3-hour battery chargers ??

[Kymasabe]

I saw recently some 15amp chargers that claim starting capability in 3 minutes and full charge in 3 hours.

Are they any good? or junk?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: 3-hour battery chargers ??

i only buy Suchmacher(spelling) chargers. just recently bought one of their computerize ones, $70 walmart. is a great charger. read % of charge, alternator, show volts presently in battery, charge choices small battery( jet ski, lawnmower) regular battery, and the 50 amp start feature.

 

[wire2]

Re: 3-hour battery chargers ??

I saw recently some 15amp chargers that claim starting capability in 3 minutes and full charge in 3 hours.

Are they any good? or junk?

That's a tall order. It's physically impossible to fully charge a very low car or deep cycle battery that fast with 15 amps.
IF you increased the current to compensate, the acid would boil.

 

[Boatist]

Re: 3-hour battery chargers ??

Even a group 24 battery is 85 amp hours. So even if a 15 amp charger charged at 15 amps for 3 hours would only add 45 amp hours or about half of a full charge. Ofcourse a 15 amp smart charger will not charge at 15 amps for very long. I would bet that the average charge current will be less the 7 amps on a full charge. So that would take over 12 hours. In reallity the end of the charge will be will be less than one amp durning the float stage.

It could be a great charger Just normal sales hype that means nothing.

As Tashasdaddy states the Sch chargers that wallmart sells are great chargers. I have 2 10 amp charger that are over 30 years old I use for Charging between trips. They will not over charge but will fully charg the battery.

For my auto I have a 25 amp smart charger I got from Wallmart same brand and it is a very good charger. Will test alternator, tell you the voltage or percent of charge, show you the charging amps and not over charge any size battery. I not a fan of the chargers with the start circuits as I feel the voltage is too high and can possibably blow some electronics in auto or newer boats.