True, but that $300 charger with sophisticated software is going to monitor voltage and amperage, and have a much more sophisticated algorithm than a cheaper $60 AGM compatible charger. Does that mean that I'm going to run out and buy a $300 charger for my $75 battery, no but if I were maintaining a fleet of Odyssey batteries for a race team, I surely would.
Agreed, but not too many Race teams on here (or anyone using fleets of batteries I imagine).
Maybe, I'm no expert, but I do know there is a lot more to charging an AGM than just high current or high voltage.
I won't claim to be an expert (at anything), but the company I work for sells over $million a year (at wholesale pricing) of AGM batteries to a very "abusive" industry.
The PC535 I run was a test sample we abused for a couple years and left on the shelf (depleted). Then I got back into skiing a couple years ago and I pilfered it. The thing works great (using my rusty Sears charger).
I know the Jetworks one looks like the Battery Tender brand, I don't know if they have them manufactured a bit different for their application or not. Could easily be a re-badged Battery Tender.
I promise you it is the exact same one (looking at his website it is not even re-badged). My only problem with the small Battery Tender is people want to think they can plug it in an just leave it. I have seen good ones (like the Battery Tender brand) kill batteries that just sit there connected and never get used.
Here's where the algorithm comes in. You can not duplicate an algorithm by monitoring it yourself. The algorithm is what determines charge amperage, voltage and time. I found a couple graphs that represent standard lead acid and AGM charging algorithm. You can see that there are differences that a human would need some good equipment to duplicate.
I won't argue the graphs, the chargers that use that algorithm are excellent!! They provide the "ultimate" method for charging AGM batteries. I have taken some of the really "abused" AGMs and used the the $300 conditioner to revive the battery and put it back into service. They work great when necessary.
For the average person that probably already has a charger, they can use it with a little know-how. Typically by measuring the resting voltage and charging for the appropriate time/amperage usually listed in the manual (i.e. 10 amps for 1 hour).
I think the Odyssey bashing that goes on here is probably the result of some failed batteries that have not been maintained properly. Should they be more durable? Probably. Hopefully some of this will help. I can count on 1 hand how many "defective" batteries we have sold.
