How to Choose the Correct Marine Battery Charger
Much like in your car, the electrical systems on a boat are run off of a battery. Everything from your CD player to televisions, microwaves, refrigerators and dozens of other systems are all battery powered. As such, you need to charge those batteries from time to time. But finding the proper charger for your boat and your particular needs is important to ensure that you get the proper charge and that you get the maximum life possible from your batteries.
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Instructions
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Examine the batteries on your boat. You need to write down the input voltage of the battery and the type of battery that it is, along with the capacity of the battery, which will be written in amp hours on the side. If there's information written down on your battery, copy it down.
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Shop for a marine battery charger. These machines can be found at boating supply stores such as Cabella's and Bass Pro Shop, along with marina stores and boating specialty stores. Different battery chargers will come with different features. Look for a battery charger that has a number of outputs equal to the number of engines you have, so that your charger can feed all your batteries at once. Look for a charger that has a rate 20 percent below the total charge capacity of your battery. Decide if you want a battery charger that is portable to keep on the boat, or if you want a plug-in model that can be used at the dock. Also examine what price range you're willing to pay, and what guarantees the chargers you're looking at offer.
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Purchase the battery charger that will best suit your needs. If you want to cover all of your bases, purchase two battery chargers; one that you can use while out in the water if your battery dies, and one that you can use while you're docked and charging your batteries.
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Tips & Warnings
Lots of marine battery chargers come with additional features. Automatic shut-off when the battery is charged, a surge protection loop and indicator lights are good features to look for.
Always check about the return policy before buying a marine battery charger. If it turns out not to work at all, or just not to work with your battery, you need to be able to return it.
