Thanks for posting this video. I like the information on the display, I was hoping some day someone would make a display like this because I usually hook up a voltmeter and ammeter when I charge my personal batteries and data log it, I wish this TOPDON had a data port. My problems analysis below is based on this part in your video that starts at 4:32. Problem #1) Very minor complaint, but I wish it would start reading the voltage when the battery is at rest when you first connected to the battery, and not when the charging has already begun on step #3, so you do not know the state of charge ‘at rest’ voltage of the battery was unless you tested it before hand. Also the display needs to be out to at least two decimal places, not one, there is a big difference when you are data tracking your voltage between 14.2 volts and 14.29 volts. 🚗Edit: I see what you called a "Smart Icon" at 4:57 in the video was actually a voltmeter button to check the battery at rest voltage before charging it. Problem #2) It was increasing the current as it should on the Bulk Charge step #5, but it terminated too early at 13.5 volts, it should have raised the voltage at least to 14.2 volts before it goes to step #6 Absorption Charge. Problem #3) On step #6 Absorption charge it should have been dropping the current, not increasing current, that is not a correct (CCCV) Absorption charging curve. Absorption is a topping off fully saturated charge of the battery, as the battery cannot absorb the excess current that is being supplied to it as a charge as it does in step #5 Bulk charge, it must now dump this excess current off as heat inside the battery (not what you want to do as heat is the enemy for any battery). It usually takes 4-10 hours just to do a complete full Absorption topping off charge on a standard 12 volt 65 -110 amp auto battery, and based on your video, from what I could tell, it did not do that either. So basically what this charger/maintainer did is indicate on its display that it went into step #6 Absorption charge mode, but actually stayed in the Bulk Charge cycle and never did an Absorption charge.
It did however terminate correctly at 14.4 volts at the end, but the battery was not fully 100% charged at the end of the charging cycle because the Absorption charge was not a true (CCCV) full topping off saturation charge, it was way too short by watching your video. Problem #4) I see there is no Float cycle 13.6 volts step, it just ended the charging and just goes straight to Maintenance Mode? I can give a very long list of maintainers that have this Float step because it is very beneficial for all flooded/AGM acid batteries to be held at 13.6 volts for 1-10 days, the Float cycle helps batteries with their ability to hold a full 100% charge, over time a battery will eventually lose the ability to accept a full charge and the performance will decrease due to sulfation without a Float cycle, that is why the majority of battery manufactures have this step that is missing on this TOPDON TB8000 charger/maintainer, and the Float cycle is not listed in the owners manual either at 6:26 in your video. So this charger/maintainer that you tested does not use the industry standard of a (CCCV) charge method, I wanted to like and purchase this TOPDON charger because I am in the market for an additional two more battery maintainers, but I will not waste my money on this TOPDON TB8000 maintainer, it has too many basic charging curve flaws from what I see, so I will not be buying any chargers from TOPDON. I have personally data logged all my charger/maintainers from over six different manufactures that I own, and apparently this one that is in your possession that you reviewed is the worst charging curve that I have seen. Again thanks for posting this video, you saved me a lot of aggravation as I do own other TOPDON instruments that I am happy with, but I will pass on buying this one unless these basic fundamental problems are addressed.
Quite the detailed analysis! I'm sure every charger has some issue here or there. For me, it was the 6v battery support that was a key win for me. I've got a much larger charger that does many of the same features, but the size and portability of this was also a highlight in my mind. Easy to toss in the car when I know I'm going somewhere and will likely be dealing with a dead battery.
@@rhoodj It does appear they have a few higher amp models - the Tornado series, I have not personally tried them however. www.topdon.com/pages/tools-tablet.html?classId=003004
@@agoogleuser5976 This model does, in fact support 6V which is why I was interested in it compared to other chargers across different brands (Picked up another one last year that did NOT support 6V, but does have a 'start' method and alternator test, so it's nice to have a few devices to support all the functions you are looking for.
Thanks for posting this video.
