Deep Cycle Battery Charger?

[Iplayfarmer]

I've heard of deep cycle battery chargers, and one of my chargers actually has a deep cycle setting on it. But, it's the other charger that I want to mount on my dump trailer with the deep cycle battery.

What's the difference between deep cycle chargers and regular low maintenance chargers? Can I use a regular charger with a float function on a deep cycle battery?

 

[Bill Barrett]

Deep Cycle Battery FAQ

 

[Iplayfarmer]

That link helped a little. From what I can gather any charger that has a float function should be fine for a deep cycle battery.

 

[SCTractor]

I have only used deep cycle batteries for marine purpose, but use them constantly for my two bass boats. The difference in deep cycle vs starting is in how they discharge. A deep cycle discharges at a more even rate until dead. vs a starting battery gives high output in bursts. The charging process is however pretty much the same. Charging times will vary a bit from one to the other, but you are still applying a voltage higher than the output of the battery to reverse the chemical process so that the battery's output capability is restored. One charger will charge either. The amount of time the battery charger will be attached is a major concern. A standard charger can ruin a battery by continuing to charge after the battery is a full charge. So long as the charger is a "smart" charger. and will switch to a maintenance mode however marketed as float or trickle, you should be fine. If the battery will go unused for more than a few days at a time this will be essential to extending the overal usable life of the battery. As I learned long agao, a fully charged battery slowly looses charge, and an uncharged battery will go bad much quicker than a charged one.

 

[easygo]

I also only know about deep cycle batteries from marine use. If I'm not mistaken the deep cycle design allows the battery to be charged and discharged over a very long period of time without it being ruined. It also provides slightly lower power over longer periods vs the starting design that gives a high AMP over a very short time. The starting battery supposed to be fully charged constantly in order to deliver the proper, high amperage required when starting an engine. I recharge my 5 or 6 year old deep cycle battery once each month during the winter and it has been functioning properly as a starter for a small outboard and for low AMP lights on the boat. I have a $30 charger that has a deep cycle setting and it turns on-off on it's own. I think for use on a dump trailer it would be a good choice, because you may not always remember to recharge it and it will work fine.

 

[MrJimi]

I have 6 of the real battery tenders and I love them all
Batterytender.com - Home of All Your Charging Needs

 

[Iplayfarmer]

This is pretty much what I have...

Amazon.com: 1A Trickle Charger: Automotive

It sounds like from what everyone has said that it should work as good as anything. The owner's manual says that it has the float function and you can leave attached to your corvette all winter long.

 

[wrenchturner]

Maintenance free batteries have antimony and calcium added to the plates to reduce gassing. Gassing is when the electrical charging current changes the water ( H2O)into hydrogen and oxygen which also causes explosions. A drawback of low maintenance batteries is they become sulfated easily. The sulfur from a dead battery does not like to return to the water to form the acid upon charging and the calcium and antimony increased this problem. This is why maintenance free or low maintenace batteres are not used for deep cycle where the battery is deeply discharged. OK for the answer to your question. The antimony and calcium added also required a slightly higher charging voltage than the conventional batteries.