajamas and some sweets will remain.

I could recommend something for the future, but the amount needed is 6000/8000 rubles and someone will buy for you in Russia or Ukraine, Belarus, the Kulon rectifier in Poland will cost almost 700 PLN.
At the price of PLN 150, you won't find anything worth recommending.
I, through an electronics friend, will modify and tune the purchased rectifier for its solid guts and housing, the cost of what you need to add to it is work and additional parts.

Added after 7 [minutes]:

zybex wrote:

Still, I am considering the purchase of the Kukla 15A charger, although some criticize it. Now a new model for 2020 is on sale. I even wrote to the manufacturer about this, asking what this new model is characterized by. I wonder if I'll get an answer.

Unfortunately, I used this rectifier and it did not work, I returned the seller under warranty.
I wonder what it was corrected enough to really give advice, as declared by the manufacturer, the man who is the company knows what it is, so it is possible.

My nephew has a Kukla charger and does not complain and often charges the batteries, because he exchanges them for new ones when they are completely dead, unlike my son, who as soon as the battery refuses to obey, puts the car in the workshop and professionally replace him there.

Interno wrote:

I believe that the vast majority of rectifiers-chargers only recharge the battery, i.e. the voltage on the clamps, but the electrolyte density is at the level of 1.20-1.25 g / cm3 even after 24 hours of charging, which proves that the battery is still not charged.

An electrolyte density of 1.20 g / cm? at the end of a charge means the battery has to be discarded, not the charger. You hear that they called somewhere, but where that is, you don't know.

Added after 6 [minutes]:

Interno wrote:

The voltage provided by the device 14.5-15.5 V is responsible for this state, it is not enough to make the electrolyte density and thus to charge the battery.
You need a voltage above 16V, sometimes it even reaches 17V, but of course in the final phase of battery charging with decreasing current intensity, when the electrolyte is saturated to its desired density of 1.27-1.28 g / cm3.

Watch the loading curve and don't tell stories.

zybex wrote:

My nephew has a Kukla charger and he does not complain and often charges the batteries, ...

I had this 15A device at the turn of 2018/2019, which I remember from those experiences.
The device delivered no more than 10 A, so the 100 Ah battery should charge 10-12-14 hours, nothing after setting the knob to max. that is, the 10A charger was only on strike, unless the overheating protection of the charger worked.
I set the charger knob to less, something about 50-70% of the power, but then the charging current amps went to about 4-5A, which is half of the previous charging current, which translated into the fact that the 100 Ah battery was charged for 60 hours and the other battery was 70 or 74 Ah 48 hours !!!!.
The charger gives a voltage of 16V in the middle of the charging time, it was hard for me to accurately capture the battery every 2-4 hours, I do not have professional devices.
It also made the electrolyte density but the time of this process is shocking.
Yes, I will not buy it, unless Mr. Kukla has improved the current to the 10A and the charger protections will not turn it off.

In my opinion, when the battery fails in the morning, charging should be enough to start the car. My home-made charger (a 50VA transformer from a Neptune TV, LEDs and nothing else) was able to do it more than once. It was enough to charge sometimes only half an hour (but to make it more reliable, it was 1-2 hours) and the car started. Then a charger to the trunk and off you go. These are really sporadic situations. Anyone with a repair shop knows they should have something much better, even with a boot function.

Interno wrote:

I set the charger knob to less, something about 50-70% of the power, but then the charging current amps went to about 4-5A, which is half of the previous charging current, which translated into the fact that the 100 Ah battery was charged for 60 hours and the other battery was 70 or 74 Ah 48 hours !!!!.

The charging current depends primarily on the condition of the battery, the markings on the charger are approximate. So the allegation is unfounded.

retrofood wrote:

The charging current depends primarily on the condition of the battery, the markings on the charger are approximate. So the allegation is unfounded.

The charging current depends on the voltage .........
The greater the potential difference, the greater the current.

zybex wrote:

In my opinion, when the battery fails in the morning, charging should be enough to start the car.

And that's exactly how it is. For me in frost, it is enough to connect the rectifier (the simplest model, with the factory current within 8 A) to prevent the voltage drop when the starter is turned on. The car then fires immediately, without waiting.

zybex wrote:

Then a charger to the trunk and off you go. These are really sporadic situations. Anyone with a repair shop knows they should have something much better, even with a boot function.

I share your view. To use more complex functions, you need to understand them.

zybex wrote:

Anyone with a repair shop knows they should have something much better, even with a boot function.

Starting it up is fine for our old tractor. In new cars or tractors you will release electronics ........

kkknc wrote:

retrofood wrote:

The charging current depends primarily on the condition of the battery, the markings on the charger are approximate. So the allegation is unfounded.

The charging current depends on the voltage .........
The greater the potential difference, the greater the current.

Imagine I know Ohm's Law. But the charger is designed to charge various batteries, so the indications of the amount of the charging current at its control knob are only indicative, because it is not known what is connected at the output, i.e. what (internal) resistance you are connecting.

retrofood wrote:

1. An electrolyte density of 1.20 g / cm? at the end of a charge means the battery has to be discarded, not the charger.

2. Watch the loading curve and don't tell fairy tales.

1. I dare say that the vast majority of pseudo-charger-rectifiers on the market are not able to make an electrolyte density higher than 1.20-1.25 g / cm3.
2. I would like a second curve on the vertical axis A.

Interno wrote:

1. I dare say that the vast majority of pseudo-charger-rectifiers on the market are not able to make an electrolyte density higher than 1.20-1.25 g / cm3.
2. I would like a second curve on the vertical axis A.

1. No rectifier "does" the electrolyte density, get the concept out of your head.
2. Se search. And on the curve I put in, read the voltage at which gassing occurs, i.e. the distribution of water, and compare it with what you advertise for closed car batteries.

You have no idea about the use of batteries, it must be made clear.