How to choose the right car battery charger

All happy car owners are definitely advised to have a battery charger, since the battery needs to be recharged periodically. In addition, there are often situations when the car is stationary for a long time. After that, charging is required to successfully start the motor. During the winter season, the need for a charger becomes even more urgent, since low temperatures stress the battery. So, if you bought a car, then you definitely need to buy a charger (charger). You will need it very soon. And we will help you to choose a charger for the battery.

Even before going to the store or visiting the online store to choose a charger, you should find out all the information about your battery. The type and characteristics of a car battery have a direct impact on the choice of charger.

As for the type of battery, there are basically three of them on the market:

The second thing to pay attention to is the nominal voltage of the battery. Almost all passenger cars have 12 volt batteries. Some models and special equipment have a nominal value of 24 volts.

Also find out the nominal capacity of your battery. This value will also be used when choosing a charger. Now you have on hand the type, voltage and capacity of the battery. Let's move on to choosing a charger for the battery.

Types of battery chargers

By purpose, memory devices can be divided into three main groups:

• chargers;
• starting and charging;
• launchers.

As it is easy to understand, charging and starting chargers are designed to charge the battery and start the engine, respectively. Start-up chargers are capable of performing both of these functions. Here you need to understand that in order to start the engine, starting and starting-chargers require a network connection. There is also a separate type of starting devices with their own rechargeable battery (usually lithium), which are called.

When choosing the type of device, you need to consider how you will use it. If your car is parked in a place where electricity is supplied, then you can take a starting-charger. Then, with a dead battery, it will be possible to start the engine. If you are going to use the device only for charging, then there is no point in overpaying.

You can also distinguish types of chargers for car batteries according to their design:

• Pulse;
• Transformer.

Impulse chargers are lightweight and lightweight. They include an inverter and short circuit protection. Transformer models are more cumbersome, since their design includes a rectifier and a transformer. Pulse memory devices are more modern, sophisticated and convenient. Despite the fact that they are more expensive than transformer ones, we recommend buying impulse models.

Main characteristics of chargers

Below we will consider the main characteristics of the memory, which you should pay attention to when choosing, and give the necessary explanations.

Modes of operation

To choose the right charger for your battery, at the beginning of the article we talked about figuring out the type of battery. For the most common WET models, all devices are suitable, but for AGM and GEL. But in advanced models, there should be special modes for charging. These batteries are very sensitive to overcharging voltage. If for WET batteries the voltage of 15 volts is not critical, then for gel batteries it can lead to irreversible changes. From the increased voltage, the gel or fiberglass will begin to peel off from the plates and the battery will lose its characteristics. In the worst case, the battery will swell and fail.

Pay attention to the presence of the Boost mode. It is designed for fast charging of the battery with increased current. Thanks to this mode, you can make the necessary charging and in 20 minutes.

It is also worth noting that there are devices on sale that allow you to charge several car batteries at once with a serial or parallel connection. But it can be rather useful for professional accumulators who charge the battery on a stream. For an ordinary car enthusiast, it makes no sense to overpay for such "chips".

Voltage supplied by the charger

The voltage that the charger gives out must correspond to the nominal voltage of the battery, which you should have found out before choosing. Almost all modern car battery chargers supply 12 volts. The second most popular charger with the ability to charge a battery with a nominal value of 24 volts. Less common are chargers that deliver 6 volts. This mode is useful when charging appropriate batteries for motorcycles, scooters, etc. Ideally, the charger should be able to manually set the voltage, but such models are rare.

Charging current

In order to choose the right charger for this parameter, at the beginning of the article we found out the nominal capacity of the battery. The charging current should not exceed 10 percent of the battery capacity. That is, common 55 Ah batteries for cars need to be charged with a current of no more than 5.5 amperes. The exception is the Boost mode mentioned above. But with him you need to know when to stop. Boost charge current should not exceed 30 percent of standard value. For the same 55 Ah battery, this maximum current in Boost mode should not be higher than 5.5 + 5.5 * 0.3 = 7.15 amperes.

