[Al Skierkiewicz]

OK here is the real poop on chargers...
1. Never try to charge two batteries from the same charger. Batteries have this bad habit of supplying current to each other (when connected in parallel) until they discharge and/or short.
2. This years batteries are slightly different from last years (new and improved) but can use last year's charger. First came out with a statement early on, that this year's battery could be charged with any previously supplied FIRST 12 volt charger.
3. Venkatesh, this years charger acts differently than previous ones. The lights on the front panel tell you that it is alternately charging and discharging/testing to determine battery charge condition. Read the manual for a complete explanation. The smell may just be the contaminants from internal components evaporating with heat. If it charges a dead battery in less than four hours it is working.
4. DougHogg, another engineer also found this Battery Minder charger but we both felt that the claims were too far fetched to be real. I am still waiting on a better test, but we chose not to buy one. "If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is."