The Best Car Battery Chargers On The Market – Full 2020 Buyer’s Guide With Tips & Reviews https://t.co/z71Y6hQhRt
— Auto Clean Freak (@autocleanfreak) April 24, 2020
One of the most common symptoms of a car battery that has run its course is that it depletes really fast when not used daily. Even newer batteries often go flat when left sitting for a few weeks. That has the potential to leave you parked somewhere with a dead battery which will require a jump start and a full charge after that. Luckily, most of the best car battery chargers today come with a built-in jump starter mode, as well as a battery maintainer mode. In other words, look for the all-in-one models that will make sure your battery stays healthy throughout its life cycle.
In this buyer’s guide, I will show you the top models for this year and then we will go through the features that define a good car battery charger. Later on, we will also dedicate a whole section to properly charging your car’s battery and the steps you need to take during the process. now, without further ado, let’s jump straight into it!
| Product | Amps | Voltage | Compatibility | Jump Starter | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schumacher SC1308 Battery Charger  Shop On Amazon! |
2/6/30/100 | 6/12 | SLA (Standard) AGM |
Yes | |
Clore Automotive PL2320 Charger  Shop On Amazon! |
2/10/20 | 6/12 | AGM Gel STD |
No | |
Schumacher SC1309 Battery Charger  Shop On Amazon! |
40/200 | 6/12 | SLA (Standard) AGM Marine |
Yes | |
NOCO GENIUS5 Fully-Automatic Charger  Shop On Amazon! |
5 | 6/12 | Flooded Gel AGM Marine Deep-cycle Lithium-ion |
No | |
Jethax 12V 4A Smart Car Battery Charger  Shop On Amazon! |
4 | 12 | SLA (Standard) AGM Gel VRLA Deep-cycle |
No | |
Battery Tender Plus Battery Charger  Shop On Amazon! |
1.25 | 12 | SLA (Standard) AGM Gel |
No |
Our Rating:
The Schumacher brand has been dominating the battery chargers and maintainers market for quite some time now. Their SC1308 Fully-automatic battery charger is one of the current best models due to its wide range of functions and compatibility.
The charger works at both 6 and 12 Volts, allowing it to widen its battery range. The voltage is automatically detected making it easier for your to work with multiple batteries without worrying that you will damage them. In terms of safety, it also has a reverse hook-up protection that keeps both the battery and the charger safe. The charger can also double (or triple) as a battery maintainer and a jump starter. For its battery maintainer mode, it works between 2 and 6 amps depending on your battery’s needs. Regarding maintaining your battery’s health, it also has a microprocessor that takes care of the charger’s “Float mode” which allows the battery to safely stay at 100% without deteriorating its long-term life and quality. The SC1308 also has a 30-Amp mode that is used to quick-charge Standard and AGM batteries. Lastly, the crank mode uses a 100 Amp current. While this is enough for most smaller engines, bigger diesel and petrol engines won’t crank up with that low Amperage.
There are some small additional features that fill up the image of practicality. For instance, the built-in cord storage isn’t something you necessarily need but is really convenient to have, especially if you move the charger from place to place a lot.
Our Rating:
The Clore Automotive PL2320 battery charger is a compact model that is quite diverse in its features and presents a good value for the money deal if you’re looking for solid charger/maintainer combo. It works with 6 and 12 Volt AGM, Gel, and STD batteries and can charge them at either 2, 10, or 20 Amps. The 10 and 20 Amp modes are primarily used for quickly topping up your battery, while the 2-Amp mode is geared towards maintaining bigger batteries or slow-charging a smaller battery. All the charging and maintaining here is fully-automatic, meaning it has an integrated “Float mode” and a multi-phase charging process.
The interface at the front of the charger is very user-friendly. On the left, you have your battery-types and Amperage options. There, you can toggle between 6 and 12 Volts, the type of battery you’re charging, and the Amperage you want to select for the process. In the middle, there is a big easy-to-read display that shows you either the percentage of charging or the current Voltage. Below that is the start/stop button. On the right, you have your “Status center” which has 2 big lights for the charging progress and two smaller ones for the reverse-polarity protection and potential safety issues or errors.
