Charging 12v 7 amp battery question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

StinkyMatt · 02-21-2014, 08:44 PM

I got an old car battery charger with selectable 2, 5 and 10 amp setting. Works just fine in a ny setting.

I did hear that I should probably use the 2 amp setting....

4 years no problems.

RockyRaab · 02-22-2014, 07:15 AM

I have a smart charger for the rare times when a vehicle battery goes down. But I bought a trickle charger ($5 at Harbor Freight) for my kayak and ice-fishing batteries. I can hook it up and leave it for overnight - or several days. Never a problem.

Over winter, I hook my kayak battery up to it once a month for a night or two just to keep it topped up.

FISH11 · 02-22-2014, 10:00 AM

Always store the battery fully charged. most small chargers will stop charging when the battery if fully charged. The small home chargers you can buy for car, motorcycle, ect. batteries have electronics that protect the battery from over charging. It's just important to adjust the setting if there are any to 2 amps or less or a trickle setting if that's what it has. I agree if not using for several months just connected once a month to keep it charged, that will make the battery last for many years.

Iceman · 02-22-2014, 11:01 PM

my understanding is that using the 1/10th rule will maximize the life of the battery. The 2 amp setting on car battery chargers will work as long as it is "auto and not manual" the latter is very unsafe, I have seen quite a few bulging batteries caused by this. If you want to extend the life of the battery use the lower rate, we sell 1/2 amp and 1 amp smart chargers, meaning they know when full and switch to a pulse maintenance cycle like in a float charger.

Big T · 02-23-2014, 08:01 AM

I use the little Shumacher Smart motorcycle battery charger. It's completely automatic and "senses" the batterys requirements for charging. It knows if you've hooked it up wrong and then sets the charge at the appropriate level. It doesn't charge fast at all and is simply a "maintainer" but my 9ah is fully charged in about 7-8hrs from almost dead.

It must be doing something right because I've charged that battery hundreds of times and it still has the same capacity and isn't bulged out.

It's tiny too. Just a little bit bigger than the battery itself.

02-22-2014, 11:01 PM	#4
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	my understanding is that using the 1/10th rule will maximize the life of the battery. The 2 amp setting on car battery chargers will work as long as it is "auto and not manual" the latter is very unsafe, I have seen quite a few bulging batteries caused by this. If you want to extend the life of the battery use the lower rate, we sell 1/2 amp and 1 amp smart chargers, meaning they know when full and switch to a pulse maintenance cycle like in a float charger. __________________

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02-21-2014, 08:44 PM	#1
StinkyMatt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Under a bridge Posts: 2,169	I got an old car battery charger with selectable 2, 5 and 10 amp setting. Works just fine in a ny setting. I did hear that I should probably use the 2 amp setting.... 4 years no problems.

02-22-2014, 07:15 AM	#2
RockyRaab Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Utah Posts: 138	I have a smart charger for the rare times when a vehicle battery goes down. But I bought a trickle charger ($5 at Harbor Freight) for my kayak and ice-fishing batteries. I can hook it up and leave it for overnight - or several days. Never a problem. Over winter, I hook my kayak battery up to it once a month for a night or two just to keep it topped up.

02-22-2014, 10:00 AM	#3
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,643	Always store the battery fully charged. most small chargers will stop charging when the battery if fully charged. The small home chargers you can buy for car, motorcycle, ect. batteries have electronics that protect the battery from over charging. It's just important to adjust the setting if there are any to 2 amps or less or a trickle setting if that's what it has. I agree if not using for several months just connected once a month to keep it charged, that will make the battery last for many years.

02-23-2014, 08:01 AM	#5
Big T Member, You Member! Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lake Forest Posts: 254	I use the little Shumacher Smart motorcycle battery charger. It's completely automatic and "senses" the batterys requirements for charging. It knows if you've hooked it up wrong and then sets the charge at the appropriate level. It doesn't charge fast at all and is simply a "maintainer" but my 9ah is fully charged in about 7-8hrs from almost dead. It must be doing something right because I've charged that battery hundreds of times and it still has the same capacity and isn't bulged out. It's tiny too. Just a little bit bigger than the battery itself.