Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Andy B on 14 January 2013, 22:31:30

Title: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Andy B on 14 January 2013, 22:31:30
For those that want a cheapo CTek type/'smart' charger, it seems that Lidl are doing their cheap charger again. I've got a couple of these (one connected permanently to the caravan's battery) & for the price - they're OK. One is similar to that shown, t'other has a digital readout.

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_38025.htm?offerdate=&ar2= (http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_38025.htm?offerdate=&ar2=)
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Varche on 14 January 2013, 22:45:23
I have one of those from Spanish Lidl. Very good bit of kit.  :y

Lidl are very good if you ever have to take anything back. Sadly you can't reserve any of the offers. First come first served and when its gone it is gone.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Rods2 on 14 January 2013, 22:49:26
They are also doing snow chains again on Thursday.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 14 January 2013, 23:20:19
Gotta love Lidl!!!  :)
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: feeutfo on 15 January 2013, 07:55:22
A timely post. Ta :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: PhilRich on 15 January 2013, 11:00:55
Thanks for the Heads Up Andy :y, and very timely too!, my old one is due for compulsory Redundancy ;D
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 15 January 2013, 18:08:32
Thanks for that Andy  :y

Unfortunately i popped into Lidl today for one......when i couldnt see them, i asked, and got told 'car stuff is thursday mate'......so i replied so why have you got snow chains over there then?....he couldnt answer that  ;D

I'll go back on thursday  :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Seth on 15 January 2013, 18:29:06
Just what I'm after for the caravan leisure battery! :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 15 January 2013, 18:35:33
Just what I'm after for the caravan leisure battery! :y

Thats what i want one for....

Bet mines bigger than yours  :D
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Seth on 15 January 2013, 18:44:30
Just what I'm after for the caravan leisure battery! :y

Thats what i want one for....

Bet mines bigger than yours  :D

Mine's 110, Dave .... err .... amps .... that is .... (https://dl.dropbox.com/u/43954633/rofl.gif)
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Seth on 15 January 2013, 20:38:50
As TD says .... not available 'til Thursday! ???
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: STMO123 on 15 January 2013, 20:53:10
Never needed one.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: PhilRich on 15 January 2013, 21:20:16
Never needed one.





That's 'cos you're a bright spark Steve, you don't need one ::) ;D
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Vamps on 16 January 2013, 00:52:52
Just what I'm after for the caravan leisure battery! :y

Thats what i want one for....

Bet mines bigger than yours  :D

Mine's 110, Dave .... err .... amps .... that is .... (https://dl.dropbox.com/u/43954633/rofl.gif)

Amp's like cube's, you can never have to many...... :y :y    Inches, or Centimeters, if it makes you feel better do not count...... :D :D
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 16 January 2013, 06:13:02
Just what I'm after for the caravan leisure battery! :y

Thats what i want one for....

Bet mines bigger than yours  :D

Mine's 110, Dave .... err .... amps .... that is .... (https://dl.dropbox.com/u/43954633/rofl.gif)

Thinks you mean AH (Ampere Hour)  ::) Same size as mine then  ;D
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Seth on 16 January 2013, 10:44:16

Thinks you mean AH (Ampere Hour)  ::) Same size as mine then  ;D

Just testin' ya oot Dave! ;D

Mrs Seth's just got back from Lidl .... confirmed .... tomorrow (Thursday) is the day, so'll hopefully grab one then. :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: tigers_gonads on 16 January 2013, 11:20:52
Not a bad bit of kit tbh
I've been using one since october
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Seth on 17 January 2013, 11:28:12
None in stock at Liddell's 'round here .... 'too good to be true' .... perhaps >:(
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 17 January 2013, 13:26:47
Loads here.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Seth on 17 January 2013, 13:36:23
Am now wondering if this charger's really suitable for my intended needs, as caravan leisure batteries require 'deep cycle' charging. :-\
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Kevin Wood on 17 January 2013, 13:46:58
Am now wondering if this charger's really suitable for my intended needs, as caravan leisure batteries require 'deep cycle' charging. :-\

They don't require it, they are just suitable for it, whereas car batteries aren't.

These will take a good few days to charge a dead leisure battery due to the low current output but should do a good job of keeping it topped-up.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 17 January 2013, 13:53:41
No such thing as deep cycle charging, there is deep cycle discharging....


The three main stages of lead acid battery charging are:

Bulk (80%)
Absorption (20%)
Float (Maintenance)

A better battery charger does clever things with the float control to avoid overcharging
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: STMO123 on 17 January 2013, 14:14:09
Just watched the product video, LOL.

Reminded me of a 1960's diy show.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: PhilRich on 17 January 2013, 14:25:22
Just watched the product video, LOL.

Reminded me of a 1960's diy show.




Well i've just bought my bit of 60's Lidl nostalgia after watching Herr Barry von Bucknellschnitz do his demo! ;D :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: TheBoy on 17 January 2013, 18:00:39
I use a CTEK on my bike, but the battery is always flat.

Shit battery, or shit charger?

I should add, a couple of hours on el-cheapo-25yr-old Hellfrauds charger, and the bike starts fine.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Andy B on 17 January 2013, 18:02:24
I use a CTEK on my bike, but the battery is always flat.

