JD Autocharger
Page 42
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The JD Autocharger, dealt with recently in CM, has been put through a series of tests as well as being used for regular overnight charging of a car battery for the past two months—the vehicle was parked in the open and wired up to take a simple plug-in connection from the charger.
In this exercise, the charger has fulfilled all the claims made by the manufacturer and has given no troubles of any sort.
One of the most useful features of the Autocharger is the use of an electrical cut-out system instead of a conventional fuse which saves a lot of time if the connections are made incorrectly. When used in conjunction with a battery known to be faulty it did not take long for the charger to cut out through over-heating: and banging the unit about in Ways it would be subjected to in service did not affect it. The Autocharger does not have an ammeter to show the charge being supplied but the situation is clearly indicated by the brightness of its red charging light. With a good battery, purposely run down to a low state of charge, the unit brought the battery back to an almost-full state of charge overnight.
To summarise, the JD Autocharger is a robust, well-designed piece of equipment which will be of value for the small-van operator and will provide an efficient means of ensuring easy starting of vehicles in winter conditions.