A battery charger is a handy tool to have in your garage. Knowing how to use it can help in a lot of ways, like making sure you don’t have trouble starting your vehicle on a cold morning. It can make sure your car battery has enough juice to turn the engine over and get you on your way. Using the charger incorrectly, though, can actually decrease the lifespan of your battery. If you charge a battery too quickly, you can cause an overcharge, which is not recommended. While a slow charge takes awhile, it is better for your battery. A 12-volt battery does best with 10 amps of current for the charger. It will take several hours to charge depending upon the reserve capacity of the battery. The charger should have a light on it indicating when the battery is fully charged.

How a Car Battery Works

The battery in your vehicle is a complex piece of it equipment. It essentially turns chemical energy into electricity, thus powering on your lights, radio and engine. A dead battery does no one any good so it is important to keep the battery charged at all times. The chemical energy is stored in cells, and once the battery springs into life it activates the alternator, which then in turn powers the engine. Here’s a simplified version of what makes a battery work:

  • Each cell has two plates or grids
  • One plate is made of lead, the other of lead dioxide
  • The plates are submerged in sulphuric acid
  • The acid triggers a reaction, creating ions and lead sulphate
  • The various chemical combinations eventually create electricity
  • This electricity flows from the battery to the engine

Of course, there’s more, but that is the basics in a nutshell. Because the chemical reactions are entirely reversible, the process can be repeated throughout the life of the battery; this enables a battery charger to reinject life into the battery again and again.

Top 5 Battery Chargers

What type of battery charger you like depends upon your personal preference and your budget. It is an essential tool and one that you will be able to use multiple times. It’s also worth noting that many chargers can perform other services such as diagnostic testing and jump starting, and many chargers adapt to different types of batteries. With that in mind, here are 5 excellent choices:

  1. Associated Equipment 6/12 volt automatic charger and maintainer
  2. Coleman 20 watt crystalline solar battery charger
  3. Schumacher 3 amp 12 volt battery maintainer
  4. Battery Tender 8 volt 1.25 amp battery charger
  5. Coleman 3.5 watt trickle battery charger

To find the best tools and parts for your vehicle head to your neighborhood auto parts store. Special services such as a VIN number lookup help you find the precise parts for your auto. Each number in this 17-digit cade tells you a little about your car or truck. It is the easiest way to make sure you get a replacement part that will fit your machine and increase its performance. Shop online for special deals and offers.

Author Bio:
Rohan Biswas is a Writer and a Blogger I love to write any kind of category but my Favorite is Lifestyle, founder, and CEO at Solvingbee.com, Where you can find any type of how to post.