A battery charger is a device that charges a battery from either AC (Alternating Current) source or other DC (Direct Current) source. They are as important as a battery.
Here, we will be discussing the battery chargers used for charging batteries of cars, other automobiles, and homes (for U.P.S or other DC installations).
Why do we need the best battery chargers?
Well, the answer has many dimensions.
First, we need to charge a battery with the minimum possible time that discharges with maximum time lapse.
Second, our battery should be protected from overcharging.
Third, we want to protect our battery from heating.
Fourth, a good battery charger will give us a good battery.
Lastly, a battery needs proper voltage and current for its charging with no or fewer fluctuations.
What should be done to get an ideal battery charger?
If you have studied this blog up to this line, it means you are interested in getting a good battery charger.
We are using our expertise in the field of electronics for this purpose. Thus, we have short-listed some extraordinary, reliable, trusted, and tested battery chargers in this blog.
Keep surfing! …
Best Battery Chargers
Regardless of the battery, if one has a good battery charger, the battery can work for a long time in good health.
Generally, NOCO Genius 10 and Schumacher Battery Charger SC1280/1281 are considered good battery chargers for their durability and long life. Moreover, they are portable and weigh less. They are equally helpful and efficient in heavy and light duty. These models are common among electricians and automobile users. NOCO has designed a series of battery chargers with different ratings. While Schumacher provides different tests along with charging.
However, they are not the only claim market. There are varieties of good battery chargers available in the market. We are listing these in this blog by judging the following parameters.
Choosing the Best Battery Chargers
Whenever we are opting for an ideal charger, we must keep some factors in mind. These factors calculate the functionality, life, and performance of a battery charger. They are the following:
a. Voltage rating
It is a prime factor in a battery charger. While buying one, we must look for voltage rating: a voltage level for which the charger is designed. Ignoring this can cause serious damage to batteries.
Generally, automobiles have either 6V or 12V batteries. Thus we must opt for a battery charger of the same rating. Some models provide both voltages as an output. Additionally, the model that provides the true value of voltage as mentioned in the rating is a good model.
b. Amperage
The strength of the current is called amperage. Manufacturers mention it with the unit of Ampere (Amp). It shows the time that will charge a battery to full.
It should always be kept greater (or the same) as the nominated current value of the battery. In this regard, it will take less time to charge a battery. For example, if we have a battery of 8 Amps, then it is good to have the battery charger rated at 10 Amps or more.
c. Frequency
It will sound strange but we often hear that the charger heats up when connected to the socket. It is due to the difference in frequency. As we know, the USA uses 60Hz frequency while the rest of the world has 50Hz frequency for voltage.
It is explicitly mentioned in the rating section that the battery charger is operated in which frequency. To avoid damage, we must go through these ratings.
d. Automated turning off function
Advance battery chargers have the function of automation when the battery is fully charged. These are quite useful functions. We cannot spend time unplugging the charger as the battery is fully charged.
Thus, while choosing a battery charger, we must look for the function of automation.
e. Number of functions
A good battery charger must be user friendly. It must fulfill the needs of the user for the said process. Following are a few examples:
- LCD display
- LED Indicators (showing charging and full)
- Switches to toggle between voltages
- Auxiliary USB ports for mobile phones etc (optional, not necessary)
By carefully examining the above factors, we have shortlisted the following best battery chargers for your cars, home utility, and other appliances.
Shortlisted Good Battery Chargers
The listed battery chargers are our trusted options for our clients. These battery chargers are efficient in their duty with long working life. Moreover, it helped us to maintain our battery.
Without any further delay, let’s check our suggestion:
1. Schumacher SC1309
Schumacher SC1309 is an excellent battery charger along with an engine boost and engine starter. It helps to sustain the long life of a battery and maintains its efficiency. It is a common choice of battery repair shops.
Salient features:
- It provides 200 Amps for 6V and 40 Amps for 12V battery
- The 200 Amps are used for the engine to start.
- Microprocessor is used for its automation and auto-adjustment
- Alternators can also be tested by using SC 1309
- It prevents the battery from damage by reverse polarity protection.
In a short summary, the Schumacher SC1309 (Amazon link) is not portable but helps to take care of batteries efficiently. It is a good choice for battery repair shops and car lovers. It works great with the rated currents and voltages. It is available at a reasonable price at the given link.
2. YONHAN Battery Charger
This model is a battery charger, battery maintainer, trickle charger, and battery desulfator. These integrated functions make it an ideal battery charger. It delivers more power to the battery to jump start it.
Salient features:
- It provides enough 10 Amps current
- It can charge both 12V and 24V battery
- It detects the sulfur level in batteries
- It takes 110V as an input voltage
- It is automated to turn off the charger when the battery is fully charged
YONHAN battery charger (Amazon link) is a single package with many functions. It helps to resolve the issue of lead-sulfur deposition and reverse it. Generally, it can be used for solar panel battery maintenance.
3. Nexpeak NC201
When it comes to heavy duty vehicles and home utilities, Nexpeak NC201 is an ideal battery charger. It compensates the temperature rise in batteries while equally charging them. Moreover, the LCD display shows extensive information about the charging status.
Salient features
- It provides enough 10 Amps current
- It can charge both 12V and 24V battery
- It detects the sulfur and acid levels (good, bad, worse)
- It takes 110V as the input voltage
- NC201 helps to restore low performance battery (not dead)
In a short summary, the Nexpeak NC201 (Amazon link) not only helps us to charge a battery but also examines and maintains the health of the battery. It operates for a long period of time with no repair. Additionally, it shows the status of charging explicitly.
