The battery in my wife's Fiesta is flat having not been used much during lockdown and, with it being a start-stop model, I believe it might have a 'special' battery.
Is it safe to use a 'normal' battery charger on it? Will it work? The one I've got is a Ring RCB208
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- dunno where it came from; I certainly didn't buy it and being a tight git I'd rather not go and buy a made-for-start/stop charger for what is likely (hopefully!) going to be a one-off.
I note that some of Ring's other chargers (eg
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do explicitly mention start-stop batteries so I'm thinking it may not be wise to use mine.... but what's the worst that could happen? (and why?)
You should be OK as long as you don't overcharge the battery (which will damage it), and use a low current setting. Be sure you disconnect the charger as soon as it goes into trickle charge.
I can't think of any particular reason why a modern "electronic" charger like this should not be fine on a "stop start" car, especially if you put it on the "low" charging rate. I assume that will be perhaps 3 or 4 amps max for use on small batteries (e.g. motorcycle) rather than just being a trickle charge rate (which should still charge it up, but just take several days).
The battery will be seeing a lot more than 8 amps charge rate after starting up in cold weather (although maybe not for very long).
They stubbornly refuse to document it. (Missing entries in table on web page.)
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Multi-stage charge cycle ??? Suitable for START/STOP ???
"Suitable for 12V vehicles with lead acid and gel batteries. Protects vehicle batteries from overcharging ? will automatically switch to a lower voltage mode once the battery has become full <=== float mode!!! not for start/stop "
"Question:
In the amendment sheet it states attach the black battery clip to the vehicle chassis away from the battery and fuel line. is this right?
Answer:
Appears to be standard from manufacturers (I have a Honda) to not attach both clips to battery terminals but the earth one to the chassis. "
"Ian Garlick Design Fault. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 April 2018
The first charger immediately started to smoke when connected to a nearly flat battery in high charge, but only showing 9 amps . Turned it off , but same thing happenrd next time and the it went bang and stopped working at all. Returned that one and got a second one. Exactly the same thing with that, this time the slow charge delivered 8 amps and it started to smoke then went pop.
These units have a design fault, they use a solder track to carry the full charge current and it is not up to the job. Slow charge and fast charge. "
When the charge light comes on, disconnect immediately, following the instructions in the manual.
What we care about, is whether it can be left connected for infinity time. I would not recommend that, due to the purposeful stubborn lack of documentation. This is not a charger to be left connected for six weeks during COVID. Not to a Start/Stop battery at least. If you're an hour late getting out to the car, it's not a big deal. Just don't leave it and go on a world cruise. It's likely to float the battery.
The description of "smoke", suggests this is a dumb charger. Be careful!!!
that answers the OP's question. And regardless of what Ring say, yes any 12v car battery charger can happily charge a 12v stop-start lead acid battery.
8A charge current is not a problem for the battery, but I see from someone else's comments it might be for the charger.
Only in advertising terms. Assuming still 12v. So any 12v charger ever made will be OK with it. But if the battery is totally flat, it might be toast. Lead acid should be charged long before that.
Although "flat" as in unable to start a car after a few weeks is not necessarily totally flat (unless it was a tired battery with internal leakage to start with).
But such mild hybrids aren't really what you'd class as hybrids (i.e. you get no vehicle tax reduction, or congestion zone allowance) they just recuperate some energy into the battery when braking or coasting, to make up for the extra energy for starts due to the stop/start.
e.g. audi stick with 12V batteries on 4 cyl stop/start cars, but use 48V for 6 and 8cyl.
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