Diagnostics & electrical
Battery charger / maintainer
Keeps a stored car, boat or second vehicle ready to start, and rescues a battery that sat flat.
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Where to buy
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Why you need it
- A modern car draws current while parked. Two or three weeks of sitting can leave it flat.
- A smart maintainer floats the battery at full charge without overcharging; leave it plugged in all winter.
- Recharging a flat battery slowly, rather than jumping and driving, is far kinder to it.
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What to look for
- Automatic multi-stage charging with a maintenance (float) mode.
- AGM and lithium modes if your car uses either; the voltages differ.
- Quick-connect leads you can leave on the battery with a weatherproof plug.
- 2 to 5 amps is plenty for maintenance; 10 amps or more if you want to recharge a dead battery overnight.
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Goes with
Diagnostics & electrical
Lithium jump starter
A battery pack the size of a paperback that starts a dead car without a second vehicle.
Diagnostics & electrical
OBD2 scanner
Read the check-engine code yourself before anyone quotes you a repair.
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