How to determine the best 24 volt battery charger for you.

Let\’s talk about all the different kinds of chargers, brands and applications of 24 volt battery chargers.  Whether you are looking for a car or truck battery charger like the 12v/24v NOCO Genius Charger or one for your boat like the ProSport line from ProMariner or an RV charger/inverter like this one from Magnum Energy they are available from numerous different manufacturers at different price points.  We only talk about and offer the best in any DC power application.  Even if you need an industrial charger for your fork lift or scissor lift like the Delta Q 24 volt battery charger with SB50 connectors.  BatteryPete always has the best – FOR LESS!!!  Pete even has the new Delta Q QuiQ JLG Lift OEM Replacement 24 volt battery charger should you need one.  Or do you even know what you need or are looking for in a new battery charger?  If not then read on…

Step 1 – Let\’s make sure you do have a 24 volt battery system.  On traditional lead acid batteries this can easily be determined by the size of the batteries and number of batteries in your battery system.  Example – (2x – 12 volt batteries = 24 volts)(3x – 8 volt batteries = 24 volts)(4x – 6 volt batteries = 24 volts)  You can determine the size or voltage of the batteries by counting the cell caps.  Each cell cap will be equivalent to 2 volts.   The number of cell caps on your battery multiplied by 2 will equal total battery voltage.  On a sealed battery it\’s not so easy.   In this case you will need a battery tester or volt meter.  Attach the red connector from the meter to the positive side of the battery and the black connector to the negative side of each battery and note the voltage.  The same will apply for typical AGM, Gel and Lithium batteries.

Step 2 – Decide the type of charging cycle that will be best for you and the vehicle or equipment needing a charge.  Do you need a fast charge or can it be done overnight? In order to charge a battery quickly you will need good clean connections and amperage.  The higher the amperage of a specific battery charger the faster it will charge the battery system.  But keep in mind some systems are limited by the wire diameter going to the battery bank.  We don\’t want to push too much amperage to a battery system if the system itself cannot handle it.  It could be very dangerous: resistance generates heat and heat can cause damage to other electrical components or start a fire.

The best thing to always do is look up the vehicle or equipment manufacturers specifications directly.  Usually they are plainly marked in an obvious place on the equipment or device.  Once you can determine the requirements you can decide on convenience.  You can get an onboard 24 volt battery charger or an off-board charger.  Usually the best bet is the on board version only because it is always with the vehicle or equipment so you do not need to track it down when it comes time to charge the batteries.  Here is a really good one from Delta Q.  The new iC650 24 volt battery charger is super small so it is easy to mount almost anywhere, super tough and super smart.   For a golf cart, on board battery chargers make sense because they are always on the move and you don\’t know where you might run out of juice.  Unless of course you have a battery light or SOC (state of charge) indicator on it.

Step 3 – Buy from a certified dealer or supplier.  Whatever the product is you will want to have a warranty serviceable should a problem ever arise with your battery charger.  BatteryPete offers numerous brands of 24v battery chargers from companies that have been in the business for decades.  Companies that do know what they are doing and sell only the best in battery charger technology. So do some research elsewhere if you must, then come back to Pete\’s shop and let him save you some money on that new 24 volt battery charger.  If you want to learn more about how to use your battery charger once you find it continue reading.