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INDEPENDENT TEST :
VICTRON BATTERY CHARGER
WORDS AND IMAGES : MARTY LEDWICH
IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET EXCITED ABOUT A SIMPLE BATTERY CHARGER ? IN THE CASE OF THE VICTRON BLUE SMART IP65 CHARGER RANGE , THE ANSWER IS YES .
We recently had trouble with the deepcycle battery in our Land Cruiser , which made it necessary for us to purchase a 240V battery charger .
We were in Townsville , Qld , and needed one urgently . The available selection wasn ’ t great but at the upper end of the price scale was the Victron Blue Smart IP65 range of 12V battery chargers . We purchased the 15A unit and took it back to camp to give it a try .
SMART VERSATILITY
As alluded to , there isn ’ t a lot to get excited about automotive 12V battery chargers . They tend to be fairly simple devices . You plug them into a powerpoint , attach a couple of alligator clips to the battery , and wait for it to indicate the battery is fully charged . That ’ s about it .
Where the Victron Blue Smart range differs is that they offer some clever features that make them versatile and easy to use .
The biggest change with the new range is the inclusion of a lithium charging profile . With the ever-growing popularity of lithium batteries in caravans , campers and even in 4WDs , having a 240V charger compatible with lithium batteries is a real bonus .
The other feature that I appreciate is the proprietary plug that allows the alligator clips to be removed and the included M8 eyelet connection cable plugged in . You can install this cable permanently to any 12V battery and , instead of having to fiddle around with alligator clips , simply plug the charger directly to the battery .
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