Shit battery, or shit charger?

....

No problem with the Ctek or battery on my bike ......... not that it's ever on the road.  :-[
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Kevin Wood on 17 January 2013, 18:16:59
I have found that batteries left on a CTEK for months often take a bit of use to recover decent cranking current. Was the same with my Westfield battery last year after winter. Drove round with marginal starting for a couple of days until it started working OK. Same with the old fart's sit-on mower. This year, after the spectacle of too many embarrassing self-bump-starts in the office car park, I gave up and the Westfield has been treated to a new battery. ;D

I kind-of wonder if it's sulphation, as my CTek doesn't have a "desulphation" mode, but it shouldn't be an issue as it's kept fully charged, and there's a certain amount of myth surrounding whether you can "desulphate" a battery anyway. :-\
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: TheBoy on 17 January 2013, 18:31:47
Mines not cranking power, its flat battery. Even if the battery manages to pull the starter solenoid, its only for a second, max.

Thats after being on the ctek for a week.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 17 January 2013, 19:10:37
None in stock at Liddell's 'round here .... 'too good to be true' .... perhaps >:(

There was a big bucket full of them in Swindon Aldi......so i now have one.....and its plugged as we speak on the 110AH leisure battery  :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 17 January 2013, 19:15:43
I assume that even when it says the battery is charged, its better to leave it connected for days/weeks/months?  :-\
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: STMO123 on 17 January 2013, 19:16:18
I assume that even when it says the battery is charged, its better to leave it connected for days/weeks/months?  :-\
Decades :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 17 January 2013, 19:18:49
I assume that even when it says the battery is charged, its better to leave it connected for days/weeks/months?  :-\
Decades :y

I use the battery a bit more often than decades  ;D

Tho it maybe only 2/3 times a year  :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Seth on 18 January 2013, 20:46:04
None in stock at Liddell's 'round here .... 'too good to be true' .... perhaps >:(
Managed to bag one on me way to work yesterday afternoon. :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Radar on 28 September 2013, 21:07:18
I know that this was an old post but the charger is showing as being available from 3rd
October on a poster at the Southall store.  £13.99 . Shame it wasn't on today as I was there.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: dbdb on 29 September 2013, 03:08:05
Not sure about those chargers but the axle stands look good value - £9.99. 
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Steve Brookman on 29 September 2013, 08:45:28
Morning all,
I've got one of those chargers and it is very good. It will not charge a fully flat battery (I used my normal charger to get a few volts in) but is very good at keeping batteries topped up-and at a fraction of the cost of a C-tek.

Steve
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: AndyRoid on 29 September 2013, 11:44:46
I use a CTEK on my bike, but the battery is always flat.

Shit battery, or shit charger?

I should add, a couple of hours on el-cheapo-25yr-old Hellfrauds charger, and the bike starts fine.
Had similar with Rhonda's 750/4, it never wanted to know if it had been left on a trickle but "shocking" the battery with a 200A booster/starter for 5 seconds would be enough to get it to crank.

I worked it out in the end to be the battery would end up collecting enough sulphate deposits when on a trickle to diminish it's it's output, and the 200A "shock" I was giving it was dislodging the sulphate just enough to get it to crank on the button for the couple of seconds it needed to fire.

Probably a stupid question, but I take it the battery connections/cables are all good & tight?
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: AndyRoid on 29 September 2013, 13:21:11
Scratch the above, I've just remembered  :-[ :-[
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Radar on 09 October 2013, 22:31:02
Can you use the charger without disconnecting any of the battery terminals? Some chargers (ctek) I have read you can and it won't damage other electrics. I know this is lazy but it would be quicker and save putting in stereo code.
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Vamps on 09 October 2013, 22:38:17
Can you use the charger without disconnecting any of the battery terminals? Some chargers (ctek) I have read you can and it won't damage other electrics. I know this is lazy but it would be quicker and save putting in stereo code.

Been doing that for 40+ years, in some situations, never knowingly had a problem...... :)
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Andy B on 09 October 2013, 22:42:20
Can you use the charger without disconnecting any of the battery terminals? Some chargers (ctek) I have read you can and it won't damage other electrics. I know this is lazy but it would be quicker and save putting in stereo code.

Been doing that for 40+ years, in some situations, never knowingly had a problem...... :)

There is one of the last batch  of Lidl's chargers connected to my Omega as we speak ....... I never disconnect the battery.  :y :y :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Radar on 09 October 2013, 23:22:46
Thanks :y
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Radar on 12 October 2013, 21:22:02
To anyone who has one:

Plugged in - the red charging light came on for a couple of minutes then this went off and the full green charge light came on.
Left for a few hours and still green light on. The instructions says when the battery is fully charged the red and green light turn off but I am just showing green light still on. I am assuming it is showing that it is fully charged even though this contradicts the instructions a bit.

When yours is fully charged does the green light stay on or go out?
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: takemineanywhere on 12 October 2013, 22:21:28
stays on with  my 1 yr old charger
Title: Re: Lidl battery chargers
Post by: Radar on 12 October 2013, 22:23:52
Cheers :y