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Than I expected...

My standing charge (checked with three different meters) is usually 11.8v after a good run or charging overnight (removing the surface voltage first). With help from members here and looking into things i see that this is usually as a result of leaving the battery in a low charge state (pandemic inspired probably) I have had this car only 4 months so i don't know the history of the previous user.. (although 19,000 miles is not a piddling amount but still don't know the 'no use' times)

I read of chargers that can recondition (certain) batteries.. - desulpherisation?. I started looking around for a better charger .. not realising till I saw a YT review of my own (Ultimate Speed 5amp) where it showed the side of the box and low and behold the charger is not simple at all.. 7 modes detected by the processor... including reconditioning!

From other reviews reconditioning mode can take more than 48 hours.. I have never left it on the car as I viewed the charger as a simple 'blast 5 amps' into the battery, type. I fitted a quick release connector to the charger and left it on for 36 hours.. And now the standing voltage has improved to 12v steady.

I'll try it with being left in maintenance as i sometimes don't use the car for days at time. From a single experience i have learned that even the so called cheap end chargers are smarter than the old style.

Teach me to read the manual...

update after two days charging..

Standing Voltage is 12.2 after a putting the headlights of for a time.. Its never done that before!

I'm going to leaving it 'reconditioning' a few more days and see where it can get to.. Some sites say 12.4 -12.6v after surface charge removed is a good battery.

We'll see.. no complaints so far and not had to buy anything apart from the quick disconnect fittings I put on the ends of charger leads.

I bought one of these a good few years ago for around £18, which I use to recharge two old 12V 7.5AH house alarm batteries used to power my water fountain lights. I have also recharged several neighbours car batteries but would never claim to have resurrected any battery from the dead.
It is a Ultimate Speed ULGD 3.8 A1, (3.8 amp charger) with a inbuilt voltmeter, it gets any battery up to 14.3V and then keeps a trickle charge to maintain a constant 12.8V. Like yours, the batteries have a terminal voltage of 12.4/12.6V after recharge.
Overall, IMO, a excellent charger as you probably cannot overcharge a battery with its smart features.

Wow.. That's great!

Same charger except another 1.2 amps - Apparently, you don't need many amps to maintain a battery..

I just didn't know that leaving a battery in a lower state didn't do it any good! I replaced the batteries in my old Polo in shorter times than i expected (good brands too and mistakenly moaned about them) but looking back I was not using the car for days at a time sometimes. Now I know I was needlessly abusing them. I did charge them up occasionally and moslty with a decades old 4 amp charger with no smartness built in at all

Even after purchasing this charger I was not using it correctly.. just for boosting overnight. I was not aware it was a smart charger

I'm not predicting anything from my three day experience but it is better than expected and I'll see what becomes of it.