Many readers have been in touch with questions and comments about trickle charger use, based on my frequent recommendation that you use one in my regular used car review columns. Since the self-discharge of a battery depends strongly on the temperature, chargers with a temperature sensor are recommended. This is true IF the battery is still in the vehicle. Other trickle systems can be carried on the boat, again allowing a trickle charge during use. So, readers, here’s a bit more information about why your investment in a sub-$50 trickle charger or battery tender is a good idea, a look at some great reasons to use one, and a look at one great reason not to. Use MC4 connectors to connect the wires to the charge controller. Photo by Lemmy. Some articles state to connect the ground lead to some part of the vehicle ground system and not the battery. Most cars use 12-volt batteries, but check the battery label or your vehicle's owner's manual to be sure. Typically a “trickle charger” will run at about 1.5 to 2 amps. It looks like a box with a cable and 2 alligator clips. Some trickle chargers can be left on a battery indefinitely. Check the battery every 30 - 60 minutes to make sure it is not overheating. Also, we had other source to charge the battery. Yes it is acceptable to use a trickle charger. Usually, with a trickle charger, it will take around 20 hours to recharge a completely discharged battery fully. In order to ensure they connect correctly, fit the wires running from your charge connector with MC4 connectors. Others make up for user comfort mainly. This method is best suited for trickle charge only, as it will take many hours to get the battery charged. While using the trickle charger, you can leave it for months on some types (most often the automatic ones), while the normal ones can be left connected for more than 24 hours. However, the float charger is designed to prevent overcharging of a battery. It keeps adding on charge to the battery of the car gradually. It’s rather small and uses a single stage unit. Also keep in mind that even though a true “trickle charger” is different than a float charger, the majority of people use the term “trickle charger” to denote any charger that you can leave connected to a battery indefinitely. How to Use a Car Trickle Charger. Conclusion. Using a trickle battery charger ensures that in the time of emergency, the car starts without any trouble. This can take a few hours. Using a car battery charger is simple and easy. Each type has their place (though the trickle charger isn't necessary if you have — and use — a float charger!) So, what is a trickle charger and how do trickle chargers work? Smart vs. non-smart. How To Recharge A Car Battery Using A Trickle Or Speed Charger Step 1 . Trickle Charging. A trickle charger is used by connecting the positive cable of the charger to the positive end of the battery and connecting the negative cable to … Smart trickle chargers … It will preserve the charge and it will not cause any damage to your car. In the marine field, there are on-board charges, which allow a continuous slow (trickle) charge to enter the battery during use, thus keeping it working for a long period of time. The 'Battery Tender' mentioned in the last post is common these days, and costs a bit more. A trickle charger merely maintains the battery’s charge, so connect one only to a fully charged battery. The trickle chargers differ by many parameters. We use a car trickle charger to recharge the car battery. Then, you will find your trickle charger is charging your car battery without any problem. Put the battery charger on a firm surface, but not on the battery itself. Using a trickle charge seems to be easy as pie. The charger is set to hold a single 12v battery, but you may find multiple outputs in other models. A trickle charger is a car battery charger designed to be left on a car for a long period of time to re-charge the battery. While you can charge the battery when it's dead, a better choice is to use a trickle charger. Place it at a distance depending on how long the charger cables are. Step 3. Connect your smart charge to a power outlet. Therefore, it is important to have the trickle charger on at all times to prevent the battery from dying. These would be used on a vehicle that is not used all the time or is stored away for the winter or the summer. Set the values to the middle of the range reported on the battery. Using a trickle charger, rather than allowing the battery to completely lose its charge, will help prolong the life of the battery. This means that it can replace 1.5 to 2 amps per hour in the battery that was used up. Using Float Charger. This simple, antiquated type of charger could over-charge your battery, and shorten its life. The trickle charger is an RV Battery Charger or Maintainer that keeps the battery charged at 100%. Normally, it will charge at different rates in order to … Trickle Chargers Vs. Normal Car Battery Chargers. Trickle charger replenishes the battery, even when it is not in use for a long time. Allow the battery to charge. It's a way of allowing your marine battery to charge overnight. A float charger works much in the same way as a trickle charger--by delivering a slow charge to the battery. There, however, is a debate on for how long a trickle; The charger can remain attached to the battery. Charging it will keep the power maintained. You can use a trickle charger (around 1 amp) to charge any lead acid battery regardless if it has removable caps or is sealed. Extend its life car starts without any trouble t do the installation permanent as we would use it only camping... 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