[R2D2]

Originally Posted by spookey

What is the month of manufacture mentioned on the charger ? I did a mistake of ordering from ebay to save few bucks and received old stock of 12/2015 manufacture with sealed open pack and no month of import /MRP mentioned and not even an invoice

But be sure that you contact the seller first (ONLY via the eBay site so they have a record of the communication) and tell him that you are not happy with the purchase and the reasons for the same.

If he doesn't remedy the situation raise a claim on the seller @ eBay. They will take care of it for you. Sellers are nearly always made to provide remedies to justifiable customer grievances.

PS - I have the same DoM on my C7 charger. The C3 is manufactured Mar 2016

PPS - I have put the C7 and C3 to the test. Took the battery out of the car and set it up for charging 24x7 first using the C7 for 2 days with a desulphator and then switched to the C3 this evening. Gotta test these things, no?

PPPS - @Spookey, I was checking ebay and the only seller seems to be the Bosch Master Distributor. If this is the seller you ordered it from you can rest easy. They sell on Amazon as well and there are no issues with them. All happy customers.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by spookey

Month of manufacture is mentioned behind the charger.

I paid 6300 on ebay after applying coupon. Mrp was same Rs 7000.

Regards

Manufacturing date is July 2016 in my case. Month of Import is October 2016

Regards,
Shashi

[spookey]

Originally Posted by R2D2

PPPS - @Spookey, I was checking ebay and the only seller seems to be the Bosch Master Distributor. If this is the seller you ordered it from you can rest easy. They sell on Amazon as well and there are no issues with them. All happy customers.

Yes i bought from them only , Actually i first ordered C3 and requested them to cancel the order which they did without an issue so i ordered C7 from them. Sealed open box is okay and so is 12/2015 manufacturing date but not sending an invoice is not. Requested them to send an invoice.
Thank you for confirming you also got the 12/2015 lot, i can rest easy now.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by spookey

Yes i bought from them only. Sealed open box is okay and so is 12/2015 manufacturing date but not sending an invoice is not. Requested them to send an invoice.

When I purchase anything online I normally discard any invoice included in the package.

You can also use the eBay purchase confirmation email as proof of purchase.

So, don't worry.

[shan_ned]

This thread has come at the right time as I am also looking for a good battery charger for my motorcycle. Before finalizing on Bosch C7/C3, did any one of you look at other brands like Battery tender, Yuasa, Optimate, etc., ?

I would be interested to know if someone has measured the battery output voltage when the charger enters the floating/maintenance mode ? I heard that the voltage should actually stay between 14.4 and 14 V in floating mode, but most of the chargers keep the voltage some where around 13.5 volts. The requirement is to keep it above 14V for the actual benefit of the Battery being charged. Most of the chargers claim that they get the voltage close to 14.5V in floating mode, but things are different in reality (as per various reviews).

[anupamsinha]

7 k for a battery charger when the battery itself costs around 70% of the amount!

For the OP it made sense and it does makes sense for high value batteries, but for a normal battery it probably doesn't make much sense.

It would had been great if this device would had been available on rent for a day or two.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by anupamsinha

7 k for a battery charger when the battery itself costs around 70% of the amount!

For the OP it made sense and it does makes sense for high value batteries, but for a normal battery it probably doesn't make much sense.

It would had been great if this device would had been available on rent for a day or two.

I agree.

For majority of the users, the Bosch C3 makes more sense(if they have to own a charger).

I bought it because of three reasons:

1. I love to have these gadgets. It makes me independant. I somehow don't trust the local battery guys, who charge anywhere around 300 bucks for a battery recharge, and end up damaging the battery by overcharging etc.

2. My dad loves to venture out to unexplored places, in cars, whatever catches his fancy at that time(including the 800 or the Gypsy). So it proves as a reliable backup, if anything goes wrong with the charging system of the vehicle.

3. At any given point of time, we have 3 or more cars at our disposal( including the officially alloted ones). 3 or more cars for a family of 3, means one or the other car often has to see long hibernation. So when it has to be revived again, I make it a point to fully charge the battery before cranking the car. So the charger again helps in that case.

I have owned this charger for almost two months now, and it has already saved the day once for us when dad had to leave for some meeting, and his official SX4 had a dead battery. I was somehow able to revive the battery just in time, and once the car started, the alternator did its job in the 6 hour long journey.

So yes, while it's an extravagance for sure, I won't term it as a complete waste of money. The C3 variant will suffice IMO for majority of the users.

Regards,
Shashi

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

For majority of the users, the Bosch C3 makes more sense(if they have to own a charger).

Agreed, provided they have smaller batteries. IMHO if the battery is over 45-50 AH you're better served by the C7.

