Skip to content

Battery Chargers

Battery Chargers

Battery Chargers

Voltage & Amperage
Voltage equals the electrical strength of the charger. Understanding voltage is important as it will help determine if a charger will have the power to recharge your vehicle's battery. Be sure to select a device with the same voltage as the battery you intend to charge. Higher than necessary voltage can damage the charger and your battery. Amperage measures the amount of electrical current that flows through the charger during operation and impacts charge time. Higher amperage equals faster charging while lower amperage equals slower charging.

Manual vs. Automatic
Manual chargers need to be monitored during the charging process and detached once the battery is full to avoid overcharging. Overcharging a battery degrades the charge that was just applied. Automatic chargers require less of your attention and will shut themselves off when the battery reaches full.

Weatherproofing
Investing in a weatherproof battery charger can go a long way to extending the life of the device. Many brands and models offer water, dust, and heat protection to keep the charger's interior components operating at peak performance. Weatherproofing also helps ensure the device can be used in inclement conditions.


Automotive Battery Chargers Frequently Asked Questions:

Are automotive battery chargers compatible with all vehicle makes and models, or do they require specific voltage or capacity requirements?

Not all battery chargers can be used with all batteries. First, make sure your battery charger is designed to work with the chemistry type of your battery. If you try to match a battery with the wrong charger, the result might not only be an uncharged battery, but it could also result in a damaged or ruined battery. Look for proper specs on both the battery and the charger to match them properly.

Also, make sure the amps of your charger properly match your battery’s amperage. In general, it is best to pick a charger that should deliver at least a 10% minimum of the battery’s Ah rating, with no more than a maximum of 20% of the battery’s Ah rating to prevent overcharging. For example, a 50Ah battery requires at least a 5 Amp charger, but don’t use a charger any larger than 10 Amps.

Is it safe to leave a vehicle battery connected to a charger for an extended period, or should it be disconnected once fully charged?
Many of the battery chargers available these days feature an automatic shutoff switch which will turn the charger off when the battery is completely charged. Some of the newer smart chargers even feature a gradual shutdown that automatically limits the amount of current flowing through the charger as the batteries charge level increases. But even when there is an automatic shutdown safety in place, it is not recommended to keep a battery connected to a charger for over 24 hours. Most batteries will receive a full charge by charging overnight, so it is safer to remove the battery from the charger after that period to help reduce the risk of overcharging. Be sure to read all operating instructions for the charger before hooking it up to your battery.
Are automotive battery chargers capable of jump starting a dead battery, or do they only work for maintaining and recharging?
Typically, a charger will not draw enough amps while hooked up to a battery to help crank the engine of a vehicle. The charger is designed to deliver a much smaller charge over an extended period of time instead of delivering the instantaneous power needed all at once to immediately power the starter of your motor. Unless the battery charger specifically states in its operating instructions that it can also be used as a jump starter, it is not recommended to try this practice.
Are there any safety features or precautions to consider when using an automotive battery charger?

There are some general safety precautions that should be followed every time you use any automotive battery charger.

  1. 1. Always use the charger in an open space or well-ventilated area. This practice allows any battery gases to dissipate into the air properly.
  2. 2. Never charge a battery near any sparks or open flames.
  3. 3. Always ensure that the charger is not plugged into any electrical outlets while you are connecting or disconnecting the charging cables. The unit should be plugged in AFTER the cables are properly connected when starting the charge, and unplugged BEFORE the cables are removed once the battery is fully charged.

NOTE: Please read the battery charger’s owner’s manual for all other safety precautions before use.

Do automotive battery chargers come with different charging modes for different battery conditions, such as maintenance mode, trickle charge or fast charge?
There are a wide variety of battery charger models available. Some are designed for one specific type of charging—for example only trickle charging or only standard charging, and other models are designed to handle a combination of charging options. The versatility of a multi-mode charger unit is often helpful to get your battery back to full charge from a variety of different states of depletion.