The Good
Great for use during winters as it charges faster compared to other options. It is also very safe to use with its multiple safety features. Its Recondition mode can even restore the performance level of older power cells.
The Bad
There are cases where the charging process gets stuck at either the third (bulk charging) or fourth (absorption) step of the cycle. There are also complaints that the fan noise is too distracting after five minutes of use.
The Bottomline
This product has all the features you need from a maintainer and more. What’s even surprising is that it is affordably priced, which makes it a great buy for those on the lookout for great value.
CHECK LATEST PRICEIf you’re like most car owners, chances are you don’t have the time nor the patience to watch over the boring process of charging your car battery in its entirety. Thus, you want a product that you can just plug and conveniently forget about without having to worry about potential damage to your vehicle’s power cell.
With its array of safety features, the Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger and Maintainer is designed for people like you. Computer controlled, easy to use, and versatile, there’s probably nothing more you can ask from a maintainer. What’s even more exciting for those who live in colder climates is that it comes with a winter mode.
Works Well On Winters as well as Summers
Freezing winters are harsh not only for you, but they can also wreak havoc to your car’s DC power storage component. This is especially true in areas where the weather gets so cold and heavy snowfall could make driving conditions too dangerous to venture out that it’s a wiser choice to just hole yourself up in your home. In this scenario, you’ll need this Ampeak product to keep the power cell in top condition and your vehicle always ready to go.
There are two advantages in using this product during winters. Firstly, this is a maintainer so you can just plug your car DC power storage so that it’s juiced up and maintained in its optimal condition. In this way, you won’t experience dead battery problems that plague other drivers.
Secondly, this device would really come in handy in cases where your vehicles energy storage ready becomes dead. Charging dead cells will really test your patience because charging will take longer due to the cold and can last up to 40 hours. Thankfully, this Ampeak device is built for such conditions – it charges faster and you can even choose between 2, 8 and 15-Ampere settings depending on how fast you want it done.
While this product is effective in winter, it’s no slouch during summers as well. This is one tough cookie and can handle even the hottest of months thanks to its double-layer aluminum that disperses heat quickly as well as its built-in cooling fan. It has a very wide range of working temperature as it functions even in the freezing 32°F (0°C) all the way to the sizzling hot 104°F (40°C).
Smart and Safe Charging
But it’s not just in charging speed in cold weather that this product excels at. In fact, this is a very intelligent device that not only does the job fast, it also does it more thoroughly and safer compared to other options that you can call it a smart charger.
The reason for this is that not only all brawn, it has brains as well. It is equipped with a super smart microprocessor that monitors voltage levels at all times so it can automatically respond to minute changes when necessary resulting in very safe operation and shorter charge times.
Power cells are charged more thoroughly without damaging it since this device features a 6-step process - the Desulphation, Soft Start, Bulk Charge, Absorption, Battery Test and Floating. A lot of owners were pleasantly surprised to discover that using this device restored some of the performance levels of used batteries especially by choosing the “Recondition” option.
Aside from the varied Amperage output levels, this product is also very versatile when it comes to the types of storage cells it is compatible with. You can use it for all types of 12V lead-acid cells as well as other types of energy storage cells such as STD, AGM, and GEL. It is also very safe to uses as it has protection against short circuit, reverse circuit, overheat, over voltage, and overtime charging.
But I Just Wish…
To give you a more balanced viewpoint, you need to know some of the negative comments made by buyers before you head out and buy this product. One issue is that there seems to be a problem with the device’s charging cycle, at least on a few of the products. Some buyers say that the item they got worked well at first but is now stuck at stage 3 (Bulk Charging) of the charging process. Meanwhile, there are also those said that their unit is stuck at stage 4 or the Absorption mode.
Another complaint is that the fan is a bit too loud for some people. Yes, it did work in keeping preventing the unit from overheating but the noise starts to pick up and becomes irritating after 5 minutes or so.
Despite this minor negative feedback, it still remains that the Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger and Maintainer Automatic with Winter Mode is one of the best products in its niche. It’s packed with high tech feature that you might expect in high-end options but, surprisingly, it is very affordable.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is the Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger?
The Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger is an in-car battery maintainer that automatically charges your car battery without a driver's intervention. It comes with a low profile for easy installation and plug-and-play capabilities.
What makes it different from other car battery chargers?
The Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger is designed to maintain and charge a car battery. It has two charging modes: "Maintenance Mode" and "Charging Mode". In the Maintenance mode, it will keep the battery at its optimal level, preventing it from premature drying-out. In the Charging Mode, it will charge a dead battery to full capacity. However, some people complain that this item is not compatible with 1996 model or older year vehicles.
What is the difference between Maintenance and Charging Modes?
In the Maintenance Mode, Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger will keep an empty battery at its optimal level preventing it from premature drying-out. If you want to charge a dead battery, the Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger will do that as well. However, some customers complained that this item is not compatible with 1996 model or older year vehicles.
What are the hour-by-hour charge modes?
The Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger has two charging cycle modes: Bulk Charge, and Absorption Modes. Each mode has a different charge/discharge rate depending on the amount needed to completely charge the battery. At the end of each charging cycle, the device will display a voltage screen showing the percentage of battery life that you have restored.
How long does it take to fully charge a battery in the charging mode?
After setting the Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger on ‘Charging Mode’, it will take about 20 – 24 hours to fully charge a dead battery.
What is the dimension of this item?
The Ampeak 2815A Smart battery charger is 45 x 59 x 32 mm (L x H x W) which could easily fit in your medium sized glove compartment. However, some clients complained that it does not work on their 1996 model car or older year vehicles.
What is the current capacity of the battery?
This Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger does not display any information about the battery's current capacity. However, most users said that it works well in maintaining other battery types such as GEL, AGM or STD batteries
What is the charge rate?
The charging rate is configured to 4A with a maximum voltage of 14.8V. Many owners wonder if the charging rate is enough to charge a dead battery. However, this device will work on most of today's battery types.
Can I charge multiple batteries at the same time using this device?
This Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger has the ability to adjust its charging current to different battery types and sizes. It can charge a 12V lead-acid battery which is 96Ah, 160Ah, 180Ah, or 360Ah. This gives you the freedom to hook more batteries with varying size and capacities.
How do I charge a GEL, STD, or AGM battery using the Ampeak 2815A Smart Battery Charger?
In order to be able to charge a GEL, STD, or AGM type of batteries, you will need to buy an optional EFB-1261 Ultra Efficient Battery Charger Tester. It is sold separately. The beneficial feature of this device is that you can use it to test your car battery and find out its condition before charging it.
