I want to buy a 12v automotive battery charger and need some help.Any suggestions??

Question

I want to buy a 12v car battery charger but i dont know what i need.I want to be able to quick charge a car battery or slow charge it.I also want the charger to be able to jump start a car/truck easily.I wanna spend around $100 more/less depending on what i really need..What name brand to buy and how many amps do i need to be able to jump start a car/truck easily?Any specific models that are good??It wont get used but maybe a couple of times a year.I just want to be able to have what i need when i need it. Thanks.


One more thing--where the heck has my avatar been the last week or so?!?

Answer 1

Schumacher Brand has been my choice forever.

They still use Copper Wire wound transformers,,rather than aluminum.
Which maybe a moot point in your application,,but it IS "best".

A Common configuration is

50amp/10amp/ 2amp
50 A =Jump Starting
10 A= Normal Charging
2 A= Trickle Charge

That is suitable for just about any task at hand.

The SIMPLER chargers are more reliable and durable.

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Here's some suggestions from Schumachers site

Manual Charger--50A
(This is my personal choice--plain,manual charger--for my OWN Personal Reasons)
http://store.schumachermart.com/se-1052.html

Automatic Charger--50A
(Great Choice for ANYBODY,in my opinion,,,who has an application like You described---occasional Jump Start///and good general Charging rate,,,not too Much or Little////with Trickle Charge)
http://store.schumachermart.com/se-5212a.html

Automatic Charger--75A
(This is a Good Choice for anyone who lives in very cold climate--the extra Amps are a worthwhile "reserve power" in such climates)
http://store.schumachermart.com/se-1275a.html


Here's the page listing their range of "Jump Start" capable chargers

http://store.schumachermart.com/battery-chargers-automotive-metal-hand-held-starter-chargers.html

You can see some HI-Output ones,,100 Amp,,125 Amp.

I dont think the extra expense of those really gains much of anything for general use as a Charger.
But they ARE "beefier" construction to handle the extra output.

And,,,their Normal Charging & Trickle Charge Rates are still LOW enough to be fine for general use as a Charger.
12 Amps & 2 Amps respectively

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EBAY quite often has VERY Good Deals on Chargers,,,,
Almost "Half Price" more/less for ones with Little or No Use.


Here's some examples:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SCHUMACHER-SE-5212A-BATTERY-CHARGER-NEW_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ63687QQihZ010QQitemZ200076222505QQrdZ1

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-SCHUMACHER-2-10-55-STARTER-CHARGER-SE-5212-A-PL2_W0QQitemZ150088101546QQihZ005QQcategoryZ11704QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Just for the sake of Saying....

*When JUMP STARTING a Car with a Battery Charger
!!! Start on TRICKLE CHARGE as a "test" !!!
You won't always KNOW why the Batt is Dead.
By Starting on 2 Amp Trickle You'll get some indication if Battery is Shorted or has serious probs---and Reduce Chances of Blowing it up.

--Put it on NORMAL CHARGE for a minute or so.
That lets the batt build up a slow charge,,warm up a little,,,
instead of just straight-away hitting a Cold Dead Batt with "lightning bolt" of a Hi Amp Charge

-Then switch it to Hi Rate/START,,,and go ahead start the vehicle.
If it remains sluggish to crank,,,Let the battery charge for a few minutes on NORMAL CHARGE,,,
then try again on START rate/Hi Charge

The IDEA is to bring the Charge Rate up GRADUALLY,,
even if only over the course of 30~60 seconds.
Instead of just instantly nailing it with Hi Amperage.
It's SAFER For YOU,,and better for the Battery.

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If you happen to have a Soldering Iron,,or have a buddy who does.....
My opinion is that it's Wise and Useful to Solder the charger's Batt Clamps to it's wire/cable.
It's simple and quick,,,,and prevents Corrosion from getting in that connection over the years.
It also prevents any chance of a Spark ever occurring from a Loose Connection.

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Spray the clamps with WD40 occasionally--especially after Using the Charger,,
AND,,before using it to do an extended charge.
and let 'em "drip dry".
They'll stay "Like New" for Decades.

Otherwise,,,You'll store it with what LOOKS like Clean Clamps & 6 months Later when you Need your charger,,the clamps will be all corroded.

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MOST SERIOUS SUGGESTION of ALL
Get some SAFETY GOGGLES,,,
Tie a Bag or a Box to the Battery Charger Handle to store the Safety Glasses in,,,
ANYTHING,,,So you can Never touch that Charger without your Safety Glasses being RIGHT THERE.

Same goes for Jumper Cables,far as I'm concerned.

The Odds of ever having a Prob ,,like a battery exploding,,
is 1 in Millions.
But it DOES happen,,,and it happens in an INSTANT.
When it Does,,,it's TOO Late.

The Odds of an Eyeball or 2 growing back,,,are ZERO.
Batt Explosion is genuinely a LIFE-Changing event.
It's one of those things that you DO NOT play the Odds.
It's NOT worth the risk,,,and just too cheap and easy to stay safe.

Too Easy to "attatch" a Dedicated pair of Safety Glasses always handy,,,,
and avoid that ol' thing we ALL tend to do at times.....
"I'm in a hurry/Cant find any goggles... and I can get away with Chancing it this one time"

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Hope that helps,,take care!

Answer 2

I got a schumaker(something like that) and it did not cost that much. Just buy your self a small portable charger with at least a 50 amp load start. If you are using it a couple of times a year you should pay less than $100. At Sam's Club, they had an nice small charge that was crossover proof. In otherwords, if you hooked it up wrong, it would automatically sense it and change the voltage. Now that is neat. Just shop around the Auto stores in your area. The more expensive models have 6 volt charging too. So if you do not plan to charge a 6 volt battery then you are paying for it when you buy a 12/6 volt charge. More expensive does not mean better. You are paying for something you will never use.

In your case, shop around for the cheapest 50 amp load start around. Check a Harbor Freight price if you have one around then check the Auto Zone price. Not the name brand, but what the charging capacity is. Insides are nearly the same, just the brand name.

Answer 3

A lot of battery chargers have the option of charging a 6 volt battery and a 12 volt battery. The options on the 12 volt are 2 amps for a slow trickle charge, 30-40 amps for a rapid charge, and about 200 amps for an engine start boost. The engine start will be nice for starting engines with a dead battery. You should monitor the battery on a rapid charge and never leave it on an engine start charge for longer than needed to start the engine. Also, pop the battery caps when charging. I kind of like Sear's Die Hard battery chargers as well.

Answer 4

That One Is Easy Go To Wal-mart Or K-Mart Wich Ever One You Have In The Auto Section You Will Find Them Starting At $ 19.95 & Up

Answer 5

for a hundred bucks you should be able to get a dang good batt charger from auto zone or oriellys I would get a one with good portrability but not one of those car lot thangs . They had a dang nice 10 amp batt charger at harbor freight for 20 bucks Thats what I had until my dang son borryed it but thats another story LOL!

Answer 6

You get what you pay for sears has a good fairly small unit that will start a car plus charge it also pay the price and get a good one. schumoker is good sears brand is good also. It will sya on the front start/charge that is the one you want.