A little pet peeve of mine with this charger is that it isn’t officially compatible with some sealed lead-acid batteries. It also isn’t very easy to hold and carry around if you’re moving it constantly. Also, at that price range, some chargers have jump-starting features, while the PL2320 doesn’t.
Our Rating:
Having another Schumacher entry in this top-6 list is a statement of their brand quality and diversity. While the brand’s flagship SC1308 is potent and highly portable, there is an even bigger and more widely compatible version. That is the Schumacher SC1309 Wheeled battery charger. As the name suggests, the standout difference is that this charger is bigger and therefore in a different form-factor. It is also much more powerful with a 200-Amp jump-starter boost and a 40-Amp charging. There is also a 2-6 Amp maintaining mode that helps to keep your batteries topped up during their off-season.
As with every Schumacher battery charger, there is a microprocessor on the inside which controls the multiple-phase charging as well as the Float mode for battery maintaining. Unlike other products of the company’s line up, however, the SC1309 has a more sophisticated control panel that has buttons and indicators for every single function of the model. While that might complicate its user-experience a bit, it makes it a wonderful widely-compatible tool for larger garages. The clamps with which it comes are also bigger mainly having trucks and SUVs in mind.
In terms of safety features, there is reverse-polarity protection which is standard to the company’s chargers. There are also battery and alternator test options which can tell you their health status and battery levels. These modes also help you diagnose potential issues along the electrical system of the vehicle. As potential downsides, I can only point out that the price isn’t ideal for people with smaller vehicles and/or small garages. While this is a highly capable charger/maintainer, there are cheaper models that can do just fine with your car’s battery if you aren’t driving a large truck or SUV.
Our Rating:
Ever since NOCO products appeared on the market, they’ve quickly covered the top spots in any list regarding portable battery chargers and jump starters. The NOCO Genius5 is one of their bigger most potent products that is capable of charging a wide variety of batteries.
One of the standout Genius5’s features is its form-factor. This is by far the smaller and most powerful battery charger that you can find out there. While it is a little expensive compared to other similarly sized chargers and maintainers, it is worth the investment. It works with both 6 and 12-Volt batteries and it can detect the battery’s voltage even if it is as low as 1 Volt. If the battery is or drops below 1 Volt, the Genius5 will automatically begin charging them. Its wide range of batteries it works with consists of Flooded, AGM, Gel, Marine, and Deep-cycle batteries. In terms of its Amperage, it charges at a fixed rate of 5-Amps. While there is a Float mode to keep your battery topped up, it will struggle with fully charging a dead battery from 0 to 100% if it is a large SUV/truck type battery and will take more time on average than other chargers that operate at 20-30 Amps.
One other unique feature of the Genius5 is that it has a Thermal Compensation mode which works according to the ambient temperature of your garage. If it gets above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, it will prevent over-charging your battery, while if the temperatures drop below -4 degrees, it will avoid under-charging it. That is great for the long-term health and performance of any vehicle battery. It also comes with a battery desulfator, acid stratification detection, and auto-repair modes that add more on top of its list of unique traits.
As I previously pointed out, while the Genius5 is quite powerful for such a small device, it is also quite expensive when compared directly to other small chargers. It also is relatively week (5-Amps) when it comes to charging bigger SUV and truck batteries fast. It will charge them alright but at a slower pace than a 30-Amp charger, for example.
Our Rating:
The Jethax Smart Car Battery Charger is one of my favorite budget products right now. It is versatile, and most importantly – it can charge, repair, and maintain a wide variety of batteries.
The charger works at 4 Amps and 12 Volts and is compatible with all sorts of batteries such as AGM, Gel, VRLA, Deep-cycle, Marine, and SLA. One of its limitations, however, is that it can handle lead-acid batteries only in the 4-100 Ah range. If you have a truck or an SUV, chances are that your battery will be bigger and therefore this charger will only be able to maintain it at a certain spot or charge it at a very slow pace over the course of a few days. When charging, the Jethax utilizes 4 different modes – initialization mode, bulk charge, absorption mode, and a Float mode to keep things steady at the end of the charging cycle and maintain the battery’s longevity.
