PawPaw Forces the Harbor Freight 2/10/50A Battery Charger to Work

[@sixtyfiveford]

You can never use a Harbor freight tool to fix a Harbor freight tool. It's like cannibalism they'll just kill each other.

[@DoingItCheap]

ROFLMMFAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@MGS566]

🤣

[@axelbrode]

@@DoingItCheap WoW I can't believe I was able to decipher your cipher, but I can't repeat it. Working on a Triple batch of grape juice and getting ready to start a Double batch soon. Thanks for the recipe.

[@notthatdigusted7468]

LOL

[@sors1599]

That was freakin funny

[@davidbaildon8993]

Thanks for the info, I was so pissed when my 30 year old craftsman charger shit to bed, so i got the exact same pos charger and it refused to charge without seeing voltage. I been using jumper cables from my atv just to charge my jeep.

[@michaelvillalobos3850]

Great video PawPaw and great idea on the battery charger and also having David helping you, you guys are Awesome. 👍👍👍

[@razorbak6783]

I have that same charger and when you go to charge a battery that's a little low I put it on the 10 amp setting to charge it quicker and it starts clicking on and off really fast, I then put it on the 2amp trickle charge and it does fine. So does this modification by pass what I just explained and lets the charge work in the 10amp setting? It also does this in the 50amp setting, just clicks on and off really fast, so I guess that's a safety feature. I have a car battery that reads 10.42V so I want to do the modification of reconditioning the battery with a 200amp schumacher....where you turn it on 200amps for 5 minutes and watch it boil, then let it rest for 15 minutes and do that again for about 5 cycles and eventually you desulfate the battery doing this process. The problem is my brand new schumacher 200amp kicks off after 5 seconds so I guess that's a safety feature too. I hate these new safety micro processor boards. So does this modification fix that problem too and lets the charger stay on the 200amp setting without shutting off. So this modification by passes the built in safety circuit board? I'm pissed that I bought a brand new $135.00 200 amp charger and it won't stay on to do the desulfating and bring the battery back from the dead....this new computerized crap sucks.

[@aaronpowell4885]

Awesome! Thank you pawpaw! I've got a big, wheeled 20+ year old heavy "dumb" charger that works great and a couple maintainers that I don't use as much as I should lol I've been thinking about buying one of those cen-tec chargers and figuring out how to if possible bypass the sensing circuit to have a more portable option when needed than my old trusty boat anchor for DEAD batteries. Tho you can't take full credit, I'd likely never found the video you saw! Thanks again pawpaw👍

[@wndrshep3js]

Thanks for the info. I had to 'charge' the completely dead battery a little with my old charger, then i was able to switch to the new charger to complete the charge. I had an idea...could you 'trick' the sensor with a 9V battery bridged between the clamps to get the charge to iniciate?

[@larrynelson734]

Yes that will work with a 9v. Battery jumped across the 2 clamps.

[@billmccall4663]

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to do this with one difference. I'm using an illuminated switch because I'm so absent minded.

[@DoingItCheap]

You only turn it on momentarily.

[@MGS566]

For a minute there I thought y’all got another puppy.💙 Usually if it’s not broken don’t fix it, apparently not in this case. Well done folks!👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸

[@MrDarales]

Also. Love how you get to go outside right now to play with stuff. It's cold here

[@whiskeysquiker]

The puppy in the background made this video for me. lol

[@ghibliinu6616]

Totally, this video has something for everyone!

[@jeffyhuey]

Once the battery has a little bit of a charge. If you shut off that toggle, will it then still charge after seeing power?

[@DoingItCheap]

Yes ! Then the charger works normally, decreasing the output as the full charge is reached.

[@davidsherwood5640]

What's the fun in editing it I think you're doing a good job you actually show that there might be some struggle

[@SuperBajafresh]

My friend and I had a discussion on what could be the problem. Order 20A shortstop buzzman circuit breaker part and replace the other.

[@Thrunabulax10]

thanks! excellent video. I was thinking, they make timer switches, that will close for 30 minutes or so, then open. You can hook up the dead battery, turn on the charger, and crank the timer switch that jumpers over the relay. It will start chaging, and 30 minutes later when it opens up, if the battery is not fully charged, it will continue to charge it but shut off automatically.

[@DoingItCheap]

I guess it did not stress the point enough.....flip the switch to power it only for a second. The charger just needs to detect voltage to start, then you don't need to keep the auxiliary power on.

[@Thrunabulax10]

@@DoingItCheap oh, that makes more sense. a push button momentary contact switch then!

[@theoriginalcripster]

Uncle Jesse from Dukes of hazard. That’s who this is!

