4 Easy Steps to Buying a Car Battery Charger

As a car owner, it's important that you have emergency backup power source. This way, when your vehicle refuses to start because its battery has been drained out, you can immediately solve the problem. There are many options to choose from as far as shopping for a battery charger goes. But with so many choices available to you, how do you know that you're buying the right equipment?

Battery Charger Buying Guide

If this is your first time buying a portable charger for your car's battery, make sure to follow these steps.

1. Consider the type of battery you'll be charging

There are different types of car batteries available today. They include maintenance-free, wet cell or flooded, AGM or absorbed glass mat, and VRLA or valve regulated lead acid. Most of the time, one charger will work for all types of car batteries. But if you want to stay on the safe side, consider the type of battery you have and find a compatible charger to avoid incompatibility issues.

2. Determine your battery size

The next step is to determine the size of your battery so you can identify how long it would take your chosen battery charger to charge it. When we say battery size, we're not referring to its physical size, but rather to how many Amp hours (AH) your battery can store. For example, a typical car battery has a capacity of about 50 amp hours. If you have a 10 amp carbattery charger, it would take you about six hours to fully charge it.

To calculate total charge time, what you can do is take the AH rating of the battery and divide it by the charger rating (amps). Then add about 10% for the extra time to completely charge the battery.

3. Identify your desired outcome

The third step is to determine what you want to achieve with your battery charger jump starter. For example, if you want something to help you jumpstart your car during an emergency, then you'll need a fast and powerful charger. Or if you simply want your battery charged during the off season, then having a low current charger will do.

4. Consider other features

If you want your battery charger to be more usable, consider its other features. For example, getting a waterproof charger is a great idea especially if you'll be taking it frequently on camping and road trips.

Be sure to share his article with your friends so they'll know what to consider when shopping for a battery charger or jump starter.