Options on battery chargers for programming/flash

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  • snapon20r
    Junior Member
    • Jan 2012
    • 20

    Options on battery chargers for programming/flash

    Hey guys, just wondering if there are any other options on battery chargers besides the $ 775.00 battery charger Snapon sells? Would a normal charger on low setting work?? Any other options?? What do you guys do ( that don't have the snapon battery charger) for keeping the battery up when flash/program?
  • diesel71
    Senior Member
    • Feb 2008
    • 921

    #2
    I have had a module blank off and one quit taking files from low voltage, both had to be replaced and both were more than the price of snapons charger that is designed to hold the right voltage/amperage during a flash. its just not worth taking the chance if you ask me. just my 2 cents.

    Comment

    • Witsend
      Banned
      • Nov 2012
      • 2942

      #3
      Hey guys, just wondering if there are any other options on battery chargers besides the $ 775.00 battery charger Snapon sells? Would a normal charger on low setting work?? Any other options?? What do you guys do ( that don't have the snapon battery charger) for keeping the battery up when flash/program?
      Reply With Quote
      I would take a Large known good battery with a full charge, hook a set of good jumper cables off it to the vehicle's battery and have a generic trickle charger hook to the big donor battery that you have , so any voltage fluctuations of the generic battery charger be dampened and a absorbed by the larger donor battery. If you need a good new battery Charger then spend the dough, but until then improvise.

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      • snapon20r
        Junior Member
        • Jan 2012
        • 20

        #4
        Thanks a lot guys for your replies.

        Comment

        • ToltecasChavez
          Senior Member
          • Apr 2011
          • 408

          #5
          As long as the voltage stays at 14V u should be good. I have the snap-on one and it died after a year. Just not good. Either way, I have used a small one that keeps the battery at 14V and never had a problem. My 2 Cents.

          Comment

          • hhong12dlm
            Junior Member
            • Mar 2013
            • 22

            #6
            In the past before the battery maintainers came out I usually
            made sure I had a "good" charged battery and put a regular charger
            set at low settings when programming to keep the system voltage
            in the recommended area.
            Never had a problem, I use a midtronics battery maintainer now, I did
            not have access to one in the past.
            Also check your ac ripple when a battery is on the charger
            its not that bad at lo settings, but increases at higher rates
            this may vary.....the maintainers have a very clean output.

            Comment

            • maven
              Senior Member
              • Mar 2014
              • 269

              #7
              You can find the tool GM uses, the Midtronics PSC550 for around $150 if your lucky(Ebay, etc.) they pop up at some of the online wholesalers for $300 new now and again. very worthwhile if you do any level of programming. It could pay for it self in saving one "oops"


              I would screw around with buffer batteries and trickle chargers and such Rube Goldberg setups, as creative as Wit is its your money/business. If you wanna do programming do it right.

              Comment

              • ttrain0331
                Junior Member
                • Oct 2013
                • 14

                #8
                battery charger

                Hey,

                I'm with Maven, if you are serious about programming, you have no doubt invested in the pass thru devices and PCs and other needed software programs. a battery maintainer/"clean" charger is needed. It well worth the time and money of not having to worry if all the makeshift connection are ok.
                an under/over voltage issue can take out a module or possibly more!
                I use the Midtronics PPS 550, I bought new in 08 and has never let me down. I paid about $700.00 thru CARQUEST (at that time). Now you can buy for less. There is a company that sells the same set up for about $175-200.00 but under a different name. I would stick a brand that has been trusted in the programming arena. Reprogram/flashing is a very profitable part of our business, which brings about $35K of additional sales.
                Good Luck.
                T Elm
                "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take!" Wayne Gretzky NHL hall of famer

                Comment

                • TannBovet
                  Junior Member
                  • Sep 2015
                  • 1

                  #9
                  There are many options available for the flash charger. You can find them easily. Also you can give direct supply to it from the Laptop. Also you can build your own charger. Please post the specifications of your charger if you can.
                  Last edited by TannBovet; 10-05-2015, 03:13 PM.
                  pcb assembly

                  Comment

                  • Witsend
                    Banned
                    • Nov 2012
                    • 2942

                    #10
                    Battery supply from laptop?

                    There are many options available for the flash charger. You can find them easily. Also you can give direct supply to it from the Laptop. Also you can build your own charger. Please post the specifications of your charger if you can.
                    Reply With Quote
                    Hi, Welcome to the Forum TannBovet, Did you mean with some chargers you can monitor battery voltage and tweak the charger's voltage or output from a program or App running right off the laptop? I can't see a laptop battery being able to contribute much to anything though.

                    Comment

                    • tomhuynh
                      Junior Member
                      • Oct 2011
                      • 11

                      #11
                      Ive been using OPTIMA® Chargers Digital 1200 when Ive doing flash programming. Its an automatic charger with an easy button push for what type of battery it is. It cost me about $200. If the battery is pretty much dead, I would just add my snapon battery jump box to attach to the battery for extra stability. I never had an issue with this setup, so never thought about purchasing a more expensive charger.

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