The NorthStar AGM Battery + Voltage Booster Upgrade

no worries. i'm still looking for a MK4

 

Anybody recommend a charger. My Northstar’s gonna be sitting for a month or two & with Black Friday coming up.

 

CTEK Smartcharger

 

Thank you, Sir

 

I'm running a Noco Genius 5x2 to charge the X2 starting battery and a lithium house battery.

https://no.co/brands/noco-genius

 

$145 Victron Energy Blue Smart IP65 Smart Car Battery Charger 12V 15A, Float & Trickle Charger and Desulfator for Motorcycle, ATV, RV, Lithium and Deep Cycle Batteries

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DWJD84N?ie=UTF8

Victron Energy Blue Smart IP65 Smart Car Battery Charger 12V 15A, Trickle Charger, Float Charger and Desulfator for Motorcycle, ATV, RV, Lithium and Deep Cycle Batteries

DEWALT DXAEC801B 30 Amp Bench Battery Charger: 80 Amp Engine Start, 2 Amp Maintainer, 120V AC Outlet, 3.1A USB Port, Battery Clamps

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DQLR3J6?ie=UTF8&th=1

Dewalt 12V 30A Automotive Bench Battery Charger With 80A Engine Start

$140 CTEK 4.3 Test & Charge, 12 Volt Fully Automatic Charger with Unique Battery and Alternator Testing, Ideal for Long Term Storage

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GODGN9E?ie=UTF8

CTEK 4.3 TEST & CHARGE, 12 Volt Fully Automatic Charger with Unique Battery And Alternator Testing, Ideal for Long Term Storage

I own all of them
Victron I use on all cars
Dewalt stays on small equip. Lawn mowers
CTEC was recently found dead. Dont know how or why

 

You figure it was natural causes or do you suspect foul play.
Thanks kindly for the recommendation

 

I never got around to trouble shoot. It worked awesome since 2015, this was my 2nd CTEC. Just decided to try something new so when with Victron. Victron is more detailed with the BT so I can look at history over time. I have the Dewalt not knowing it was a Lead only charger.

 

I have a CTEK 3300 from around 2010, and it stills works great.

 

To further clarify, I've had four CTEK chargers for years...
- CTEK MULTI US 7002 normally charges the AGM in my Tacoma
- CTEK MXS 5.0 (Ford Performance Smart Battery Charger And Maintainer 5.0) normally charges the standard wet cell lead-acid in my Shelby
- CTEK MXS 5.0 normally charges the standard wet cell lead-acid in my wife's BMW
-

CTEK (56-158) MULTI US 3300 12 Volt Fully Automatic 4 Step Battery Charger

CTEK MULTI US 3300 (Corvette Model 1051) normally charges the standard wet cell lead-acid in my Corvette

My son lives in an apartment with a detached garage, so he uses a CTEK MUS 4.3 POLAR for his Tacoma and motorcycle.

 

All this talk about chargers. Are these batteries in vehicles that don't get driven much? I've never in my life needed to charge my vehicle battery. When the battery dies after 5 years or so, buy a new one. I do charge my boat battery in the winter but that's only because it isn't used for 6 months straight.

 

Truck was in a collision & about a 3-4 month repair time so I pulled the battery as it gets mighty cold here. Reason for the charger talk.

 

it might be about getting the longest use out of an AGM battery when the truck isn't running like running a fridge, for example, vs it just starting up each time. So, if the battery only gets to its fullest capacity off one voltage from the truck, it could be good to top it off via a higher / proper charger / voltage from time to time or before a trip etc.

if it was just about making sure the truck turned over, a stock battery or an upgraded acid battery is probably just fine. I upgraded to AGM for the times the truck is not running.

BTW - I have the voltage tuned via OTT for my 3rd gen so to your point, i don't worry as much, but once a year before spring camping / off roading season for me, i give it a proper top off via my charger - i use the NOCO - forget which one, but it's probably the one higher than i need.

I also run an AGM for my trolling motor and so get use of the NOCO that way too.

but just my .02 / arm chair quarterback stuff.

 

If I don't drive it in a week I put a charger on it. No point in buying a new Glassmat battery every time it goes dead.

 

Mine will sometimes sit for several weeks or just have a couple short trips during the week and I keep the fridge running most of the year.

 

I have the voltage booster in use with my northstar 27F since Jan 2019 so nearly 6 years old. Drive it almost everyday. Never once on a charger. I can see the need for a charger if not driven regularly or if running other equipment off it when not driving but for normal everyday driver,charger not necessary.

 

Just got ‘er. Thanks @Norton

 

Chargers are mainly for use with vehicles that don’t charge agm batteries to the correct voltage because it’s a bit higher than normal. You can use them without that but you’d be giving away some of both the battery AH’s and it’s longevity. Also for those with “house” batteries to run auxiliary equipment when the motor is off.

 

You're welcome! I hope you're as happy with yours as I am with mine.

 

Recent development I got a over voltage question about. I went on a camping trip and for the first time after doing this mod the temps overnight dropped below freezing (upper 20's). I had replaced one of the 2 power outlets with a usb/ voltage meter combo off Amazon. Usually at start-up it reads 14.4-6 volts and then drops to upper 13's. On the trip, the couple of days the temperature dropped below freezing, I noticed a reading of 15v for several minutes and then voltage would drop to "normal" readings of upper 13s, low 14s. Should I be concerned? What reading is over voltage?

I have the X2 battery, big 3 upgrade, and the HKB adjustable booster.