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BatteryMINDER 2012-AGM Battery Maintenance Charger

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Den49, Jan 23, 2015.

  1. Den49

    Den49 Member

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    Like others who have posted on this forum, we don’t drive our Hybrid Avalon and Prius cars enough to keep their expensive 12V Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries fully charged and healthy. I had been periodically hooking up my 1992 vintage automatic 10/2 Amp battery charger to keep them charged, but I was getting tired of doing this, especially this winter. I have also come to understand that AGM batteries benefit from a different charging profile than regular flooded batteries; and, it is possible to shorten the life of an AGM battery by using a charger not designed for AGMs.

    Based on recommendations in this forum and elsewhere, I purchased a “BatteryMINDer Model 2012-AGM, 12-Volt Maintenance Charger with Full-Time Desulfator”. The 2012-AGM is only for use on AGM batteries, so I also bought a standard BatteryMINDer 2012 for the flooded batteries in my two tractors. Both the 2012 and 2012-AGM are 2 Amp chargers. BatteryMINDer also makes an 8/4/2 Amp model 12248 that will charge both AGM and non-AGM batteries, but two separate units are more convenient for my use. Both the 2012 and 2012-AGM work as advertised. The 2012-AGM takes about two hours to go through its charging routine and completely charge an approximately 50% depleted Prius Optima battery. After the battery is charged, the charger can remain connected indefinitely to automatically maintain it.

    The 2012-AGM was $75.00 on Amazon, which is less than the $99.95 price on the below BatteryMINDer website. The 8/4/2 Amp model 12248 is $135.00 on Amazon. Also, if you want additional cables and connectors, the Battery Tender accessories on Amazon are functionally the same as BatteryMINDer accessories and a lot less expensive. I use a Y-connector, DC extension cable and a second battery clip cord set to maintain both my flooded tractor batteries with a single 2012 BatteryMINDer. I can also maintain both AGM car batteries with the single 2012-AGM using the same accessories. The 2012 and 2012-AGM can simultaneously maintain up to six batteries that are connected in parallel configuration.

    BatteryMINDer 2012-AGM : 12Volt 2 Amp (12V 2A) Charger/Maintainer/Desulfator For Optima & Odyssey & Other Specialty 12 Volt Sealed AGM Lead-Acid Batteries (World Wide Usage) - VDC Electronics

    I posted this information about the BatteryMINDer to benefit other Prius owners in similar circumstance. I don’t have any interest in promoting BatteryMINDer products. There may be other AGM battery maintainers out there that are less expensive and serve the same basic purpose. Below are pictures of the BatteryMINDer 2012-AGM hooked up to my Prius.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  2. Jon Hagen

    Jon Hagen Active Member

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    Thanks for posting that info. I have used a smaller output BatteryMINDer model 12117, with 1.3 amp output. I have used 4 of that model for years to maintain the batteries in my fleet of farm equipment, plus I have one permently wired to the battery in my 2010 Prius, as the 12V output wires have a plug connector so youcan use the std battery clips, or plug in optional ring terminal harness for permanent mounting, or the optional lighter plug adapter for machine where the lighter / opwer socket is always connected to the battery.
    At Christmas, Northern Tool Co had the normally $40 BatteryMINDer model 12117 on sale for $20, still marked dawn to $25 today. I bought 4 more when they were at the low $20 price. Their a very reliable and weather proof charger/ desulfator/ maintainer.

    BatteryMINDer Charger/Maintainer/Desulfator — 1.3 Amp, 12 Volt, Model# 12117 | Battery Maintainers| Northern Tool + Equipment
     
  3. Yakoma

    Yakoma Active Member

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    #3 Yakoma, Jan 23, 2015
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2015
  4. Den49

    Den49 Member

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    The BatteryMINDer 12117 has been discontinued. There is no longer any information about the 12117 on the BatteryMINDer website; however, the replacement for the 12117 is the 1500. Although resellers like Amazon and Northern Tool state without qualification that the 11217 and 1500 can be used for AGMs, the BatteryMINDer website specifies that the 1500 is:

    "Not for use with specialty sealed AGM batteries, except for Optima brand sealed AGM. Choose model 2012-AGM for these battery types. Choose model 2012 for standard AGM types."

    This is somewhat confusing, but I interpret the above to mean that you should not use the 12117 or 1500 on the Prius OEM AGM battery but you could use them on the Optima replacement Prius battery.
     
  5. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    All you really need to know is:
    ANY good name brand small automatic charger made in the past 5 years or so is perfectly FINE for use on any AGM battery.
    Really it is.
    And the "desulfation" feature is largely snake oil.
    AGM batteries are not afflicted with sulfation near as much and keeping it fully charged is the only thing you really need to do to prevent it.
     
