|
|
|
MuddyOval.com Product Review PulseTech's Xtreme Battery Charger reviewed by Steve
I'll admit, I'm hard to impress when it comes to things like battery chargers. I see the value in them and have some exotic ones around the house that I used for R/C airplanes which use exotic Lithium Polymer batteries. Chargers for car batteries seem ancient in technology by comparison- until recently anyway. Battery technology for cars has finally started to progress, albeit FAR behind battery technology in other areas. AGM, gel cell and other technologies are becoming more common- and one thing I've learned is that you absolutely must use the proper charger. Using the appropriate charger can mean life or death for your expensive battery. With the newer, more expensive and exotic batteries finding their way into Land Rovers these days, it might be time to upgrade your old charger. Enter, the PulseTech Xtreme.
Of course, the naming of everything "EXTREME, XTREME" or any other variant is so cliché now that it's hard to tell if it's funny or annoying. I bought a pry bar at Home Depot that is the "EXTREME" too... it's such an overused name. Getting past that, this charger has some serious features. The size is a bonus right off the bat- it's very small compared to other chargers that pack anywhere near the features. My Schumacher charger that I bought specifically to charge AGM batteries is three times the size, but still lacks the technology the Xtreme sports. Considering the portable size and the water resistant case, I have to wonder why they didn't make a mounting bracket or some lugs on the case so one may install this permanently. OK, on to the technology. The Xtreme has a brain- a microprocessor which can evaluate the condition of your battery. Unlike other chargers, you don't have to determine which type of battery you have- just plug it in and let the Xtreme decide. By monitoring the condition as it charges, the rate is determined automatically and the battery returned to max voltage safely- at which point the Xtreme switches to a battery maintainer and conditioner. PulseTech took things even further with the Xtreme- they developed PULSE technology which has been proven to make batteries last longer by reducing the sulfate deposits on the plates inside the battery. This will make the battery last longer and take a more complete charge, even bringing a "bad" battery back to life. If your battery is too far gone, the "brain" will determine that and will let you know via the display. As far as ease of use, the Xtreme does well- you just connect it and go. They include alligator clip terminals AND permanent mount terminals. The display is better than most and will keep you informed of what the charger is doing at all times. The battery level is represented in 25% increments, where I'd rather see something more accurate. I'm still wondering why they didn't make it mountable... The Xtreme line of chargers also includes the blue Marine version and the yellow Motorcycle version. The only difference is the colour. Altogether, this is a great example of the NEW generation chargers. Toss that 15 year old metal thing in your garage and move up. PULSE technology is proven, so this charger can pay for itself by making your batteries last longer- good for the environment too.
HITS:
MISSES:
Manufacturer: PulseTech Available from: XtremeChargers Cost (at time of review): $99 w/free shipping
RATING: I give this charger 4.5 out of 5 Muddy Ovals. Add mounting tabs and a digital level display and it would be 5.
Note: MuddyOval® has no financial interest related to the product manufacturers listed. For informational use only. This product was provided to MuddyOval® for evaluation purposes by PulseTech. |
|