While it isn’t typically expected at that price point, the alligator clips and ring terminals are of decent quality, and so is the body of the charger. It also has reverse-polarity protection, as well as protection against overcharging, discharging, over-current, sparks, short-circuiting, and even overheating. As one of its biggest disadvantages, I should point out that it only works with 12 Volt batteries but that is also fairly typical for this budget class chargers.
Our Rating:
Last on this list is the Battery Tender Plus Battery Charger. It is one of the most commonly used chargers out there due to its affordability, good quality, compatibility, and ease of use. it is by no means a potent charger and it will definitely not charge your battery as fast as you’d want to so treat it more like a battery maintainer or trickle charger at best. Still, people with smaller vehicles and batteries tend to love the consistent and low current this charger provides.
There is an ongoing debate on whether slow-charging is better than fast-charging, especially when it comes to car batteries. While I won’t take sides, I would just say that if you have the time to spare, slow-charging seems more logical, as it will gradually turn into maintaining and float-charging the battery, ultimately increasing its performance once you start using it in your vehicle. The 1.25-Amp, 12-Volt charging works with Standard SLA batteries as well as AGM and Gel types.
As with most other chargers, you get reverse-polarity protection here. When the charger detects a faulty connection, its red and green lights will flash alternately to let you know about the issue. As I previously mentioned, my main problem with this charger is that is simply doesn’t cut it when it comes to fully charging batteries. Also, there isn’t a 6 Volt mode for 6V batteries. Which narrows its range a bit.
Batteries are an essential component of your vehicle. However, people often disregard them and rarely think about their health and long-term performance. That is one of the main reasons most people have batteries that deteriorate faster than normal and can often leave them stranded on the road or in the best-case scenario, put an unnecessary amount of strain on their vehicle’s alternator.
Before we get into the do’s and don’ts of charging your car’s battery, let’s discuss some of the most important features that you should consider when cross-shopping different car battery chargers…
A good battery charger should be widely compatible and also potent enough to cover your battery’s energy needs. Good all-rounder models perform well in all of those categories:
The capacity of a battery is mainly determined by its Amperage. The amps at which it works also determine, to an extent, how compatible is going to be. Low-amperage chargers aren’t strong enough to charge up big SUV and truck batteries, while higher Amp models can charge both big and small ones. The voltage also determines a battery’s compatibility. While most chargers work at both 6 and 12 Volts, others only work at 12, making them less desirable by people that have both types of batteries. Some models like the NOCO Genius5 can detect voltage drops and even charge up batteries from 0 Volts.
The charging capacity can be also supplemented by various charging modes that perfect the process by implementing precise calculations. The most common mode used by almost all chargers and battery maintainers is the Float mode which keeps your battery at 100% by charging it up every time it dips under a certain threshold.
The practicality of a battery is determined by its design, accessories, and how easy it is to move around. Things like indicators and a detailed control panel also help with the ease of use.
While control panels are often overlooked by people thinking they only need a button or two, they are essential to the functionality of the device. A detailed control panel can give you various types of information such as the detected voltage, the amperage used for charging, the charging level, the typ eof battery the charger detected, and the stage of charging. It can also give you control on whether you want to quickly charge up the battery or jsut trickle charge it and keep it at 100% for the winter, depending on the charger type.
The design of the battery charger shouldn’t be your first consideration but it definetely is important if you move around a lot and you need the charger by your side. A solid build quality paired with a top handle or a design that is portable is a must-have combination for any technician that needs the charger by his side when he’s on the road fixing dead batteries or faulty alternators. A good feature to have in that situation would be a jump starter with high cranking Amps.
The build quality of the charger also translates to its accessories with the clips being the prime example of that. Well-build charger with poorly build clips is a bad combination. If that is your case, I suggest investing a little more in a solid pair of alligator clips that will ensure proper flow of the electrical current without disruptions or sparks.
