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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 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.