  6. Den49

    Den49 Member

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    You are probably correct to some extent. I was upgrading from a 23 year old Century 10/2 automatic charger, which still works BTW. I would think that more recent model chargers should have better controls. I decided to pay a little more for the BatteryMINDer 2012 and 2012-AGM to have two higher quality units that are easy to use and designed exactly for how I plan to use them. You should ask BatterMINDer to prove their "desulfation" claim, as I am not an expert on that subject.

    Today I have both my Prius and Avalon AGM batteries being charged and maintained in parallel by the BatteryMINDer 2012-AGM; and, three regular flooded tractor batteries hooked up in parallel to the BatteryMINDer 2012. Both chargers are working as anticipated and I am happy. :)
     
  7. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    SIGH.
    It is NOT a good idea to use a single charger attached to multiple batteries if it is not designed specifically to do that; like, it has separate leads for each battery.
    Why ?
    Because no two of the batteries are exactly the same and some may be under charged while others are over charged.

    You can "bulk" charge batteries that way because you manually disconnect everything after a prescribed number of hours but you should NOT do that with an automatic charger since it was not designed to respond properly the the current draw and internal resistance of more than one battery at a time.

    And thank you for letting me know that I am right "to some extent".
    I hope I've learned a little bit in 50 years of electronics experience and training. :)
     
  8. Jon Hagen

    Jon Hagen Active Member

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    That seems a bit puzzling ? The optima is a valve regulated AGM battery, as is the Exide Orbital( a spiral cell clone of the Optima). or most other valve regulated AGM batteries.
    It is certainly somthing to consider, although I have used the 12,117 maintainers on all types of AGM batteries for near 10 years without any problems.

    This same subject came up on another site, where a fellow posted that the 12117 float output is very slightly below the ideal float voltage for an AGM battery. ( I believe he said 2/10 volt below ideal)
     
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  9. Den49

    Den49 Member

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    The reason I said you are “probably correct to some extent” is your incorrect and exaggerated use of absolute (ANY), arbitrary (FINE) and pejorative (snake oil) terms without any supporting facts or reasoning. Plus, it is really arrogant and telling to start out your diatribes with “All you really need to know is:” or "SIGH".

    I don’t know whether you are being honest about your expertise. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I do know enough about the subject to understand and use the excellent BatteryMINDer Instruction Manual I received. It clearly shows how to charge and maintain multiple batteries with a single BatteryMINDer. The critical points are that the batteries should be the same type, charged individually before being connected, and connected properly. Below for your edification is page 13 of the BatteryMINDer Instruction Manual.

    [​IMG]

    Below is the “Voltage Table” from page 12 of the BatteryMINDer Instruction Manual. It shows the same .2V difference in Float Voltage (FV) between standard (2012) and AGM (2012-AGM) that you mention above. Also, on page 9 of the manual it states that the Constant Voltage (CV) charging stage ends when current falls below 0.5A for the non-AGM charger, vs. 0.1A for the AGM.

    [​IMG]

    The difference in charging profile between the AGM and standard (flooded) charger/maintainers is one of the reasons why I chose an AGM specific model. BatteryMINDer, Optima, Schumacher, etc. now make chargers/maintainers that are designed specifically for AGM batteries. It may not be a critical difference, but my thinking is that if multiple charger manufacturers think it is worth the additional development, marketing and logistics expense of selling a specialized AGM model, it is probably worth buying if you are in the market for a charger/maintainer for an AGM battery. Again, I am not an expert, but it made sense to me to buy an AGM charger/maintainer designed specifically for my expensive AGM batteries.

    Attached is a pdf copy of the Instruction Manual for the BatteryMINDer 2000 Series.
     

    Attached Files:

    #9 Den49, Jan 26, 2015
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2015
    Jon Hagen likes this.
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I've got a CTEK 3300. It has 3 charging modes icons: "motorcycle", "car" and "snowflake". I've always used the "car" mode with the AGM battery in our Prius, but am wondering if I should try "snowflake".

    The CTEK documentation is pretty hopeless, here's one quote from their site:

    Capture.JPG

    Maybe someone can weigh in on this? I believe "snowflake" charges at slightly higher voltage, may be suited for AGM batteries?
     
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  11. Jon Hagen

    Jon Hagen Active Member

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    I suspect your right about the snowflake setting being the right one for cold weather charging and charging an AGM battery.
     
  12. Den49

    Den49 Member

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    Mendel,

    I agree with Jon Hagen's thought about the "snowflake" setting for AGM. If you look at the BatterMINDer's temperature compensation table on page 11 of the above attached manual, it shows increasing the voltage to compensate for lower (snowflake?) temperatures. Of course, the safe approach would be to call or email CTEK and get their advice.