Speaking of sparks…
There are numerous safety features that a car battery charger should have. Some of the most important ones are:
Along with those safety features, there can be a thermal compensation mode which will work in according to the ambient temperature by controlling the electricity flow towards and from the battery.
I touched on that briefly a few moments ago but it is important to mention it again. While most trickle chargers are made for garage use, real battery chargers are often bigger and require a bit more practical approach to their design. A top handle is often the best way for manufacturers to tackle the bulky size of their chargers. Wheeled models aren’t rare either. Wall-mounting your charger is a good idea but if you want to bring your charger in case your battery or alternator die on the road, then you need it to be portable and in a practical form-factor.
There are a lot of additional features that you might want to get on your car battery charger. But are they all worth it? Well, depending on your budget it might not always be the best idea to get all the bells and whistles and the highest-end models since they are oftentimes uselessly packed with otherwise unnecessary features. That is especially true if garage use is the only thing you will expect from your charger. Nevertheless, one of the most desirable features of a charger is its jump-starting capability. While some models have 1000 cranking amps, typically anything more than 200 is good enough to start most bigger diesel and petrol engines. Models with less than that will struggle with the big engines but will successfully manage to start a smaller boat or motorcycle engine.
Other extra features include various internal components such as a charging microprocessor that handles complex tasks such as coordinating float mode or other types of charging phases. Handles, wheels, extra cables, and other accessories are also a plus unless they bulk up the price out of proportion.
There is a common belief that car batteries should only charge on their on from the car’s alternator when you’re driving the car. That, despite being partially true, isn’t ideal for your battery’s life and long-term performance. Fully charging and then trickle charging your battery a few times per year is one of the best things you can do for it. Not only will that increase its performance but it will prolong its service life greatly. Typically, a modern car battery starts fading around its 5th year if treated poorly. If you treat your battery well and charge it up nicely it can last up to 10 years or even longer. This is especially true if you’re using it for short-distance runs most of the time.
If you don’t have a charger, the best way to keep your battery in a good shape is to do a longer run at least once per week.
Before I give you the steps on how to charge your car’s battery, you must make sure that you read the user manual of the charger carefully. Typically, all the necessary instructions will be laid out there but I will be giving you the universal steps which are more or less identical across all models:
When thinking about charge times the primary two attributes to take into account are engine size and amperage. Engine size directly correlates to the battery size needed to power it so it is more or less the same thing. The Amps are related to the speed with which the charger will charge a specific battery. The more Amps the charger has, the faster it will charge. We can divide vehicles and their batteries into the following groups:
Of course, if you decide that you don’t need to charge you battery quickly, you can always opt for a very low-Amp charger such as an 1.25-Amp one. Those might take a day or two to fully charge a large battery but some mechanics argue that this is healthier for the battery and increases its life expectancy. Most people prefer getting a charger with both trickle-charging and fast-charging options so they can choose between both depending on their need and their time-frame.
Car batteries are essential to almost all of the car’s components. Once the battery gives the engine its spark of life, the electrical side of things is taken over by the alternator. Still, without a good battery, our car can struggle to crank its engine and even start. There are different stages of a dying battery, though, and luckily there are a lot of symptoms that can point us to the cause of the issue and give us a hint at what we should be doing next…
There are a few things that every car turns on before you get to the ignition stage. Those are the dom lights once you open the doors, the door chime when you insert the key in the ignition, the radio turning on before you startup, and so on. A nearly dead battery will immediately present itself by making all those features of the car appear weak and malfunctioning. The dom lights, for instance, will appear dimmer than usual if the battery is on its way out.
A slow engine crank can also be pointing to a nearly dead battery but that can also be caused by an array of other reasons.
You remember all those things we just mentioned about your car? Well, none of those will be happening if you’re dealing with a dead battery. Even your car’s alarm system can be turned completely off if your battery has no more juice left in it. The dom lights and any other electrically-powered interior feature won’t turn on upon your entry. This is a clear sign that something is really wrong with the battery. When you insert your key in the ignition and turn it, nothing will happen. Typically, a blown main fuse can cause all these issues or even a corroded battery connector. Turning on your headlights and them not working is typically a clear tell that any of those things is true.
