Trickle Chargers...
 

I went to Wal-Mart and picked up their last two Marine Use battry chargers, 12 Volt, 10 Amp. They were $30 each. I bring them home and one isn't working right; so I take it back. Now I cannot find another that matches what I have at ANY Wal-Mart.

What do you all have for Trickle Chargers? Where did you get them, and what did they cost? I have not even looked at any of the Marine places, because I know they will be expensive. I want two matching units, so I do not have to rotate them, or worry. Is that too much to ask? I do not want to spend more than $80 for both. I think that is reasonable.

Brian

Brian, I got mine from Advance auto for $39 bucks I think... it has a gauge and also the 2amp trickle setting.
Bryan

Sears has got 'em too. 50/10/2 amp - forget price. Most all decent chargers automatically adjust the current as the battery charges up, so as not to over-charge - if it says "automatic", it probably has this feature. The days of the "manual" chargers are numbered.

got mine a Sears also. Totaly automatic!! I think I bought mine for 45 on sale. Has a switch for deep cell batteries too!

Use one charger then get two battery cables from pep boys (about 5 bucks each and have one charger do both batteries. If you are just keeping them charged on trickle you do not need more then one amp to keep them fully charged. So your one charger is enough. It is not engough to charge a dead deep cycle but that is another thread :D :D

Jon

I recommend the Guest chargers. They offer a twin output 5 or 10 amp unit capable of charging and maintainting either battery independantly. The chargers are completely sealed and are designed to be mounted in the boat and left hardwired to the batteries. When you are done boating, you plug er in and the Guest takes care of the rest till the nest time you go boating. The independant circuits feed power to the battery that need a charge only as needed and by keeping them independant, if you have a bad cell or had left something on...... You get the picture.

The guest chargers are nice in idea, but after owning seventeen of them in the last 3 years i can tell you they are hard on batteries. I had them installed in some electric carts that we use on a daily basis, and ran into trouble with them cooking batteries--even marine gel cells. Now maybe as a trickle they will be alright, we used them to bring low batteries to 90%+. I just found when they were hooked to 2 batteries 1 would get overcharged and the other would be alright. I'm now using a compact single battery charger that i get from a local supplier, it's got a microprocessor in it and will detect the state and charge that the battery is in- great units-not a fried battery since.

I have the Guest dual battery charger. It works well but I wouldn't recommend leaving it on all the time. They always keep a small current going, if the battery is fully charged, it is too much. Only the best chargers drop to 0 when the battery doesnt need to charge. I plug the shore power in once a month while the boat is stored for the winter. Seems to work well that way.

I went to Sears today. I bought two permanent install automatic chargers for $29 bucks each. I will cycle them on and off once in a while. Nice units; and thanks for everyone's inputs.

Brian

I got a 2amp trickle charger w/full charge shutoff. Even with that, I've noticed that you have to watch the water level in the batteries.