Battery Charging...

At what setting should I charge (with a Sears battery charger) a moderately discharged 12 volt car battery? My battery charger has a 2-amp and 10-amp

12 volt setting. My battery discharges quite a lot on one of my very old cars (don't ask!!) and I recharge after every 2 or 3 times driven.

If I should use the 2-amp option, then what is the 10-amp setting ever used for? Comments? Thanks.

EW

Reply to
LoneStar
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Reply to
MCL

OK, will do. I thought the 2-amp setting would suffice, but will use the

10-amp option from now on. However, the 2-amp setting DOES fully charge the battery after several hours. Thanks.

EW

Reply to
LoneStar

Use 10 amps. Most battery chargers are self regulating and will taper down the amps as the battery gets full.

Reply to
PauL

It will. It will just take longer. A 100 mA solar charger also will fully charge the battery, it will just take 100 times longer than the 10A charger to get the same charge on the batter.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Is it an automatic or manual charger? Because with a manual charger the 10A setting could damage the battery after 1-2 days of use because the current will usually stay above 1-2A, even at full charge. OTOH automatic chargers contain an electronic regulator (you may be able to see a circuit board through the vent openings) that makes the current taper down to 1/2 A or less at full charge.

If the battery discharges a lot, it might be better to recharge it after every trip, not after every 2-3.

Reply to
larry moe 'n curly

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