Imagine your car battery dying out on you, right in the middle of nowhere. What can you do in such a situation? You could either hope that another car passes by and you could jump start your car or simply haul the battery all the way, to the nearest service center, for a recharge. Both options rely too much on chance. A better way is to have a portable charger with you, which can rescue you from such a situation. Car battery life expectancy is generally long, but it helps if you have a backup plan, in the form of a charger.
Most automobile experts recommend purchasing a charger, as it can come in handy, when your battery charge level is low. It is a recommended addition to the garage setup, which you must have. Modern chargers come in a variety of types. The latest and most advanced chargers are solar-powered ones. They come in handy, when you find yourself in a dead battery situation. It is an essential addition that you should make to your maintenance gear.
Choosing a Charger
What are the features that you should look for in these chargers? One thing to look for is a sensing mechanism, that can change the charging voltage, according to charging level.
This is necessary, as a battery requires a high charging voltage at the start, followed by a lowered voltage value, after 80% of charging is complete. This needs to be done, to prevent gassing and overcharging. So, a good charger will be able to sense the level of charge in a battery and modify charging voltage accordingly. The charging voltage offered by the charger should match the car battery’s requirements. Portable chargers have inbuilt batteries that need to be charged. They can then be used to charge the car batteries on the go.
Reviews
These chargers come in two types mostly. They include ones which can be directly plugged into an AC socket for charging and the other ones that are charged by solar power. The first type is a more recommended one as it can provide adequate power levels for charging, compared to solar-powered battery chargers, which can be unreliable. Here are some of the best chargers available in the market, that can help you effectively deal with battery problems.
Deltran SuperSmart Battery Tender Plus 12-Volt 1.25 AMP Battery Charger
This Deltran product is widely rated as one of the best battery chargers ever. This 12 Volt/1.25 ampere battery charger comes with a built-in chip, that helps it in executing a four-step battery charging cycle. It is the right choice for charging lead acid type car batteries. It has a sparkproof charging mechanism and comes with reverse polarity protection. With a 10-year warranty, this product comes with a price tag of USD 129.95.
Schumacher SSC-1000A Automatic Speed Battery Charger
This Schumacher product provides a digital display that indicates battery charge level and comes with a functionality, that automatically adjusts charging rate, according to charging stage. Priced at USD 69.96, it is one of the best car battery chargers in the market today.
Duracell DPP-300EP Powerpack 300
Priced at USD 99.99, Duracell DPP-300EP is a portable charger that can be used on the go. It comes with a built-in inverter and air compressor and can easily charge your 12 V DC car battery quite easily. Instead of jumping a car battery, this Duracell device is a safer option for recharging it. It comes with a powerful AGM battery, which enables portability and lets you charge any car battery and home appliance.
Chargers don’t cost much and always come in handy when facing car battery crises. I don’t see any reason for you to not have one by your side.