[@bmaiceman]

What a NOVEL concept. A battery charger that will CHARGE a dead battery!!!! I've seen this issue before. Pisses a guy off. I mean come on. The concept is simple. Battery is DEAD.. I want to make it un DEAD. That means I need power. Thanks for the video.. Very insightfull

[@adamh.berkeysnorthwestpole6608]

LOL Took you 5 minutes to figure out that same thing I did, about the screws up front on the bottom to take the case apart.

[@notthatdigusted7468]

I will try this I have a mini cooper with dead battery and I would like to get it running again because it has been sitting outside in the elements for about 3 months and I could not drive it because the battery died.

[@butler386]

Love the concept of fixing and adding a switch. I was not able to see where you soldered the wire. I guess you soldered one wire to where the main wire comes in and not sure where the second wire was connected. May be just me. Thanks for the great fix.

[@DoingItCheap]

Watch it again and pause it when David zooms in. The switch wires are soldered to the two large rectangles on the bottom left of the circuit board..... the ones I keep touching with the screwdriver.

[@silverhammer8464]

Trying to get home to my family with a dead truck. Thanks man I'm about to put my useless hobby skills to work

[@DoingItCheap]

I hope it works out for you!

[@MichaelJones-dm9lv]

Paw paw I like your video

[@pine6163]

I had the exact same charger from hoober freight, mine quit after about 5 uses. Seems like that’s about right for every other china product nowadays.

[@SinCityBadBoy9907]

PawPaw that was an awesome video, thanks!!!

[@BearHomeOwnerDIY]

Hey SSgt PawPaw you just like me "I don't need no stinking warranty" and proceeds to make modifications. Former USAF SSgt/1Lt here. This charger on my list for my next HF run. Going to add that switch so I don't have to parallel connect a good battery. This cen-tech appears to be the only cheap manual charger you can buy. PawPaw has heard this before but for everyone without the HF charger and like others commented you can fake a battery charger into charging by using jumper cables to parallel connect a good battery with a bad battery and put the charger on. The charger will sense the 12v and start charging. A 12VDC AC adapter should work too. But switch makes the HF charger perfect. Once the HF got it charged, switch to an automatic charger and desulfate 1 day, charge, desulfate 1 day, charge, desulfate 1 day (with automatic charger). That gives best results. Use that HF load tester and see if you revived it to within 80% of stated Cranking Amps. Only add water to cover the lead plates on a dead battery because that acid level can permanently rise + bubbles will overflow it. Fill with water to normal only after rejuvenating the battery. Sulfuric acid will only evaporate above 300F so only hydrogen, oxygen, and water can evaporate or bubble off. Acid will always stay put unless it overflows. The HF is good to throw on a few days once you get above 7V, with or without the switch. The harbor freight has a protection circuit so the cables aren't live until it senses 7V then it will turn on. Just like you showed those cables are live once you hit that switch so don't let them touch. Without the switch, the cables won't spark when you touch them together. The optima digital 1200 will operate down to 1.25v but we ain't DoingitCheap since it's $260. Currently working on four old batteries been in my garage for years and so far got an AGM working at 610 out of 690 cranking amps. The real test is internal drain - let it rest a month disconnected and then load test it. Looking to pick up the HF charger since I got them over 7V but both my automatic chargers keep shutting off and going into desulfate mode. This good AGM will be my jumper battery since I got no vehicle that needs it. If that spare battery give up the ghost, the DoingItCheap last option is $10 gift card from AutoZone, Advance, or O'Reillys for a 12V battery with no cracks. Seems NAPA don't give $10.

[@SaabAholic]

I had to connect a portable battery powered jumper to the dead battery I needed to charge. That way the charger recognized the battery and was able to get into charge mode. No need to return your “broken” battery charger! 🤠

[@alabiggy]

I don’t have time for all that. I’m sure this is a good “hack” , but what I do is just put some jumper cables on the dead battery from a hood battery. As soon as the light comes on the charger (seconds) I remove the cables and boom!

[@DoingItCheap]

To each his own. Your method require jumper cables, a good battery AND the charger. I just use the charger. Hook it up. Flip the switch. Wait a few seconds. Flip the switch to OFF and walk away. But we are free to do things that suits us the best. Thanks for watching !

[@eagleviewhd]

I hate that feature myself. My old charger would provide power all the time. I tried this with my Centek battery charger, which looks similar, but probably a newer model. It is configured differently. I could not get this to work with it.

[@kathypersall6292]

Love your video!! You know how to make things work!!!

[@DoingItCheap]

Thank you!

[@adrianv8632]

Awe man I was happy about this till I opened mine up and notice that they changed the inside of it so I can't seem to locate were to solder at..😕

[@eagleviewhd]

Same here. I tried finding the place to jump, but when I tried it, it did not work. I did not have any power to the leads.

[@sebulva]

Thanks, regards from Mexico.

[@DoingItCheap]

You are welcome!

