Battery Chargers vs. Jump Starters
Not sure what the difference is between a Battery Charger and a Jump Starter?
Please review this basic product information.
“Battery Charger”
Automotive Battery Chargers convert 110-120 Volt AC (household outlet) current to 12 Volt DC current for recharging a discharged vehicle battery. They only work when “plugged in” to a household electrical outlet. Most battery chargers on the market today are designed to charge 12 Volt batteries only. Please do not confuse a “battery charger” with a “jump starter”. They are altogether different products.
Most vehicles built since 1955 use a 12 volt electrical system. Vehicles built prior to 1955 likely have 6 volt electrical system. If you need a battery charger for 6 volt AND 12 volt batteries, we have some models with selectable output voltage, as well. And we also have a commercial 6-12-24 volt charger. Military vehicles and some HD Trucks & Busses have a 24 Volt electrical system.
The amperage “output” of a battery charger determines how fast you can recharge a “dead” battery. It also determines the cost of the charger. The higher the output of a charger, the bigger the transformer and its related components must be, the more it costs.
A 10 amp charger will recharge a battery twice as fast as a 5 amp charger and a 20 amp charger will recharge a battery twice as fast as a 10 amp charger, etc, etc. Any 12 volt battery charger, regardless of its amperage output, will recharge any 12 volt battery … it’s just a matter of how fast it can accomplish that.
Some battery chargers are completely automatic and will shut off completely when the battery is fully charged. Some models will charge the battery and then reduce to a low amperage “trickle charge”. The latter must be manually disconnected from the battery within a few hours once fully charged to avoid “overcharging” the battery.
Our Four Stage Battery Sentinel chargers are specifically engineered to keep a battery fully charged and conditioned (maintained) while not in use for extended durations. Car, truck, boat and RV batteries in long term storage need to be maintained to prevent discharge over time. The Battery Sentinel charger will kick on and off automatically as required. This is done by use of a micro-processor chip that senses slight changes in the battery’s surface voltage. They can be left connected and unattended for months and even years! Your battery will ALWAYS be ready when you need it.
ALL automotive batteries have a limited useful life. Once severely sulfated or otherwise damaged internally (just plain worn out) they can not be saved by simply recharging them. The only way to determine if your battery is good is to charge it first and then “load test” it. All Professional Installers and battery retailers have the equipment to do this. We also sell a reasonably priced battery load tester should you wish to buy one.
“Jump Starters”
They are also referred to as Battery Boosters, Boost Starters, Emergency Boosters, and Portable Battery Jumpers. A Jump Starter is NOT A BATTERY CHARGER and it DOES NOT RE-CHARGE your vehicle’s battery.
A Jump Starter can be used anywhere. They merely act as a “substitute battery” for starting a vehicle when its battery is “dead”. By true definition Jump Starters are actually a “portable 12 volt power supply” since they all depend on a compact 12 volt internal battery as their power source. While they are primarily used for Jump Starting vehicles, they can also be used as a portable power supply for small 12 Volt DC appliances and accessories.
Since all Jump Starters depend on an internal battery as their power source, they must also be re-charged after each use, and periodically while not in use, to keep their battery charged. A small battery charger (usually .05 amp) is included with each Jump Starter we sell. This requires plugging the unit into a standard 110 volt AC outlet. Recharging can take from 10-36 hours depending on the state of discharge. A meter or LED will indicate when a recharge is necessary and when it is fully charged. NOTE: these small chargers are NOT intended for use as a “Battery Charger” for a vehicle battery as the output is just too low.
The vehicle’s charging system (alternator) will take care of re-charging the vehicle’s battery, assuming it’s in proper working order, after being Jump Started
Some Jump Starters also offer additional features such as a small air compressor and trouble light. We also offer models that have a built-in Power Inverter. A Power Inverter converts the Jump Starter’s 12 Volt current to 110 Volt AC current permitting the use of 110 volt power tools, light bulbs or small appliances for limited durations.
Operating and charging instructions come with ALL Battery Chargers and Jump Starters. Please read them thoroughly before using any electrical device!