Oh yeah, if you have a car that uses an AGM battery, those parts get expensive 25-45K depending on model. That's when these chargers pay back very quickly. For the rest payback takes a while.

1. I love to have these gadgets. It makes me independant.

Me too

The 1st charger I ever used was one of those cheap constant voltage chargers my Dad purchased in Oz. You need to keep monitoring the battery otherwise it would get fried!

With the advent of smart chargers I wound up with a decent collection purchased over the last 10 years for each type of battery including large inverter batteries.

There was a time when my family and I depended on the neighbourhood Exide store to charge batteries for us at a nominal charge. But with your own smart charger it's very easy to do this task at home without depending on someone else. And it is this independence that I value the most.

@anupamsinha there are plenty of less expensive options on offer, please check Amazon India. Some Chinese made "charge maintainers" start at Rs 580 and will do in a pinch. But always monitor the charging process and do not keep the charger on for extended periods of time OR get the neighbourhood battery store to charge the battery if/when required.

[sridhu]

I have a quick question: Can either c3 or c7 be used to maintain a not-so-used bike battery? I am essentially looking for a trickle charger.

Thanks.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by sridhu

I have a quick question: Can either c3 or c7 be used to maintain a not-so-used bike battery? I am essentially looking for a trickle charger. Thanks.

If it's a bike battery get the C3. The C7 is mainly for larger car batteries and has a supply mode.

Yes they can maintain a bike/car battery over a long period of time. To start make sure that the battery water is above the plates. You can then top off again after the charge.

However, since you say the battery hasn't been used in a long time it may have sulphated and unable to take a charge.

[Leoshashi]

Originally Posted by R2D2

If it's a bike battery get the C3. The C7 is mainly for larger car batteries and has a supply mode.

+1 to that. C7 for a bike battery is overkill.

Originally Posted by sridhu

I have a quick question: Can either c3 or c7 be used to maintain a not-so-used bike battery? I am essentially looking for a trickle charger.

Thanks.

These are the main differences between C7 and C3 chargers





Regards,
Shashi

[Shai100]

Guys here is a link to video review of the charger. very useful for people with multiple cars / bikes .

https://youtu.be/26VDUMmAslo

[harryputtar]

Originally Posted by Leoshashi

I agree.
2. My dad loves to venture out to unexplored places, in cars, whatever catches his fancy at that time(including the 800 or the Gypsy). So it proves as a reliable backup, if anything goes wrong with the charging system of the vehicle.

Interesting point Shashi, we are in almost the same boat, just that its us, me wifey and 2 little ones. Love to reach out to the wild and spend extended periods of time there.

The battery on our Jetta unfortunately is giving us a lot of grief, giving up on us at all inconvenient times, once on Khadakwasla annoyingly, leading to an hour long wait for RSA to jump start.

So the question I have is, besides being able to charge in the parking, does this also help if it breaks down out in the open? With no one in site, or another car to jump-start the car with?

If thats the case it would be a useful addition, with or without with a new battery. Please confirm.

Also, does it also show the current battery status, to indicate the exact voltage output?

Thanks in advance.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by harryputtar

So the question I have is, besides being able to charge in the parking, does this also help if it breaks down out in the open? With no one in site, or another car to jump-start the car with?

Well, it needs AC mains to work and charge the battery. So if you're in the middle of nowhere then this will not help. Always keep a set of good quality jumper cables with you. Please consult your owners manual for the correct jump start procedure.

If thats the case it would be a useful addition, with or without with a new battery. Please confirm.

It will help you maintain your battery whilst you are within reach of an AC mains socket. I personally believe it's better to buy a charger so you can perform DIY maintenance on the battery instead of relying on a dealer or service station.

Also, does it also show the current battery status, to indicate the exact voltage output?

It uses LEDs to depict the current status of the charge program and does not indicate the Voltage or Amps. This is an automatic microprocessor controlled 'smart' charger that will maintain your car battery at a 100% state of charge on a float voltage even if left powered up and connected indefinitely.

Hope this helps.

BTW this is not the 1st post I am reading about VW replacement batteries failing at higher than normal frequencies. Please check if they are from fresh stock. Batteries that have been on the dealer shelves for >4-6 months (temperature dependent) without a maintenance charge will sulfate and have a shorter life.

[manim]

Originally Posted by androdev

This is a short ownership review of Bosch C7 Battery Charger...

Just ordered the C7 at Amazon.
It was in my wish list for a long time and when I found a lightning deal, went for it!

It is for my very-rarely used Honda Civic AT. I use it at most once a week and that too for very short distances (3 km). Since it is an AT, it cannot be push started in an emergency. So now decided to keep the battery topped up every two days.

Do I have to disconnect the car terminals before I charge or can I connect it as it is? (I don't want my car electrical system to be damaged).

Thanks.