battery charger

[dripper]

thinking about buying a battery charger what should I be looking for in volt and amp. I have a nissan pickup, and a jeep Cherokee.

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[Jamie]

If you’re buying it for occasional use usually the cheaper ones from an auto parts store, or sears etc work fine. Get one with an auto shut off, over charge stop, and 2 amperage settings. 2 amp and 6 amp normally. I paid $50 for mine and its a million years old now.

If you’re buying it because you leave your vehicles sat for long periods of time buy a motorcycle 12v battery tender. Cheap as nails, wont hurt your electricity bill, and does a good job of keeping the battery happy. I have one that connects to the battery terminals directly and has a quick connect plug. Once a week or so I leave it plugged in over night to make sure the battery is up to par, especially in winter when I’m driving around with every electronic device in my car turned on. For how simple it is it helps prolong the life of a battery big time.

There are also solar batter tenders. You see them in cars when they ship them on trucks to keep the batteries topped up. Works well if its sunny and your car is sat outside. not so well if its raining or in a garage 🙂

[David Roddick]

Walmart actually has some pretty good brands and prices are good too for DIY folks. Commercial shops would probably want better but for most of us these do just fine. Spending $50+ can get you a nice charger with features that come in handy.

[Author]

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