Hearing your engine is one of the best ways to diagnose a dead or nearly-dead battery. If you turn the key in the ignition and nothing happens, then the most probable cause is a dead battery or a faulty starter motor. If you can hear everything preparing to crank the engine but the engine refuses to crank, a dead battery is unlikely.
Sometimes we can hear our engines barely wanting to crank up. While that can be due to a variety of reasons such as old spark plugs, old starter system, and so on, a common cause would be nearly dead battery that is on its death bed. The most proactive action in that scenario would be to slowly charge the battery up to 100% and leave it to trickle charge for a few more days (if possible). Fast-charging isn’t advisable in these occasions. You can charge your battery fast only if the battery is new and healthy and hasn’t been fully depleted prior to that.
You simply find where the battery is located in your car, remove the car’s connectors (a positive red one and a negative black one) and connect the alligator clips to the battery’s terminals. Make sure you connect them the opposite way of the disconnecting order. First the red one to the positive terminal and then the black one to the negative terminal of the battery.
How long you charge your car’s battery depends on the charging speed and the desired effect. Deep-cycle batteries need, on the average, longer charging times, while traditional AGM or other lead-acid batteries can be charged within 4-6 hours with a powerful enough charger. If you want to trickle charge your battery that would usually take more than a day but will ultimately increase the battery’s performance and longevity.
How fast a charger charges your battery depends on the charger’s current and your battery’s volume. A 100Ah battery can be typically charger well-within 6 hours if the charger works at 20-30 Amps. A low-amperage charger (2-10 Amps) will take longer to charge your battery even if it is a 30Ah one.
No, you need to first disconnect the battery from the vehicle and then connect your charger to it. Otherwise, you risk damaging the car’s installation, the battery, and your charger.
While solar battery chargers are effective for smaller lithium-ion batteries they are almost useless when it comes to big lead-acid batteries.
Finding the best car battery chargers is going to take a little prior research. Knowing the Amps at which a charger works, as well as its compatibility with different battery types, is typically enough for you to be able to filter out the better models. Don’t forget to take a look at the safety features of the models you’ve set your eyes on and make sure that it is well within your budget. If you are still struggling with your choice, I recommend going with one of our hand-picked models based on your car’s specifications and battery needs.
The Best Trickle Chargers For Cars And Motorcycles – 2020 Buyer’s Guide With Reviews https://t.co/7Zpk5Z0ReO
— Auto Clean Freak (@autocleanfreak) April 21, 2020
Whether you are a car enthusiast or not you know that the list of tools your cars need is often endless, especially if you take care of it yourself. One surprisingly affordable yet crucial gadget that every garage needs is a trickle charger. These devices prevent your battery from fully depleting and effectively shortening its lifespan. That is done through a continuous flow of low-amperage charge flow to the battery that matches its self-discharge rate. Browsing through the best trickle chargers can be tricky, however, as most modern models are very similar in terms of their features and performance.
In this guide, we will set the standard for what a good trickle charger should be able to do and give you a few extra tips on how to use one. Below are some of the top models for 2020 with their strongest (and weakest) features…
| Product | Type | Amps | Volts | IP Rating | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLACK+DECKER BM3B  Shop On Amazon! |
Semi-Automatic | 1.5 | 6/12 | No | |
NOCO Genius G750  Shop On Amazon! |
Automatic | 0.75 | 6/12 | IP64 | |
Schumacher SC1300  Shop On Amazon! |
Automatic | 1.5 | 6/12 | No | |
CTEK (40-206) MXS  Shop On Amazon! |
Automatic | 4.3 | 12 | Shock and Dustproof |
|
BikeMaster Battery Charger  Shop On Amazon! |
Automatic | 2 | 12 | No | |
BLACK+DECKER BC2WBD  Shop On Amazon! |
Automatic | 2 | 12 | IP67 |
Our Rating:
The Black+Decker BM3B is one of the best trickle chargers out there for one good reason – it is a great all-rounder. Even with its budget price tag, it easily outperforms other more expensive models. The charger comes in a compact shockproof shell that is very practical and convenient.
