Finding the right charger for your batteries is more than just finding plugs. You have to take care of certain details and consider different options in order to find the correct ones. Yes, I know that sounds easy but it’s not.
But trust me, these small steps will help you avoid the damage you will be doing to your vehicles and your money. That is why here are 4 tips to choose the right batteries and battery charger.
- Identify the battery type
The first step for determining the right charger according to battery size is by understanding the battery type. These details are usually present at the top or side of the battery. Most standard batteries are lead-acid calcium or lead-acid.
So, make sure you check those. One charger will be just fine if your battery is maintenance-free, wet cell(flooded), AGM(absorbed glass mat), or VRLA(valve regulated lead acid). But if you have a gel battery, then you need to purchase gel chargers as it is not compatible with the other one.
- Identify the size of the battery
Size is another important factor while determining the right charger and no I am not talking about the physical size. I am talking about the ratio between charging capacity and the batteries needed to be charged.
For example, a typical full-size auto battery is about 50amp hours so, you should go for a 10 amp charger. It will get the batteries recharged again in a maximum of 6 hours if they are completely dead.
Another example would be 100 amp marine deep cycle batteries. It would take around 11 hours to get them completely recharged in case they are dead. If you want your batteries to get charged quicker then go for a charger with more amps.
To know how much time your battery will need to get charged, all you need to do is take the amp hour rating of the battery and divide by-charger rating(amps) and then add 10% for the extra time it needs to top the battery off.
This calculation will give you an appropriate idea about the batteries you should go for.
- What do you need the charger for?
Most people require chargers for their motorcycles and electric cars. If you are one of them, then first ask yourself why you need the charger for it? Do you want them for maintenance or a quick recharge every time you take your vehicle outside?
If you use your vehicle once or twice a month, then you would require chargers for maintenance./ for this, Oz charge batteries would work just fine. But for cases that need quick recharges, a fast and powerful charger should be the one you should go for.
- Selecting a charger size
Your battery charger should be a minimum of 10% of the Ah rating of the battery.
To make this simple for you, let’s go through this with an example,
A 100Ah battery needs a 10-amp charger minimum. If you want to prevent overcharging, you should keep the charger size to within 20% of the total capacity.
Also, keep in mind that most Oz battery chargers have selectable current outputs. This will reduce the output current to a safe rating and allow you to use a larger charger on a small battery.
Over to you…
Now that you have understood what are the correct tips to choose the right charger according to batteries, go take a look at your battery specifications and then make a decision. Just by taking care of the small details, you will be able to find the right charger for your application.
Good luck!