Tool Review: Clore SOLAR Pro-Logix PL2320 battery charger

April 6, 2012

Small yet powerful, versatile battery charger works well for tool reviewer Lou Fort.

The SOLAR Pro-Logix PL2320 20/10/2 Amp 6V/12V battery charger, from Clore Automotive, combines fully automatic operation and the ability to properly charge multiple battery types. The Pro-Logix PL2320 utilizes advanced microprocessor-controlled logic to precisely deliver a fully automatic charging routine designed to optimally charge and maintain each battery serviced. The Pro-Logix PL2320 adapts its approach based on the needs of each battery it services. Such adaptations can include activating a soft start mode on deeply discharged batteries, a battery repair mode on older/distressed batteries and temperature compensation when charging in extreme temperatures.

The review

"The small profile, easy hook up, portability of this charger made a normally mundane task effortless," says Lou Fort, lead technician at K.A.R.S. Inc. in Huntingburg, IN.

He explained there were four easy steps to using the Pro-Logix battey charger, for a relatively 'automatic' process:

Set the proper voltage for the battery being charged
Select the correct battery type (gel AGM or standard)
Select the rate of charge: 2 amp, 10 amp or a 20 amp rate.
Push the 'charge' button.

Lou advised there were some unrequired easy extra steps, if users wanted to get more information from the battery as well. "If your curiosity wants to know what the current percentage of charge and voltage are before you start the charge, (push) a button one or two times."

And once the charge was complete? "The units display lamps make it easy to see if the charge is complete from at least 6 bays away," says Lou.

Lou also found the automatic polarity check feature handy. "There is a ‘Polarity’ check done automatically with a lamp to alert you if it’s wrong," explains Lou. "Have you ever seen a battery that was reversed charged? I have and can tell you if you aren’t aware of it when attempting a recharge the outcome is scary dangerous."

And, he liked the automatic 'fault' testing found on the PL2320. The testing provides "a light to alert you to a problem, which is not commonly found on a charger."

Other features Lou appreciated were the options to choose the rate of battery charge, "allowing me to select from either the 20-, 10- or 2-amp rate," says Lou. "And knowing if I want to go with a fast (20 amp) charge that the charger will not overcharge the battery should I become distracted or forget it was being charged."

As far as room for improvement, Lou thought of a few extra features. "I would love to be able to use (the PL2320) for a ‘programming’ power source. It would be nice to change or lock the voltage output to a constant, say like 3, 5-volt and 6, 9-volt," says Lou. "With a set of 'banana plug' jacks, it would make a dynamite bench testing power source."

About the Author

Erica Schueller | Editorial Director | Commercial Vehicle Group

Erica Schueller is the Editorial Director of the Endeavor Commercial Vehicle Group. The commercial vehicle group includes the following brands: American Trucker, Bulk Transporter, Fleet Maintenance, FleetOwner, Refrigerated Transporter, and Trailer/Body Builders brands.

An award-winning journalist, Schueller has reported and written about the vehicle maintenance and repair industry her entire career. She has received accolades for her reporting and editing in the commercial and automotive vehicle fields by the Truck Writers of North America (TWNA), the International Automotive Media Competition (IAMC), the Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards and the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) Azbee Awards.

Schueller has received recognition among her publishing industry peers as a recipient of the 2014 Folio Top Women in Media Rising Stars award, acknowledging her accomplishments of digital content management and assistance with improving the print and digital products in the Vehicle Repair Group. She was also named one Women in Trucking’s 2018 Top Women in Transportation to Watch.

She is an active member of a number of industry groups, including the American Trucking Associations' (ATA) Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC), the Auto Care Association's Young Auto Care Networking Group, GenNext, and Women in Trucking.

In December 2018, Schueller graduated at the top of her class from the Waukesha County Technical College's 10-week professional truck driving program, earning her Class A commercial driver's license (CDL).

She has worked in the vehicle repair and maintenance industry since 2008.