It works semi-automatically, meaning you have to select whether the output is 6 or 12 Volts, according to your battery type. Then, it will charge it with its 1.5Amp outgoing current. It works with AGM, Wet, and Gel batteries. I a sense, this is more of a battery maintainer since it will cut off once the battery reaches 100%. When the battery drops below a certain percentage, it will kick back in and re-charge it back to the top again. That “float mode” is what makes it a desirable budget charger suitable for any garage and most battery sizes.
It comes with a mounting bracket on the back, as well as an extension cord and two clamps for the terminals. One downside is that it isn’t waterproof, especially since the other models from Black+Decker’s line of chargers are. Unlike some other models it also isn’t quite suitable for charging a battery, so if your battery is too low, it will take quite some time before it tops it off.
Our Rating:
NOCO has been the go-to brand for portable jumpstarters, car batteries, and trickle chargers for the past decade. Nowadays, they are still one of the premium brands in this category. The NOCO Genius G750 is a compact battery maintainer that uses a super weak current to keep your battery fully charger throughout its offseason. Whether you have an RV, truck, motorcycle, lawnmower, car, or anything else that you aren’t using for the full 12 months of the year, this is the best way to keep it in shape.
The G750 has an output of both 12 and 6 Volts making it quite universal when it comes to battery types. It works on a “thin” current of 0.75 Amps. While that is ideal to keep smaller batteries at 100%, it won’t be good enough to charge bigger ones if they are depleted. If you own a big truck that has an equally big battery to power it, you will need a stronger current to keep it fully charged. Still, the weaker the current the better for the battery’s long-term health, and that is why some brands double-down on 0.75 Amp trickle chargers. It can fully charge batteries only up to 30 Ah in less than a day. Anything above 30Ah, the G750 will only maintain.
Despite its slightly steep price tag, the NOCO Genius G750 comes with a plethora of accessories and is backed by a full 5-year warranty. In the package, you are getting a 12V Male plug, SAE Adapter, XL Eyelets, a 10ft Extension, and two clamps. This trickle charger is also one of the few in the class backed by an official IP rating, making it dustproof and splashproof.
Our Rating:
The Schumacher SC1300 Automatic battery maintainer has been a user-favorite for quite some time now. Even today, it still is competitive and arguably better than most other maintainers out there. It is relatively cheap, well-built, and very flexible when it comes to powering different types of batteries.
The output here is at 1.5 Amps which is almost at charging territory. This means that while it can trickle charge batteries of all types and sizes, it can also charge up smaller batteries (up to 30Ah) relatively fast. It works for both 6 and 12V batteries. The impressive part of this battery maintainer is that it has a smart processor on the inside. That processor is responsible for its automatic charging functions. There is a multi-stage charging here which adds precision to your charging levels and can control the flow that goes to the battery based on the battery status. The fully-automated system also detects the voltage of your battery and switches it accordingly.
In terms of safety, there is a reverse hook-up protection which prevents any damage in case you hook up the clamps in reverse order. The downside here is that you don’t get clamps and the charger isn’t easily mountable to your wall unless you use double-sided adhesive.
The CTEK 40-206 MXS 5.0 Battery Charger is one of the more expensive models out there. While it is a little pricey, it more than makes up for that with its 4.3 Amp outgoing current. That makes it ideal for both maintaining large batteries (up to 160Ah) and charging rarely large ones (up to 110Ah). Most other compact maintainers cannot handle batteries bigger than 30-40Ah, but this one can easily trickle charge most truck batteries out there.
To top that, this particular bundle comes with a ton of accessories. In the package, you are getting 2 chargers, 4 indicator accessories, 2 12V car-plugs, and 2 extension cables. Basically, if you are taking care of more than one vehicle during their off-seasons, this bundle is the best deal out there. The MXS 5.0 is also one of the more durable chargers out there since it is dust and shockproof. It also has spark-proof and reserve-polarity protections making is super safe to use. Lastly, the charger is fully automatic, meaning it can double as a maintainer shutting off every time it detects that the battery is at 100%.
