Basic car battery charger

[Jenkins]

Following my car's alternator belt snapping on Sunday evening I only just made it to a safe parking place before the battery died and it is now completely flat with only just enough charge to power the radio. The car has been recovered to home and is booked in with the local garage for the replacement belt along with a new battery when it's MOT'd and serviced next month.

The garage is only 1/2 mile from home, so I'm thinking of getting a cheap battery charger to fully charge the battery which should be more than enough to enable me to drive the car there rather than pay the RAC the callout charge to move it for me. With the RAC charging £40, my options on a quick look around are...
Maypole 4A from Amazon
Ring Smartcharge 6A from Amazon
Halfords 4A

Anybody had any experience of these or got any suggestions for something similar under £40? I'm hoping it's only for a one off usage as I don't have a driveway/garage to keep it plugged in as a trickle charger/maintainer and I've got one of the solar powered battery maintainers for when the new battery is installed.

 

[presta]

How much does the garage charge for collecting it?

 

[fossyant]

What else does the alternator belt drive ? Called an auxiliary belt these days as they drive other stuff.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I have got the Halfords one and has done the job when necessary.

 

[fossyant]

CTEK or NOCO nearest £40

https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-GENIU...d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

 

[fossyant]

I've got a CTEK maintainer charger that works for all batteries including stop start AGM. The NOCO (above) does AGM too.

I have a NOCO booster battery - great bit of kit I've used a lot on other people's cars, usually when I've been camping.

 

[MontyVeda]

... I'm thinking of getting a cheap battery charger to fully charge the battery which should be more than enough to enable me to drive the car there rather than pay the RAC the callout charge to move it for me. ...

how about a jump starter? They're like a power bank for a mobile phone, but with enough oomph to turn an engine over and get it going.

 

[Profpointy]

You can get a variable bench power supply from ebay for £40 which will work as a battery charger (constant current OR voltage) and / or as a power supply for anything really. I'm tempted to get when for general dabbling, as well as battery charging, as the old secondhand test gear one I had is getting a bit dodgy and the meter sticks

 

[DRM]

how about a jump starter? They're like a power bank for a mobile phone, but with enough oomph to turn an engine over and get it going.

It'll start the car, but as the belt has snapped the battery will still be flat, not charging and will probably cause all sort of errors to be displayed as the battery gets even flatter

 

[midlife]

If the belt drives the water pump as well I’d get the garage to collect, tow or flatbed maybe.

 

[MontyVeda]

It'll start the car, but as the belt has snapped the battery will still be flat, not charging and will probably cause all sort of errors to be displayed as the battery gets even flatter

A battery charger won't mend the alternator belt either.

 

[biggs682]

Another vote for getting the car recovered of towed

 

[DRM]

If the belt drives the water pump as well I’d get the garage to collect, tow or flatbed maybe.

That's a good point, and this is supposed to be an improvement on older designs, where you could go get a fan belt, loosen the alternator, fit the belt & tension it, and off you go, using nothing more than basic hand tools, future my a*se

 

[Jenkins]

How much does the garage charge for collecting it?

They don't do collections - I did ask when I saw them on Monday

I have got the Halfords one and has done the job when necessary.

Many thanks - this is in stock locally and possibly available with British Cycling discount

how about a jump starter? They're like a power bank for a mobile phone, but with enough oomph to turn an engine over and get it going.

See @DRM 's reply above

If the belt drives the water pump as well I’d get the garage to collect, tow or flatbed maybe.

I'd already driven it for about 5 miles after the first warning light (stop/start failure) appeared and the water temperature light came on shortly after - I took the risk due to the lack of safe stopping areas on the A140. On this occasion it's only 1/2 mile from cold.

 

[DRM]

A battery charger won't mend the alternator belt either.

No, but it'll top the battery up so the car will drive half a mile without immediately conking out again en route