What is a car battery charger and how useful can it be?

Answer 1

It's easy to understand why a car battery charger is a great tool to have around. Cars, lawn equipment and motorized toys have batteries and may need occasional charging. Outdoor toys and lawn equipment especially need it due to infrequent use. Since some equipment does not have an on board generator it is up to the user to recharge to continue use.

Not everyone knows how easy it is to have their own portable car battery charger. They are actually rather simple to operate and have. You can get one that is basically an on or off operation or a complicated as monitoring and self adjusting charging voltages.

Here are five reasons why it is easy for anyone with a car, truck, or outdoor vehicle to own one:

1. You can take it anywhere

The great thing about these devices is that you really don't need a set space for them. Years ago you set the charger on a shelf or parked its cart in a corner and that's pretty much where it set. The newer units can pretty much be used anywhere you can find an electrical outlet.

2. They can be small and compact

You can find them light and small enough to fit in toolboxes and glove boxes.

Thanks to newer technologies electrical components can be smaller and lighter. Some chargers are as light as a couple of pounds. As long as you have a power source available, usually an ac outlet, you can be charging in minutes.

3. Cheap enough to own

With the same technologies that made these marvels lighter and smaller also means they are cheaper to produce. This has meant manufacturers producing more therefore lower prices. Add in to the mix resources such as Ebay and Amazon and bargains can be found. Chargers can be had for less than $100 and many times less than $50.

4. Extend the life of your battery and save

Newer units such as tenders can keep the battery topped off without boiling out the electrolyte and therefore potentially destroying your battery. One person was able to keep the same battery for his hobby car for over ten years thanks to a specialized charger. How much could this save you over the course of several years?

5. Keep your recreational toys on the ready

Ever had a spur of the moment idea to take the motorcycles out on the first nice spring day? If your battery did nothing but sit during the winter you might not get out as quick as you'd like. Having a charger can keep the battery up and ready to go when you are.

Although you would need a charger more if you own motorcycles, RVs, or other outdoor toys that are used infrequently, even car owners should own one as a precaution. With small size, light weight and low cost there isn't a reason why you shouldn't have one in your garage, closet, toolbox, or glove box. Add the fact that you could even possibly extend the life of your battery adds that much more value to your small investment.

Answer 2

A car battery charger is a means of charging your car battery from the domestic (mains) electrical supply. It takes the high voltage 110v or 240v and reduces it through a transformer to about 14v and rectifies it from AC to DC.
It is useful if you have a flat battery in your vehicle, possibly caused by leaving your lights on by mistake.
With a flat battery, your vehicle will not start and so the alternator in the vehicle is not available to charge your battery normally. Charging your battery for a few hours, will normally give you a start and the alternator will do the rest on a reasonable run. Providing the battery and alternator are in good order.