Product Description

Super-fast (1 minute from charge to start( 12 Volt Smart Battery Charger uses high-frequency power conversion technology and digital technology to charge batteries faster than transformer-based chargers. 5-year limited warranty.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39887 in Single Detail Page Misc
• Brand: Vector

Features

• 2/10/20/40 Amp charge rate
• Fully automatic with float mode monitoring
• 100 Amp engine start function plugs into wall outlet for power
• Alternator voltage check
• Digital display for charge rate, operating mode, fault codes and full charge

Customer Reviews

Great little charger
The beauty of this charger is that it can rejuvenate a sulfided battery. If you let your battery run down completely, sulfite forms on the plates from the sulfuric acid that is in the battery. The sulfite insulates the plates and the battery no longer works. This charger has the feature that pulses the battery and breaks up the sulfite.

This charger is very safe, fast and powerful, especially for it's size.

The reason for only four stars is that if your battery is completely dead (if you left the lights on all day and night), this charger refuses to charge the battery and gives the code that the battery is no good. This is probably a safety issue, since it does not detect any voltage and therefore can't tell if you have the battery hooked up backwards. If you can get a little charge into the battery (jump it or use a different charger), then this charger recognizes the battery and will charge it the rest of the way.

Very Pleased
I'm an electrical engineer working in power electronics and also an old car buff. I got this about 2 weeks ago after my old charger was damaged by water. At 40 amps it charges faster than many roll-around chargers. I haven't used the 1 minute start feature yet. So far I'm really pleased. I read a couple of reviews complaining of the clamps breaking and I can only say that they seem very heavy duty and work great. Some people probably think it's made cheaply since it is so very light. Older battery chargers had heavy iron core transformers and sheet metal cases so the contrast to this plastic case and aluminum heat sink is very dramatic. Small, light and automatic 40 amp charging.. Hard to complain about that. LED display is hard to see in direct sunlight. Cord and Cable store in the rear compartment so no tangled cords. I got it directly from Northern Tool online for the same price as amazon. I like being able to phone if there's a problem with an order. I like amazon but you CANNOT phone them and talk to a human. You can read the specs at vectors web site called battery-care. Overall...a great charger.

It can charge low batteries, not stone dead ones.
UpDate Follows below/

Well, ever since I purchased this unit, I find it not very helpful.
Little did I know when it showed up 2 years ago that it does not display in real time what it's doing other than the AMP mode you picked.

If it doesn't like the battery you hooked up, it just quits and gives you a code you need to solve by looking at the list of codes on the rear panel. Usually, it says replace the battery.
Using a different charger, and the same battery does fine.

In de-sulphate mode, all you get is rotating led's. You have no idea what it's up to.
You may find it's still in this mode for days, so you have no proof it's performing anything.
No voltage is displayed at any time in any mode.

Now the bad news.
I used this unit less then 10 times. If all you get is 'FULL', well then it should be charged.
You need to verify with meter if you want the facts. But some people care less about details, or why anything works. As long as the results are worthy. Like I said, it can charge batteries.

But it never got that far, and yesterday in less than 20 seconds attached to battery, it's life came to an end. Hooked up to a 12 volt deep cycle battery and switching through the modes, and battery roughly at about 50% from sitting over winter, the charger let off a sharp pop, a quick flash followed by puff of smoke that came out through the fan vent and then it quickly died.

No idea why it died so suddenly. Obviously no excuse. The clamps are always politically correct, but quickly had to remove the unit, and set it outside so not to contaminate all the air in the shop. You never what to know what that smoke is like to smell. Sorry New York, but the wind was going that way.

After 40 years of servicing batteries, I feel I gave it more stars than it deserves.
I have 3 others, but they don't have the name Vector on the label. Thanks' China.
Schumacher makes a nice unit with display showing percentage of charge and voltage in real time, and he had no issues taking over where old smokey gave up.

Feb 13 09
UpDate/

Well, I found the original box, and called the service warranty dept, and they had me send it in.
I really didn't expect much more than, Your right, it did blow up.
To My surprise, I was sent out a new version and so far we're happy.
I still want true voltage gauge, and will add one.