[@car99r2]

Do you happen to have link from original that you got this from? I just bought a new Cen-tech and need to make it dumb. However, mine is weird differently than yours. I have 120v to all posts so something else is telling it not to turn on output.

[@DoingItCheap]

No. Sorry.

[@MrDarales]

I have 2 that do the same thing. It detects the circuit. But will not turn on. Thanks for the video pawpaw

[@steveleggett344]

I have the same charger and I always hated that smart part. ai m going to do what you did !! THANKS

[@steveleggett344]

I tried but the board in mine is different. I will just have to do the 9 volt battery trick.

[@billyhill101]

That video got me all charged up for the day thank you

[@phononut]

Send your modification to Harbor freight you might get something out of it. Great fix!👍

[@eagleviewhd]

Harbor Freight deliberately makes these this way to protect the useful idiots who vote for democrats. Wouldn’t want them to electrocute themselves, because it is harder to get the votes from dead people, but they still do.

[@petesrepete]

Morning Paw Paw, More than one way to skin a cat, Yea Haw Kepp em coming

[@stephenfaulkner1448]

Something that helps me. I always ise a small bit to get a hole then use the Step bit to finish to the size.

[@bryanrussell6679]

Man all that soldering iron needs is a toggle switch. Then it's perfect.

[@billymcdaniel8420]

Great video Paw Paw did you take the Soldering. Gun Kit back to Harbor Freight

[@DoingItCheap]

Just got back !!!

[@chevytruckk3479]

Awesome thank you for the video! Gonna be doing this to mine tomorrow

[@ryantoomey611]

From the outside, this charger looks like an old school manual charger; However this charger will not work if the battery voltage is too low. This mod makes it work like a good old fashioned manual charger and will force charge any battery regardless of how low the voltage is. It is a bummer they no longer make manual chargers anymore and there are only "smart" chargers which are actually dumb because they are not as useful.

[@brianmoore8596]

You could jump the 2 points and buy a harbor frieght timer item 40148 cost 4.99 probably less than the toggle switch. Thank you for your help paw paw.

[@billclaussen5255]

Sounds like a good hack, I'd try it!!! Thanks Bob...Peace!!! Bill

[@MrSmoothstrings]

Thank you I appreciate that information.

[@hiseyeisonthesparrow5294]

Now that was down right "electrifying" 😝😉👍❤

[@vincentcreazzojr2012]

ITS TRUE THE BATTERY & CHARGER COMPANIES DO THAT SO PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE TO BUY ANOTHER BATTERY. GOD BLESS

[@stephenfaulkner1448]

Ahhhh. Flip the toggle long enough to get a volt or two in the dead battery then switch off to go back into charging and smart mode.

[@Unwrapasmile]

Paw paw you are always up to something and oh how you can make me laugh. Thanks for sharing and by the way I love doing it cheap.

[@josephbills8629]

This is awesome!!! What gauge wire do you need to use?

[@DoingItCheap]

16 or 14 is adequate

[@ACGBlaser]

Thank you.. excellent solution . Greetings from México.

[@DoingItCheap]

Gracias compadre !

[@MrDarales]

Are you doing the Santa thing this year? My kids would love it.

[@jraymond3218]

I found a manual/automatic charger on ebay for $22. I just set it to manual for a time. Then switch it to auto to finish.

[@herrmahlzahn6924]

What to do with a so-called battery charger that only charges batteries that don't need to be charged because they are already charged? I come back from a trip to the airport parking lot and the car battery is completely dead because the interior lights weren't turned off. 06/23/22 at 8:50pm. No problem, I have a battery charger in the trunk. The friendly lady who managed the parking lot gave me an extension cord that just reached between her booth and my car. I was able to connect the battery to the charger. It's no surprise that this charger doesn't charge the battery. The charger did not detect that an empty battery was connected. I had to call an Uber to help me start my car. It took me almost 2 hours to get home from the airport and there I no longer needed a charger as the engine had recharged the battery on the way home. What kind of stupid engineers produce a battery charger that can't charge a battery? This chargers are unusable. I always have someone at home and in the office who can give me a jumpstart if I need it. I need a battery charger that works when the battery is dead and no one else is around to start the car.

[@rockyesterline7942]

It looks like a caveman working on a computer lol Now you have got to get working!!

[@miked1639]

Two years later and I bet you still have that screwdriver 😂 😂

[@DoingItCheap]

No reason to throw it away ! 😀

[@miked1639]

@@DoingItCheap can be used as pry bar or punch. I usually put it in my wife's junk drawer and get a laugh every time she tries fixing something she shouldn't be lol

[@manxdr21]

Think he's saying that cause it's his neighbors tool

[@michaelhenderson8071]

Good morning Paw Paw

[@DoingItCheap]

Good morning!

[@kenivie7422]

Should put a small 30 minute timer in I stead of a toggle switch

[@DoingItCheap]

It only needs an instantaneous jolt to start charging. I flip the switch on for just a second.