One of the biggest downsides of this potent charger, however, is that it cannot charge 6V batteries. As a whole, this charger is one feature away from being the go-to universal trickle charger even despite its price.
The BikeMaster Battery Charger isn’t the most powerful on this list but it is good at its intended job – trickle charging smaller batteries. If you have a motorcycle that you winterize or any other small vehicle or tool that uses a smaller lithium-ion battery, this is one of the best and most practical choices for you.
The charger itself is good enough for batteries up to 60Ah in terms of charging but it can handle trickle charging much bigger batteries up to 120Ah. It works at 2 Amps and 12 Volts giving it a decent amount of range, although it won’t be any good for 6 Volt batteries. While the construction isn’t water or dustproof, there is a circuit-protection guard adding to the safety of the charger.
The major downside, as the name suggests, is that this works on Lithium-ion batteries. While it is good that it is targeted at a specific group of batteries, there are cheaper models out there that are much universal. One example of that is the much cheaper Black+Decker BM3B. Still, the BikeMaster charger comes with an extension cord and two decent clamps. It also has wall-attachment ears mounted to its body frame, making it easier to put on the wall in your garage.
Our Rating:
Having the first and last position to a Black+Decker product just proves that a company can make both the best and the not-so-good products out there. The fully-automatic Black+Decker BC2BDW is a robust charger that works at 2 amps and 12V. It is capable of powering up most of the batteries out there and can do it relatively fast. It works with AGM, Wet, and Gel batteries and can charge ones that are up to 30-40Ah relatively quick. For anything bigger, however, it will only act as a trickle charger.
On the downside, this charger won’t work with 6 Volt batteries and also won’t be good enough to charge larger batteries, as it will only be able to trickle charge them. Still, it has the usual Black+Decker safety features such as an official IP rating, a reverse-polarity protection mechanism, and is ETL/CEC Compliant. Also, while the material quality is generally good all-around, the clamps aren’t as rigid as the rest of the charger. Some users report the waterproofing not being good enough as well.
Trickle chargers have been used for quite a lot of decades now. A while back, they were bulky and hard-to-carry devices that usually stayed in the garages of state-owned vehicles that were used for seasonal work. That meant that the vehicle had to stay put for close to half the year which lead to issues with the battery depleting itself and not having enough charge to start the vehicle right back up when the time is due.
Modern families often have summer cars that spend the winter in the garage, waiting for the warmer days. Even then, though, the car uses a small amount of power on a constant basis that can fully deplete a battery in a matter of weeks if you don’t start up or drive the car to regenerate the battery back to its full state. That creates a problem – a fully depleted battery is of no use once you need it and allowing it to fully deplete also significantly shortens its life span. This is where modern trickle chargers come into play. Let’s now take a closer look at how exactly they work and why they are a must-have for any car owner!
As I mentioned earlier, every battery discharges slowly as time goes by. If you don’t meet that self-discharge rate with an equally big charging rate, you risk the battery slowly depleting itself. That is the whole point around a trickle charger – it supplies a low-amperage electricity flow to the battery that matches its discharge rate precisely, keeping it fully charged and healthy.
Some more expensive trickle chargers have smart functions that allow them to turn themselves off when they sense the battery is fully charged or the option to regulate their amperage and voltage according to the battery’s needs. These are often called “battery maintainers” instead of trickle chargers as their goal is to maintain the battery’s power at 100%.
There are also trickle chargers that can up their amperage to around 7-10 Amps in order to charge the battery faster, essentially turning them into 2-in-1 battery chargers. Now, let’s take a look at the benefits a trickle charger has over not having one…
There are a number of benefits that you get from having a trickle charger in your garage. Some of the most notable ones are:
With every product there are features that you need to look out for, however. With the abundance of models out there, it can be confusing when you’re shopping for your first trickle charger. This next chapter is dedicated to all the important features that you should take into consideration when making your final choice.
