Dead batteries aren't always dead. At least, they aren't always permanently dead. Lots of times they can be brought back to life if you have the right battery charger. One of the major causes of battery malfunction is the buildup of sulfates between the negative and positively charged plates in a lead acid battery. These sulfates build up as the battery cycles between charged and discharged conditions. As the battery discharges, the sulfates enlarge and stick to the plates, causing them to become inefficient at transferring energy. Eventually, the battery is so inefficient that it won't hold a charge and you'd be tempted to toss it in the garbage or exchange it for a new one.
At $99.95, the Xtreme Charger from PulseTech might be able to salvage your old battery or at least prevent an early death for a new one, whether it's a gel cell, AGM, or maintenance-free standard lead acid type. This charger has a built-in microprocessor that evaluates the condition of the battery once the charger is connected. It then determines the best way to recharge the battery and condition it. If your battery has excessive buildup of sulfates then the Xtreme Charger will pulse DC current to the battery, which removes the sulfates from the plates and returns the sulfates to the acid as active electrolytes. If you're battery isn't completely wasted, the Xtreme Charger can bring it back to life.
The best part here is that you do nothing other than connect the Xtreme Charger to the battery. There's no switches to mess with, no settings to figure out. Just plug it in and forget about it. The Xtreme Charger will automatically provide just the right charge rate no matter what shape the battery is in.
Features:
1. The Xtreme Charger only has two cords: a three-pronged one to plug into household AC current and a two-pronger to connect to the battery.
2. To prevent accidentally connecting the charger backward, the alligator clips are color-keyed (red for positive, black for negative) and the charge cord can only be plugged into the charger one way. Not pictured is a separate charge cord with ring terminals for permanently leaving the charger connected to the battery for long-term storage.
3. Once you hook up the charge cord, the Xtreme Charger tests the battery condition and then automatically begins charging and conditioning the battery between 0.02 and 2.5 amps. The LED readout will let you know when the battery is fully charged or if your battery is beyond repair.