Review: Harbor Freight Viking Model 63350 Charger
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- Harbor Freight products are sometimes associated with low quality, but they do sell some decent items. In this video I'll review my initial experience with the Viking brand microprocessor-controlled "smart" charger. It comes with everything you need in the box, including an SAE pigtail to leave attached to your motorcycle battery as well as clamps for automotive or small engine applications. It has selectable routines for standard, AGM, GEL and deep cycle batteries in 12 or 6 volt form. For an inexpensive charger this still has everything you could want.
Earlier video on choosing a charger or maintainer: • The Truth About Motorc...
Best video on this thing. Most informative. Thank you for mentioning all the firmware stuff and the reconditioning cycle.
Just bought one so far its awesome
Good review! I got a cheaper Noco genius 1, because the Battery Tender Jr died at at 5 yrs. The Noco is 1 amp, cheaper as avg, but I don't like the proprietary connector pins. The wife actually suggested HF and I'm sending in the Noco and getting this model. Thanks
I have one for my car and I absolutely love it
Thank you brother so much. You really helped me in my future purchase of this item.
Glad to hear that!
Great review. Last year I left my battery charger plugged into my battery on my motorcycle and I think that was the cause for the battery to over charge and be no good so, I don't want to make the same mistake, I have been looking around for a battery tender at a reasonable price and this review helps me make the right choice so thank you.
Just make sure you get a microprocessor controlled charger, which will shut off automatically to prevent overcharging. It was the old trickle chargers which could be a problem. Also, put a voltmeter across your battery and check the charging voltage while the bike is at idle and then when you hold the throttle at 2500RPM or so. You want to make sure your voltage regulator hasn't gone bad, which could result in a cooked battery.
adding 25 foot extension to trickle charge during winter months, which it should do along with pigtail connected to battery.
Would you use the standard mode to charge a deep cycle marine battery
Yes, that's what the manual suggests.
What happens if you forget to switch to the correct battery mode? I just charged my AMG battery in the std mode by mistake 😮
The AGM battery requires a slightly higher voltage than a standard battery, so you probably just undercharged your battery slightly. No worries. It would be more troublesome if you charged a standard battery in the AGM mode, but even that would require multiple charges before you did any serious damage.
@@tinderboxarts thanks for the reply!
How do I hook up to my mower battery. I don't understand the directions.
A typical lawn mower battery is going to be the 12 volt "standard" type, which is just lead acid, so select " 12v STD" on the charger. You should find a positive and a negative terminal on the battery. The black clamp goes on the negative terminal and the red clamp goes on the positive terminal. Plug the charger into your household outlet and you should see the display turn red when it is charging and green or no light when it is done. You can leave the charger attached so it can monitor the battery and start charging again if needed.
Great review. Thanks for the video.
I need to charge the battery on my camper, is it safe to leave out in the weather (rain)
I would not leave the charger out in the rain. It's meant to be under cover. In a pinch I suppose you could cover the charger and the power cord connection under a tarp or a box or something. Make sure you are plugged into a GFCI outlet in your garage or home, though, so it will protect against a ground fault.
I have been debating between buying this one and the other Viking charger you showed in the beginning. It will be used to charge two 6v 235ah batteries in series that I use for camping, so they won’t be used a whole lot. Would this charger be better to just leave on in between camping trips or should I go with the bigger one you showed?
Thx in advance.
The reason to get the larger model would be the need for quicker charging, for a "boost" charge while trying to start a vehicle, etc. It provides a higher amperage if needed. If you just need to keep smaller batteries charged up between uses, and especially if you want the charger to monitor the voltage over time, then this smaller is more appropriate.
What does the winter mode do? I know it is for cold temperature but does it help in any other way?
Honestly, I don't know exactly, but I presume the charging algorithm is modified to be a little less aggressive. In cold temperatures a faster charging rate could needlessly stress the battery.
I’ve had mine on for several days, and it still is red and looks like it jumps from 11vdc to 12. The battery bar shows 1 to 2 bars….does this seem normal?
No, probably not. I'd pull the charger off and put a meter on the battery--is the voltage up anywhere near where it should be? Can you tell if the cells have fluid in them? Is the battery very old? If those things check out, it's possible you just didn't have a good, clean connection to the charger. Clean off the terminals and make certain you have good clamp.
I watched this video review almost a year ago and was impressed. Finally purchasing it now I am interested to learn if you have any comments concerning your long term use of this product. Also...do you use this product in continuous maintenance mode?
It's been a great little unit, and my son just bought one on my advice too. I've had no issues, other than you need to remember to set the correct battery type when you connect it. The default is the last battery type used, so if you keep it on the same vehicle you don't need to make changes. In the winter I do keep the charger connected and let it automatically charge as needed.
@@tinderboxartsSo you're saying it stays in the same mode even if there was a power outage? I know some maintenance charges will reset to a default mode and won't start charging again without someone setting it up again after power loss.
