Careful thought should go in to your decision, before buying a marine battery charger. The decision process is even more critical depending on the environment of the battery charger. Before you purchase, you will need to know what type of battery you have and it's capacity. In order to make sure to maximize battery life and capacity, it all starts with choosing the right marine battery charger.

The fact that a marine battery charger will generally be utilized in different conditions than the other various kinds of chargers are used, is a critical factor when choosing the correct battery charger. You should realize that there will likely be circumstances that require that your battery be charged while you are out on the water, as boats and other marine equipment will be utilized mainly on the water. When deciding on a marine battery charger, you need to look for one that can be securely stored and transported on your boat.

Ensuring an adequate charge that is neither under or over the appropriate level is another crucial factor. Your battery life will be cut short by excessively charging a battery, and not charging it enough, is the second leading cause of death of a battery. You should aim for a marine battery charger with an output of 20% of the Ah capacity of the battery, for optimum performance. An output of greater than 20% will overcharge the battery, and anything below 20% will undercharge it. Marine battery chargers that provides 20 ADC, will be appropriate for a marine battery that has 100 Ah.

It is important to take into account the charging time necessary, if you find that you cannot purchase a battery charger that supplies the recommended 20% of the battery's Ah capacity. This means, that you must allow for a 6 hour charge time, when you have a 10 ADC charger charging a 100 Ah battery. A 20 ADC battery charger coupled with a 200 Ah battery will require the same 6 hour charge time. If you use a 40 ADC battery charger to charge a 200 Ah battery, it will typically reach it's full capacity in 3 and a half hours. This formula relates to batteries of all sizes, although the battery size will determine the charge times.

By ensuring the appropriate combination of battery and battery charger, you will get the most life from your battery. A marine battery is a substantial investment, therefore, you want to choose the proper charger to extend your battery's life as much as possible. You should go to the store armed with the rate and size of your battery, so that you don't find out later that the battery charger you bought is not adequate for the job. When you are getting ready to purchase a marine battery charger, the important things to consider are the size and rate that will best suit your needs, as battery chargers are all built differently.