4. BLACK+DECKER BC15BD
This model integrates many functions into one device. Besides the battery charger, it is an Engine starter and Alternator Checker. It is a heavy duty model and can be used for SUVs, Motor-bike, Cars, Trucks, and Buses. The Black+Decker designed this battery charger, especially for heavy vehicles.
Salient features:
- It provides 15 Amps of current for battery charging and 40 Amps for the Engine starters.
- Mainly, it is designed for a 12V battery
- It weighs 5.5 pounds (~2.5kg).
- It is ideal for heavy duty vehicles.
- BC12BD also works on low input voltage from the nominal voltage (240V)
Trucks lovers go for BC12BD (Amazon link). It is comfortable to use and many functions are augmented in this single model. Generally, we suggest this model for its durability, sustainability, and high performance at low cost.
5. CTEK – 40-206 MXS 5.0
This model is a light duty battery charger. CTEK designed this model for cars, yet it is equally beneficial for utility purposes. It is friendly in a harsh environment. It does not lose performance in the long-run.
Salient features:
- It rates 4.3 Amps in Amperage which is quite a satisfying value
- Output terminals 12V voltage, hence designed for 12V
- Its automation is controlled by a microprocessor that helps in smart control
- Temperature sensor is installed for heat sensing in the battery
- It has well defined indicators and shows stages up till which battery is charged.
When it comes to performance, we opt for CTEK – 40-206 MXS 5.0 (Amazon link). It is highly comfortable to use and automated in controlling the battery. Moreover, it is available at the lowest possible price.
6. Schumacher Battery Charger SC1280/1281
This model is all in one: a battery charger, engine starter, Booster maintainer, and Auto-desulfator (remove lead-Sulfur). Schumacher has designed this model, especially for cars. This is the need of every battery owner. Its operating life is comparatively long.
Salient features:
- Current rating is at the highest value that is 100 Amps
- It gives two voltages at the output that is 6V and 12V
- It weighs 12.65 pounds (5.6kg)
- The automatic turn-off is installed
- The charger will not operate if plugged reverse for the safety of battery
In a short summary, the Schumacher battery charger SC1280/1281 (Amazon link) is a mega-package in a single casing. It is controlled by a microprocessor and is efficient in displaying values. We did not receive any protest against its dysfunctionality.
7. NOCO Genius 10
This is the most trusted model by car owners. The NOCO Company has designed this model, which is purely dedicated to the automobile industry. This model is known for its simplicity and smartness. It is task oriented and durable in harsh conditions.
Salient features:
- Its 10 Amps current rating is suitable for common use
- It gives 6V and 12V voltages at output terminals
- It takes 120V (60Hz) Alternating Current (AC) as an input
- Weight of 3 pounds (1.36kg) makes it an ideal choice
- Charging, full and other indicators are installed
- It has automatic-off function
- USB ports are installed for mobile phone charging
In a short summary, the NOCO Genius 10 (Amazon link) is a good choice among users. It is known for its long working and for keeping the battery in good health.
The same brand provides many trusted models (NOCO Genius boost plus, NOCO Genius 2, etc.) with different ratings. Additionally, we can easily charge 6V and 12V batteries with the same charger.
Conclusion
Long story short, we need to keep our batteries healthy and make them work for a long time. It will only be possible if we have an ideal battery charger. A top battery charger will have:
- Voltage ratings of commonly available batteries
- High value of amperage for quick charging
- Installed with automated turn off functions
- Align with the frequency of input voltage
- Maximum number of functions suitable for battery charging
By examining these factors, we suggest NOCO Genius 10 (Amazon link) by our expertise. It is a good device and durable. It is known for its long life among our colleagues. Additionally, it is available at the lowest possible cost and available in varieties of ratings. However, the mentioned model is one of our trusted and efficient ones.
Question Answer Session
Q1: Why does a battery charger need to be best?
A battery charger provides current and voltage to a battery. If the battery charger supplies unstable voltage and current, it harms batteries. Often these damages are not found at the perfect time until the battery starts losing its capability.
Hence, a good battery charger will not only supply the right amount of stable power but will also manage to heal some damage.
Q2: What is meant by auto-desulfator in battery chargers?
As we know lead batteries have Sulfuric Acid (dilute) as an electrolyte. The compound is ionic in nature and reacts with the lead after the passage of time (especially Sulfur).
This damages the battery’s ability. To counter it, batteries have an auto-desulfator function. This function removes the sulfur from lead. As a result, the performance of the battery improves.
Q3: Can a battery charger control the temperature of a battery?
Yes, it does. Battery increases its temperature either by sulfur deposition or by decreasing the standard of acid after frequent use.
The best battery charger shows the condition of a battery at a limited level. But we also need to enhance our ability to check the status of a battery. A battery load tester is handy in this regard.
Q4: Is there any safety one should be aware of while charging a battery?
It is always advised to charge the battery while the rest of the electrical connections with the battery are off.
We must always keep the main charger away from the battery as far as its terminals allow.
The connection should not be loose. Strictly speaking, it must be avoided.
The charging is advised when the battery discharges from 60% to 70%.
If the battery is heating up, disconnect the charger and check the acid level in the battery. Some battery chargers detect this rise in temperature and disconnect.
Q5: Can these battery chargers be used for repair work?
It depends on the rating of the battery charger. If we have a battery charger with a high current rating, it will obviously recharge a dead battery after repair.
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