Thanks for the video. Question, should I connect both alligator clip to the battery terminal. I want to keep it trickle charge when my car sit in the garage. The manual said: For negative-grounded vehicle, connect POSITIVE (RED) clip from battery charger to POSITIVE (POS, P, +) ungrounded post of battery. Connect NEGATIVE (BLACK) clip to vehicle chassis or engine block away from battery.
The manual may state to connect the black negative clip to a chassis ground only because the corporate lawyers fear somebody sparking near the battery. However, the best electrical practice is to connect the clips directly to the battery terminals, both the red positive and the black negative. That will ensure no voltage drop across terminals or bad chassis grounds. If you like, you can connect the clips to the battery first and then plug in the charger to the SAE connector. That will help avoid any sparking.
I'm not sure this is complete... yes, as far as the sparking, but the manual also states the when charging Outside of the vehicle to still hook the battery negative to a separate jumper cable and then the charger to it. I have been under the assumption that that helps duplicate the ground of the car and thus aid the charging algorithms... perhaps i am wrong?
@@georgehofgren6123 There shouldn't really be any electrical difference between a connection directly to the battery and a connection to a chassis ground. In other words, in an ideal world the resistance value should be the same. In reality there often is some minor voltage drop due to poor connections, corrosion or dirt, but the charging algorithms wouldn't be able to account for that anyway. It's a steady state either way. A significant resistance, however, might prevent the charger from doing it's job fully because it can't overcome the problem. The best practice to ensure a full battery charge is to connect directly to the battery with the charger. You avoid the sparking issue by keeping the charger off while you make the connection. Once the battery if fully charged you can check the cables and connections for any issues.
@@tinderboxarts But that's my point... there IS a real difference in resistance from the chassis or the battery neg terminal. Just try it... hook a charger to the battery and check voltage with a meter, then hook the charger neg to different spots on the engine, you will see drastically different charging rates. Try it for yourself before you assume otherwise. And THAT is why i think that the manufacturers tell you to connect a jumper between the battery neg and the charger when out of the car... better simulates what how the battery is reacting while in the car, connected to a 1000lbs of steel ground ~
@@georgehofgren6123 Ha! I understand your theory, but it just isn't so. The reason the manual mentions an extension cable for charging outside the vehicle is the same reason it mentions using a chassis ground for charging inside the vehicle--to prevent a spark from igniting hydrogen gas. It's an overabundance of caution. The manual for this charger states: "Attach at least a 24-inch-long 6-gauge (AWG) insulated battery cable to NEGATIVE (NEG, N, -) battery post." Now, depending on how you attach such a cable, you may have no measurable resistance (ideally) or you may have resistance posed by a poor connection. If you notice a difference in charging, you may find that you have a resistance which would also affect voltage, obviously. if you had a significant resistance due to a really bad connection, it could cause the charger to believe that there is a problem with the battery and it will cease charging. However, if you had no measurable resistance or a minor resistance, then the charger would continue to do it's work, possibly taking a little longer to charge with the minor resistance but still getting to the same place. As I said, ideally there is no measurable resistance in a chassis ground, and that is the case with a new car or motorcycle. Over years of use the grounds may degrade, though.
I have two of these. One I have had for about 2 years and just bought another one. Neither of them will go into maintain mode. They appear to just keep charging showing 14.2-14.4 volts. Tried on two different batteries. I bough the second thinking maybe the other one was defective. I bought a different brand 4 amp, and as I thought, batteries are fully charged. So charger seems to be charging, just want switch to maintain.
It can be frustrating sometimes with limited screens and information on these devices to know what they are doing. I suspect that the maintainers are actually doing what they are supposed to be doing but you may not have waiting long enough or you just happened to catch them at the wrong moment. Another possibility is that you accidentally chose the wrong battery type. In that case, the charger would be looking for a voltage that it will never reach and becomes confused. On my unit I have seen it change color and indicate it is done, but it does take a while.
@tinderboxarts I just bought a new one of these about a month ago, and apparently, the display does not turn green anymore when it goes into maintenance mode... now the backlight just turns off. I have an older one that has the display light up green when in maintenance mode. I guess they changed it.
@P-Dawg-01 exactly why I'm here right now... lol. I was like wth is going on with my new charger, doesn't turn green anymore the light just shuts off when it's full I guess.
Excellent review
What does it mean when it’s green backlit 1.0V with clamp symbol?
Usually green means it is done charging or doesn't need to charge at the moment. I'm not sure what you are seeing with the one volt, but I suspect you probably don't have a good connection with the battery. If you are using the actual spring clamps, try repositioning them and wiggling them around to get a good solid connection. If you are using an SAE pigtail, check that the pigtail has a tight connection with the battery and check that the fuse is good and well seated.
Hello thanks for your video. This viking charger looks very similar as the Energizer 4 amps. Have you tried the Energizer one?
I have not! You'll find similarities among chargers because many of them use the same components.
I have a 1983 Honda nighthawk 650 which mode charging should I choose? Standard of amg?
