These days, if your electronics are mobile, then you need a battery charger to go with it. Everything from cell phones to electric hybrid vehicles require a battery that, left alone, will run out of juice. Battery chargers keep rechargeable batteries going, like the Energizer Bunny, well after the lifespan of a typical battery.

Though the initial investment is sometimes high, using battery chargers will save you money in the long run because they reduce battery replacement costs dramatically. Consider the following possibilities for using battery chargers:

1. Battery charging will keep your mobile devices active so that you can remain connected.

2. Use auto battery chargers for transportation equipment powered by battery.

3. A commercial battery charger for your power tools will help keep things moving on the job site.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make yourself always available with a battery charger for your cell phone

If your business requires that you are reachable at any given time, then you need a battery recharger for your cell phone. You may also need access to your files or the Internet on a regular basis, so you will need to make sure that your laptop is always charged. Similarly, electronics like personal digital assistants (PDAs), Blackberry devices, mp3 players and Bluetooth headsets, require battery charging to continue functioning.

I recommend: Typically, you can obtain battery chargers for your electronics and mobile devices directly from the manufacturer. If you have problems doing so, however, try distributors like Apex Battery for a variety of battery chargers for all sorts of devices. Visit CellPower’s frequently asked questions to find out how to properly charge cell phones and other lithium batteries.

Keep your machinery running with industrial battery chargers

Some industrial machinery, such as forklifts and pallet jacks, operate on battery power, which needs recharging after use. Using electric-powered transportation equipment for your warehouse or factory not only saves you money because you're not buying fuel all the time, but it also adds green appeal to your business. You can also obtain battery chargers for your company automobiles, so that no one finds him or herself stranded with a dead car battery.

I recommend: Visit Applied Energy Solutions to obtain an industrial battery charger for your transportation equipment. For safety warnings and instruction for using automotive battery chargers, go to Japlar/Schauer.

Use battery charger systems to keep tools running on the job site

Construction requires the use of all sorts of power tools, such as electric saws, drills and screwdrivers. With an active job site, corded tools can be a hassle, as well as dangerous. Instead, use battery-powered tools that you can recharge after each workday. That way there are no cords for employees to trip over and, again, you're conserving energy consumption and greening your business.

I recommend: Mytoolstore.com offers universal battery chargers for power tools. All you need is an adapter for the tools and you can charge all of them in the same location, rather than finding power outlets for each individual tool. Visit BatteryUniversity.com for information on how to charge and when to charge various types of batteries.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It's important that you don't overcharge a battery. As a general rule, don't use a battery charger for more than 24 hours at a time. Overcharging will cause the life of your battery to shorten and cause you to need a replacement sooner.

They keep going and going … batteries are in all kinds of devices: lead-acid batteries in cars, lithium ion batteries in laptop computers, nickel-cadmium and nickel metal hydride batteries in portable CD players, MP3 players, cell phones, digital cameras and other electronics. Batteries help make life on the go possible—until they run out of power and you need a battery charger.

Battery chargers restore batteries’ depleted energy, using either an alternating or direct current source. Commercial and industrial battery chargers permit standby power sources to remain ready when power is disrupted, just as automotive battery chargers keep standby vehicles ready to start at a moment’s notice.

Battery charger systems provide freedom to work anywhere without an electrical outlet. They permit battery-operated devices to run on batteries where an electric cord would be:

1. cumbersome, as with power drills;

2. dangerous, as with electric lawn mowers and trimmers; or

3. impossible, as with power wheelchairs.

Battery chargers also permit batteries to be used repeatedly in high-electrical-demand systems, saving users the cost of buying replacement batteries, and benefit the environment by having fewer batteries to dispose of and create toxic landfill.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Crank up with a car battery charger

Auto battery chargers are probably the first battery chargers people think of. As much as people depend on their cars, a dependable battery charger is a must when the battery has been depleted.

I recommend: Automotive Service Equipment sells Schumacher and Clore Automotive battery chargers. If your vehicle sits for long periods between drives, Autogeek.net sells Deltran’s Battery Tender trickle charger to keep your battery fully charged in the interim.

