Having the right battery charger on hand can make your life much easier when your car won‘t start. But with so many options available, how do you choose? This comprehensive guide examines six key reasons to own a charger along with providing in-depth product recommendations. We‘ll make sure you get the perfect charger to meet your needs!
Overview of Battery Charger Types
The two main categories are automatic (set-and-forget) and manual (adjustable output). Within those, there are:
Trickle chargers – Designed for slow, steady charging. Best for maintaining infrequently used vehicles.
Standard chargers – Quickly restore depleted batteries to working order. Ideal for revival of dead batteries.
Jump starters – Portable devices that provide a high-power burst to start an engine when a low/dead battery won‘t turn it over. Extremely convenient emergency gear.
Now let‘s examine why having the right battery charger on hand makes life easier and how to choose the perfect model for your specific needs.
1. Maintain Battery Health in Frigid Weather
Let‘s start with a fact – cold KILLS car batteries.
As temperatures drop below 32°F, a car battery loses roughly 1% of its starting power. By 0°F, up to 50% starting capacity can be lost as the lead plates inside stiffen and chemical reactions slow.
Without intervention, your battery simply won‘t have enough juice left on brutally cold days to turn the starter motor and fire up your engine. Nothing is more frustrating than turning the key and hearing click click click as you scramble to get to work on time.
Here in Minnesota where winter lows regularly drop below zero, nearly 56% of vehicle breakdown calls in cold months stem from battery failure according to AAA.
The solution? Keep your battery fully charged with an automatic float or trickle charger anytime temperatures plunge for extended periods.
We recommend the Battery Tender Junior trickle charger. It delivers a steady 0.75A stream that negates self-discharge without risk of overcharging. Set it and forget it – your battery will stay healthy and ready to start even as mercury plummets.
2. Restore Dead Batteries
So what happens if you get caught unprepared by Old Man Winter anyway? Or perhaps forgot to turn off interior lights and returned to a car that won‘t start?
First, don‘t panic! With the right gear, resurrecting a dead car battery is usually straightforward. Just about any quality automatic charger can gently nurse a depleted wet cell, AGM, or gel battery back from the brink.
Our economical mid-range recommendation is the Schumacher SC-1200A – its automatic multi-stage charging safely brings batteries from any state to a full charge. With adjustable amperage to fine tune charge rates, it works across multiple battery types too.
We used this model to revive a motorcycle battery left accidentally drained all winter long. Eight hours later on the medium 7A setting, the battery tested good as new and started the bike right up!
3. Maintain Infrequently Used Vehicles
Trickle chargers really shine keeping batteries healthy in stored classic cars, RVs used only occasionally, and ATVs/powersports equipment off-season. Their low current flow offsets self-discharge without risk of overcharging.
Statistics show lead-acid batteries permanently lose 1%-3% of capacity monthly when sitting idle. But keeping a trickle charger attached prevents deterioration by maintaining a full charge. That lets you store vehicles longer between drives without battery failure surprises.
For set-and-forget battery maintenance during long-term vehicle storage, we suggest the NOCO GENIUS1. This compact, versatile trickle charger is fully automatic, temperature compensated, spark proof, and even charges lithium batteries. One year on a GENIUS1 kept my father‘s Corvette engine turning over perfectly even after sitting parked for 11 months!
4. Charge ALL Your 12V Batteries
While designed for cars, did you know most standard 12V smart chargers work just as well on batteries powering motorcycles, ATVs, marine/RV vehicles, snowmobiles, tractors and other lawn gear?
As long as voltage matches, you can safely apply an automotive battery charger to revive or maintain any depleted wet, gel, or AGM 12V lead-acid battery.
With adjustable amperage control, the Schumacher SC-1200A makes an ideal all-purpose charger compatible across vehicle types – charge rate customization prevents damage when charging smaller batteries. Last autumn, we used it to recharge the battery on my mulching lawn mower after discovering it drained over summer. Worked like a charm!
5. Jump Start Your Vehicle
Jumper cables are decent for jump starting in a pinch when another running vehicle is available to provide current. But for frequent lone charging needs, we recommend keeping an compact emergency jump starter like the NOCO GB40 handy.
These portable lithium-powered dynamos deliver very high discharge current sufficient for restarting gas engines up to 6 liters and most diesel engines. Spark proof and reverse polarity protected, they‘re extremely safe for vehicle owners of all experience levels.
After a mishap leaving cabin lights on drained my truck battery miles from nowhere late one night, the GB40 quickly revived the V8 engine from total shutoff to running status. We strongly recommend every vehicle carry one for peace of mind against battery failure far from help.
6. Recharge Marine & Deep Cycle Batteries
Special deep cycle batteries found in boats, RVs, golf carts, and similar vehicles are designed for extensive shallow vs. full discharging. Their thick lead plates handle repeated recharging well IF slowly trickle charged.
Trying to rapidly bulk charge a marine or golf cart battery shortens its lifespan. That‘s why we strongly recommend using a low amperage trickle charger specifically designed for flooded lead-acid deep cycle batteries.
The Minn Kota MKBTC Battery Conditioner attaches securely via brackets and provides an ideal float lifetime maintenance charge. It keeps our trolling motor battery perpetually ready for lake fishing trips with no remembering needed! This set-and-forget charger pays for itself in battery replacement savings.
Hopefully it‘s clear reliable battery chargers serve vital roles delivering critical power in various situations. Here‘s a condensed list of our top recommendations:
Trickle Chargers
Maintain proper charge during vehicle storage without overcharging.
| Model | Key Specs | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Tender Junior | 0.75A, fully automatic | $ | ★★★★☆ |
| NOCO GENIUS1 | 1A, compact, temp compensated | $$ | ★★★★★ |
Standard 12V Chargers
Revive dead batteries and power 12V equipment.
| Model | Key Specs | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schumacher SC-1200A | 6/12V, 2/10/15A rating | $$ | ★★★★☆ |
Lithium Jump Starters
High power to jump start dead vehicle batteries.
| Model | Key Specs | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOCO GB40 | 1000A output | $$$ | ★★★★★ |
We hope this guide has showcased exactly why having the right car battery charger on hand solves problems getting vehicles with depleted batteries running again.
Chargers extend battery life, minimize deterioration during storage, and deliver vital emergency power to stranded vehicles. And specialized models meet needs from steady trickle charging to high current jump starts.
Investing in one suitable to your regional weather and driving habits prevents troubles down the road. Please drop us a line with any lingering questions!