[@kenivie7422]

Great I didn't understand that part. I thought it took a few minutes. Thank you

[@davidnation4437]

I was wondering if a momentary switch would get it. I might forget to flip it back myself.

[@oldtimeengineer26]

PawPaw tell your neighbor to check their home owners insurance case many will not cover a Pitbull dog

[@aaronpowell4885]

Around here everyone that knows that claims a terrier mix🙂

[@ronb2505]

Now that’s awesome sure do like watch in ya videos papaw tell David hi

[@davidinthedesert3532]

Anymore it seems like half the crap I buy Ive got to go through it before I can use it.

[@davidmoneyhun2562]

What is the amperage size for the toggle switch you installed?

[@DoingItCheap]

Probably ten to twelve but you only use it momentarily.

[@moonrider19681]

Thanks brother

[@Aaronsplantsandmore]

I have a slightly different model, my pos in from the wall and out from the board to the transformer are in the same place. I’m thinking I’ll just solder them together. - Austin danger powers.

[@bobbyturbopants]

I have the blue model, did you do it yet?

[@snarlie2569]

Does it affect the voltage out put?

[@DoingItCheap]

No

[@bowtie1980]

Works great

[@elvism684]

Damn! I just bought one of these because my Harbor Freight Viking 4Amp battery charger/maintainer doesn’t charge low/dead batteries.

[@oddopops1327]

👍👍😊

[@allioakley3372]

💗💗💗

[@BigVan1]

Amen im old school to

[@francoisgariepy2676]

Santa ,is that you? ,(÷{}~

[@wildturkey8752]

I remember the video of you bi....complaining. Funny stuff.

[@dannyceasar547]

Whats up family

[@notthatdigusted7468]

Basically you are just adding a hard power switch.

[@notthatdigusted7468]

This makes me think of the hard power switch on the original PS2 model.

[@joerockme7485]

i got that charger ....THANKS.

[@flyprincess69]

Same thing with mine…

[@magoo_1990]

Whoever decided these new chargers have to act this way had to vote for Biden. I need Trump chargers!!

[@eagleviewhd]

They are designed for the “Useful Idiots” that voted for biden and harris. I have one of these charges, and I hate it. Wish I had my old charger that I could use for a 12 volt power supply when I needed one.

[@tedthornton7791]

Lol

[@tedthornton7791]

I need a exact replacement meter guage that'll fit the hole left by the old guage. It's exactly like the red charger one you posted.

[@leeduncan3000]

I know😂

[@gorilla1789]

lol don’t do me like that 😂

[@atmphil1]

We can’t see what you did your camera man is bad

[@DoingItCheap]

Yeah, I have difficulty demonstrating and running the camera all by myself.

[@Wil-q2p]

And you just voted your battery Chargers warranty

[@DoingItCheap]

I think you meant voided.

[@alexshatner3907]

@@DoingItCheap How do you know when the battery is fully charged, because when I connect charger to any Battery the one LED light goes on and never turns off. and I mean the green charging LED on the charger, or do you have to rely on the meter that say's 100% to know, because the margin of error is greater relying on the meter, versus the charger turning off automatically.

[@florenceweeks7326]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@cpk4772]

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@atmphil1]

I don’t know why they make all the new battery chargers do this stupid thing they should at least put an over ride button from factory. All the older ones use to work perfectly fine. I had one of the old one I let one of my friends use it i did not talk to him for over 1 years next time I saw him he told me he put it in the trash because he think I did not need it no more so I ended up having to go buy a new one and all the new one can’t charge dead battery’s.

[@Wil-q2p]

I think you'd better be careful what you're doing with that. Cool, some battery chargers are set up the way they're set up for safety reasons. Be careful do not alter the battery charger's operations. Do not take the breaker out of it. You should always leave it the way it was set up to do there isn't intelligent breaker? It recognizes the battery and the reason why it won't charge battery be cause or should say a dead battery. In, for example, if there is no voltage for it 2 cents. And then again is the breaker. Were circuitry working properly in the battery charger? If not, you should take the battery charger back and explain why. However, you might want to consider about getting a different battery charger. Some battery chargirls only recognize the battery if there's voltage in that battery. And that's probably one of the reasons why the battery charger cannot charge a dead battery because maybe there is no voltage or there might be a badstill be careful with the batteries when charging them.

[@DoingItCheap]

Are you the safety police? If so, you are going to have a full time job just going through my channel !!

[@fatdriver1968]

I can't really see where you put the toggle switch from end to end video kinda dark..... thank you

[@SuperBajafresh]

Cheap charger, mine went out fast after two years. The green light goes on but no charge.

[@mitcholson2662]

Maybe Yall need to put a toggle switch on the soldering gun too 🥸