I like the information on the display, I was hoping some day someone would make a display like this because I usually hook up a voltmeter and ammeter when I charge my personal batteries and data log it, I wish this TOPDON had a data port. My problems analysis below is based on this part in your video that starts at 4:32.
Problem #1) Very minor complaint, but I wish it would start reading the voltage when the battery is at rest when you first connected to the battery, and not when the charging has already begun on step #3, so you do not know the state of charge ‘at rest’ voltage of the battery was unless you tested it before hand. Also the display needs to be out to at least two decimal places, not one, there is a big difference when you are data tracking your voltage between 14.2 volts and 14.29 volts.
🚗Edit:
I see what you called a "Smart Icon" at 4:57 in the video was actually a voltmeter button to check the battery at rest voltage before charging it.
Problem #2) It was increasing the current as it should on the Bulk Charge step #5, but it terminated too early at 13.5 volts, it should have raised the voltage at least to 14.2 volts before it goes to step #6 Absorption Charge.
Problem #3) On step #6 Absorption charge it should have been dropping the current, not increasing current, that is not a correct (CCCV) Absorption charging curve. Absorption is a topping off fully saturated charge of the battery, as the battery cannot absorb the excess current that is being supplied to it as a charge as it does in step #5 Bulk charge, it must now dump this excess current off as heat inside the battery (not what you want to do as heat is the enemy for any battery). It usually takes 4-10 hours just to do a complete full Absorption topping off charge on a standard 12 volt 65 -110 amp auto battery, and based on your video, from what I could tell, it did not do that either. So basically what this charger/maintainer did
is indicate on its display that it went into step #6 Absorption charge mode, but actually stayed in the Bulk Charge cycle and never did an Absorption charge.
It did however terminate correctly at 14.4 volts at the end, but the battery was not fully 100% charged at the end of the charging cycle because the Absorption charge was not a true (CCCV) full topping off saturation charge, it was way too short by watching your video.
Problem #4) I see there is no Float cycle 13.6 volts step, it just ended the charging and just goes straight to Maintenance Mode? I can give a very long list of maintainers that have this Float step because it is very beneficial for all flooded/AGM acid batteries to be held at 13.6 volts for 1-10 days, the Float cycle helps batteries with their ability to hold a full 100% charge, over time a battery will eventually lose the ability to accept a full charge and the performance will decrease due to sulfation without a Float cycle, that is why the majority of battery manufactures have this step that is missing on this TOPDON TB8000 charger/maintainer, and the Float cycle is not listed in the owners manual either at 6:26 in your video.
So this charger/maintainer that you tested does not use the industry standard of a (CCCV) charge method, I wanted to like and purchase this TOPDON charger because I am in the market for an additional two more battery maintainers, but I will not waste my money on this TOPDON TB8000 maintainer, it has too many basic charging curve flaws from what I see, so I will not be buying any chargers from TOPDON. I have personally data logged all my charger/maintainers from over six different manufactures that I own, and apparently this one that is in your possession that you reviewed is the worst charging curve that I have seen. Again thanks for posting this video, you saved me a lot of aggravation as I do own other TOPDON instruments that I am happy with, but I will pass on buying this one unless these basic fundamental problems are addressed.
Quite the detailed analysis! I'm sure every charger has some issue here or there. For me, it was the 6v battery support that was a key win for me. I've got a much larger charger that does many of the same features, but the size and portability of this was also a highlight in my mind. Easy to toss in the car when I know I'm going somewhere and will likely be dealing with a dead battery.
@@DachsAutos Is this TB8000 the highest or is ther a 20A rate charging version? I am trying to find something better than the 15A rate Schumacher.
@@rhoodj It does appear they have a few higher amp models - the Tornado series, I have not personally tried them however. www.topdon.com/pages/tools-tablet.html?classId=003004
@@DachsAutos Yes 👍. I think the T30000 30A is what I need..
@@agoogleuser5976 This model does, in fact support 6V which is why I was interested in it compared to other chargers across different brands (Picked up another one last year that did NOT support 6V, but does have a 'start' method and alternator test, so it's nice to have a few devices to support all the functions you are looking for.