Your Honda could have various battery types installed, so you have to look at the battery itself, not the bike. Most common now are AGM style batteries, but it is possible you have a standard lead acid or even a lithium battery installed. Take a look at the model of the battery and look up from the manufacturer what type it is.
@@tinderboxarts it is a lead acid. Stupid mechanic changed the brand new one I had in it was a AGM and he put a lead acid one
Had the charger going for abt 2 hours and then it filled up far too quickly w full battery bars @ 14.7v then reset back down to 2 battery bars at 13.1v .... Does that sound normal.... When I first started charging it was at 1 battery bar(flashing) at 12.6v ...
Don't get too hung up on those voltage readings. First of all, the charger is running an algorithm which will change depending on what it is sensing. It's not going to charge the same way for the same length of time each use. Second, the accuracy of the reading probably isn't that high anyway. If you have a meter, you can test your battery under load, which is what is important. Here's that video: ruclips.net/video/d-5xA31nBd8/видео.html
Can I use it without having it plugged in the wall?
No, this is a charger which requires household power to do it's job. It converts AC voltage from your house to the appropriate DC voltage for your car or bike. It charges slowly over time. You might be confusing it with another type of device that uses DC battery power to help jump start a vehicle. Those devices are basically just batteries with a control panel meant to add a little extra "oomph" to your vehicle battery when it gets low. They aren't very effective.
Can you jump the battery without it being plugged up to the wall
You are thinking of devices with an internal battery used to store a charge. This is not that. It's a charger which is plugged into household current in order to charge a battery and keep it charged while the unit is connected. It's not appropriate for jump starting.
Anyone know if I can run this charger off of a lithium “ solar generator” that can do up to 250 watts?
This charger requires a 120v power supply and probably draws a couple-few amps. I have no idea what this solar generator device is that you mention!
@@tinderboxarts It’s the DBPower 250 watt solar generator. Not sure it can handle 4 amps which is what this charger uses though.
How do you know I'd the charger has a full charge??
When this charger is finished with a cycle, the whole display turns green. It's very obvious. When it senses a need to charge again, the display turns red until it is finished again.
Ok, I disconnected my battery terminals. I hooked the gators directly to the battery. I leave it sit, went out to check it, it shows a flashing battery at the bottom. How do I know if it's charging?
The whole display turns from red to green when it begins to charge. That battery symbol means that the charger is having trouble charging and that it believes the battery itself is bad. It attempted to charge for an hour, and still could not get the voltage to come up over 10.5 volts. It's possible a more powerful charger could do more, but if the battery is also pretty old or abused, then it may be time for a new one.
I have this charger, I have a 12v deep cycle marine battery do I charge it on regular or agm?
You should use "standard" mode.
@@tinderboxarts Thanks
@@tinderboxarts i have people telling me to charge on AGM because its a deep cycle but the battery does not say agm anywhere
@@tinderboxarts so I'm getting conflicted feedback
The manual says standard mode. Unless it is actually an AGM battery. It has more to do with the voltage requirements. An AGM battery requires a higher charging voltage than a standard battery. Your marine battery requires standard voltages, and the charging algorithm will figure out you have a deep cycle battery.
Can I charge my 2017 Chevy Malibu battery with this
Yes. Your battery may be the AGM or the standard type, so check on the label to be sure and use that setting. This charger comes with "alligator" clamps, and you can likely use those on your battery.
are these good for motorcycle batteries?
Yes, they have selections for standard or AGM batteries, and most motorcycles use AGM. If you put your bike away for the off-season, just connect this charger directly to the battery and leave it. The charger will monitor the battery and only charge when it is needed.
Hay alguna tienda harbor freight en la ciudad de México muchas gracias. Saludos gente bonita
Wheres the gel option?
You are supposed to use the "standard" mode for gel batteries according to the manual: manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/63000-63999/63350.pdf
thanx
It's made in China.... That's something to worry about
I remember well in the 1970s and 80s when Japanese cars were seen as inferior to American products. We made fun of their design and engineering, we used xenophobic slurs to describe them, and we rejoiced in good old American Iron. That turned out well, right? The reality is that today close to a third of all manufacturing globally is done in China. Most of what we buy under American labels is made in China or Asia. And, the truth is that they are flat out better at manufacturing some things than we are. It really comes down to the design. In other words, a product can be designed to be cheap and disposable or it can be designed to be strong and durable for a greater price. Chinese manufacturing is capable of doing either, depending on what they are asked to do. So you have to evaluate a product based on how it is designed rather than where it is made. Harbor Freight has been steadily increasing design quality over the past few years and this is one example, I think. I've has zero problems with this unit and it's charging one of my bikes right now!
@@tinderboxarts
I bought one a few days ago on ebay and am worried about quality. Unfortunately, everything is made in China nowadays. Schumacher has got some chargers made in Mexico. Pick your poison.
@ Se Zwo I have four of these now, and they are all running well.
Don't worry iPhones and many Teslas are made in China