Get a battery charger that configures itself to your batteries

Commercial battery charger manufacturers make custom battery chargers for special applications as needed, some of which can adjust programmatically to the kind of battery they're charging.

I recommend: Commercial battery charger manufacturer Energy Storage Instruments (ESI) makes micro-controlled battery chargers that can be reprogrammed to adapt charge time and rate for new battery chemistries as they are developed.

Empower your special needs with a specialized battery charger

Just as battery makers make batteries to power specialized devices, battery charger manufacturers make specialized battery chargers to power the batteries.

I recommend: Electric Rider sells Soneil battery chargers for electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Advanced Charger Technology sells single-, six- and 12-bay chargers for batteries used in two-way radios and similar communications equipment.

Charge your batteries without a battery charger

Battery charging is no longer limited to separate charger units. While travel-sized battery chargers can recharge your batteries on the road, if you need to pack even lighter, batteries exist that plug directly into a power source.

I recommend: TerraPass makes AA batteries that are rechargeable from your computer’s USB port, making them ideal for powering MP3 or CD players and digital cameras.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Choose a three-state battery charger for deep-cycle battery charging and a trickle charger for crank batteries that is rechargeable another way, such as through a car's alternator system.
• •  Figure the current draw over time (amp hours) and divide by the number of hours you wish to spend charging to determine the amperage rating of the battery charger to buy. If this exceeds the recommended charge current for the battery, buy the highest ampere rating you can and allow extra time to charge the battery.
• •  Use a battery charger only with batteries of the correct voltage. A 12-volt auto battery charger can charge two 6-volt batteries wired in series, but not either battery separately.
• •  Do not mix battery types either when powering a device or recharging them. Nickel-cadmium and nickel metal hydride batteries should never be placed in the same battery charger or used to power the same device.

Find out what industrial battery chargers and residential battery chargers are the best ones for your business equipment. Find out what electrical current charge your wireless equipment needs to help you narrow your choice in charger. Determine also what type of battery your item holds.

Whether you are working with a solar battery charger, a car battery charger, commercial battery charger, or a residential item battery charger, having the right background information and battery chargers education and training will aid in your selection process and help you choose one of the right battery charger systems for you.

To make the most of battery chargers education and training:

1. Begin with basic battery charger information.

2. Learn about battery charging frequently asked questions and tips.

3. Find out even more about battery charging.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Start with basic battery charger information

Look at basic battery charger terminology and concepts to help you better understand the difference between rechargeable batteries and disposable batteries. Discover how socially conscious your rechargeable decision can be for the environment and the impact that can make on your business.

I recommend: The Responsible Energy Corporation looks at a comprehensive list of questions that arise surrounding NiMH and NiCD Battery Chargers. For example, they look at the difference between a rapid charger and a fast charger. They talk about trickle charge, and they compare benefits of NiCD versus NiMH batteries and their chargers. PowerStream Technology offers basic information on how to use lead acid battery chargers.

Find out about battery charging tips and frequently asked questions

Take advantage of sites answering frequently asked questions and that offer battery charging tips. Use this information to help you decide which batteries are the best for your business use.

I recommend: Find out about the battery charging system background information available from ENERGY STAR. Discover what battery recharging systems qualify for the ENERGY STAR rating. Learn from CellPower about battery types, performance and charging tips to improve your battery recharger knowledge.

Learn even more about battery charging

Delve even more into the topic of battery charging. Learn about algorithms, the selection process and different charging modes.

I recommend: Find out how to choose the right lead acid type battery charger from BatteryStuff.com. They take you step by step through the selection process. Read up on battery charging basics from Deltran Corporation. Learn about battery charge and discharge, charge algorithms, different charge modes and more.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Did you know that if a battery charger is interrupted mid charge, even if the charge is almost complete, that if you plug it back in that it will start recharging at the beginning? Avoid this situation by purchasing a charger with microprocessor control. Smart chargers can tell when you battery is full and can trickle charge or turn off completely.