Trickle chargers are often defined by their stats and metrics. However, stats don’t always tell the full story and we must also learn how they help shape the device’s performance compared to its competitors. This is what we will do now by going through the following features:
There are two main types of trickle chargers – automatic and manual. They are sometimes referred to as “smart” and “dumb” respectively. The main difference is that the automatic trickle chargers can detect various stats of your battery and act accordingly, while manual trickle chargers are more primitive and only do what you tell them, hence the name “dumb”. Automatic models also regulate their amperage according to the battery’s needs and even shut off when the battery is fully charged. That is called “Float mode” and I will touch on it a bit further down.
There is also a third kind of trickle chargers that is basically an all-in-one charger that can fully charge your battery fast but also has a trickle function. Those are typically a bit bulkier and way more expensive. Still, if you want one tool instead of two, these are worth the consideration.
While the topic of amperage and voltage can seem complicated at first, it can easily be boiled down to a few simple factors. First off, make sure your trickle charger charges at the right Voltage (V). That can be either 6 or 12 depending on the Voltage of your battery. There are some models that can switch between 6 and 12 volts making them more universal and convenient.
With Amperage (A), you just need to look for models that have a low amount of Amps. The lower the Amps, the slower it will charge the battery which is better for its long-term health. Higher Amperages like 4-8 Amps will charge the battery very fast and are basically considered battery chargers at that point. The maximum you should go to be able to trickle charge the battery is 2 Amps. Ideally, look for models that have 1 or lower Amps, such as 0.75A.
When you choose your trickle charger, you should do so according to your vehicle’s engine. The bigger the engine, the bigger the battery will be and, therefore, you’ll need a more powerful trickle charger. 1 Amp trickle chargers are typically suitable for smaller engines and motorcycles, while 2-amp models can handle bigger batteries without much issue. If they are automatic, they will also be able to regulate their amperage to fit the needs of a smaller battery as well.
You should also make sure that the trickle charger you’ve chosen works with all types of lead-acid batteries (6 and 12-volt ones). There are also other types of batteries that should be compatible such as Gel, AGM, Wet, or other automotive or marine deep-cycle ones.
While material quality shouldn’t be your first priority, you should always keep an eye for the well-built models that are wrapped in quality materials. One other part that is often overlooked are the trickle charger clamps. On the budget models, they are often poorly built and flimsy. Make sure you get a charger with sturdy clamps and thick durable cables. A rubberized body is another way to make sure that the charger won’t break if you accidentally drop it.
One of the most important additional features a trickle charger can have is the Float mode. This mode allows the trickle charger to keep the battery charged at 100% at all times but also will prevent overcharging and overheating of the battery. To put it simply, once the battery reaches 100%, the trickle charger will cut off and will only start charging when the battery depletes a little bit again.
Temperature sensing modes are also a great additional feature. They are primarily a safety feature of any charger and are a must if you want to prevent your battery from accidentally overheating.
Lastly, look for models that are waterproof. Even if there won’t be any water in your garage, there can be moisture which is very damaging to any electrical device that is constantly plugged into the grid.
When shopping for various car-care items for the offseason, you can easily go overboard with the budget. Lifts, tire bags, trickle chargers, car covers, and various cosmetics can quickly add up to a price that won’t be ideal if you just want to keep your car healthy. Make sure you define the parameters of the trickle charger beforehand and pick one according to your needs instead of going for the highest-end model.
Now, let’s go through some common questions regarding this topic…
Battery chargersare typically far more powerful. While some trickle chargers can go up to 6 Amps and effectively charge up smaller batteries, chargers are better at what they are meant for and charge fully depleted batteries much faster.
If you have the time to spare and your battery isn’t too big, charging at a lower Amperage is better for its long-term health. If you are in a hurry, charging at higher Amps is also okay.
Nothing will happen if you leave the trickle charger running, that is its sole purpose – to keep running for long periods without stopping. It will keep your battery at 100% and prevent depletions.
If you have a car that spends its off-season in the garage, then choosing some of the best trickle chargers for it is essential to its battery’s life. Of course, there are other maintenance tips that you need to consider in order to keep it fully prepared for the spring but nothing feels worse than having a dead battery on the first summer day when you want to take your car out! Pay attention to features such as the amperage, voltage regulation, and the capacity of the trickle charger when you browse for one.
