A boat must be equipped with a battery to be able to navigate safely on the water. To supply electrical power to your boat’s battery, you need a reliable charger. If you want to invest in a quality boat battery charger, there are a few criteria to consider.
Power and endurance of the charger
One of the first factors to consider when choosing a boat battery charger is its power. It is essential to know this beforehand if you want to make the most of the reliability of your boat’s battery. You should therefore take between 10 and 20% of the capacity of the service battery to check the power of the charger.
Of course, you must not forget that your boat’s battery charger is fully exposed to water. It is therefore important that the battery charger you choose is able to withstand intense moisture. You must make sure that the product does not rust easily.
Specific charger features
There are also specific features that you should consider before buying a battery charger. In this regard, it is important to choose a charger that is compatible with all boat battery models. The number of outputs of the charger is an important element of this equipment. A boat battery charger can produce noise. But it is possible to choose quiet equipment to avoid disturbance on board your boat.
For the battery motor to work well, it is always desirable that the battery remains powerful. But without a good charger, it is impossible to enjoy such a privilege on the engine. So you have to be specific in checking your boat’s battery charger. You should check the waterproof rating of the charger, as well as its charging capacity. Especially in hot environments, it is essential to be specific on the latter point.
The different types of chargers for a boat battery
Before we start talking about the different types of boat battery chargers, you need to understand that there are several types of batteries. There are :
- The emergency battery which is suitable for storing emergency power for a boat;
- The starter battery, which is used to start the boat’s engine when the boat has to leave a location;
- The service battery which powers all elements of the boat.
For charger models, you can invest in :
- Portable equipment that can be stored in the boot of the boat and used at any time;
- Fixed equipment that is placed at the foot of the boat’s gunwale and can charge the battery of a sailboat.
As for the frequency of battery charging, the battery charger should be used when you return to the dock.