Remember to charge with high current only in unusual situations where an urgent boost charge is required. This mode cannot be used permanently, as it reduces the battery life.

In this case, it is better to choose a starting-charger for a car battery with a margin for the output current, so that every time it did not work at the limit of its capabilities.

Ideally, the charger should be able to manually adjust the current. All other things being equal, we advise you to choose just such memory. Then, if necessary, it will be possible to charge the battery at low current. After all, most chargers automatically select the current themselves. But for a more complete and high-quality charging, it is better to conduct it with a low current at a constant voltage. It will take longer, but much better. If the battery is charged in this mode, then its plates will be much less susceptible to sulfation. Therefore, we can say with confidence that a charger with regulation of the charge current is the right choice.

Types of protection and safety

When buying a charger, ask the seller what types of protection this or that model has. All modern chargers must be protected against overheating, as well as incorrect connection of the device terminals to the battery terminals.

Some storage companies

Let's take a quick look at some of the popular charger manufacturers to help you make your choice. It's hard to say with certainty which car battery charger is the best of all the abundance on the market. But, considering the products of different manufacturers, you can find something optimal and make the right choice.

ZU "Caliber"

Let's start with Russian manufacturers. The domestic company "Kalibr" produces a fairly wide range of devices for charging car batteries at a reasonable price.

An example is the ZU-100. The device will cost about 3 thousand rubles. You can charge batteries with a capacity of 20 to 100 Ah and a nominal value of 12-24 volts. You can also note the ZUI-8, which will charge the battery in a fully automatic mode. The charger Caliber ZU-700 is suitable for charging powerful rechargeable batteries with a capacity of 92 to 250 Ah.

In the assortment of the company "Caliber" you can find professional models for use at service stations.

Sorokin chargers

Affordable battery chargers are sold by Sorokin. The tool under the Sorokin brand is designed in Russia and produced at domestic and foreign enterprises. As examples, you can see the chargers below with different characteristics:

According to the manufacturer's website, all these devices can be used to charge WET, AGM, GEL batteries.

Repeatedly we talked with you about all kinds of chargers for car batteries on a pulse basis, today is also no exception. And we will consider the design of an SMPS, which can have an output power of 350-600 watts, but this is not the limit, since the power, if desired, can be raised to 1300-1500 watts, therefore, on this basis, a starting and charging device can be built, because at a voltage of 12 -14 Volts from a 1500 watt unit can be removed up to 120 Amperes of current! well of course

The design attracted my attention a month ago, when I came across an article on one of the sites. The power regulator circuit seemed quite simple, so I decided to use this circuit for my design, which is very simple and does not require any adjustment. The circuit is designed for charging powerful acid batteries with a capacity of 40-100A / h, implemented on a pulse basis. The main, power part of our charger is a network switching power supply with a power

More recently, I decided to make several chargers for a car battery that I was going to sell on the local market. There were quite beautiful industrial buildings available, one had only to make a good filling and all the work. But then I ran into a number of problems, ranging from the power supply unit to the output voltage control unit. Went out and bought a good old Tashibra (Chinese brand) 105 watt electronic transformer and started reworking.

A fairly simple automatic-type charger can be implemented on the LM317 microcircuit, which is a linear voltage regulator with an adjustable output voltage. The microcircuit can also act as a current stabilizer.

A high-quality charger for a car battery can be purchased on the market for $ 50, and today I will tell you the easiest way to make such a charger with minimal expenditure of money, it is simple and even a novice radio amateur can make it.

The design of the simplest charger for car batteries can be realized in half an hour with minimal costs; below, the assembly process of such a charger will be described.

The article discusses a simple circuit design charger (charger) for batteries of various classes, designed to power the electrical networks of cars, motorcycles, flashlights, etc. The charger is easy to operate, does not require adjustments during battery charging, is not afraid of short circuits, and is easy and cheap to manufacture.

Recently, on the Internet, I came across a circuit of a powerful charger for car batteries with a current of up to 20A. In fact, this is a powerful regulated power supply assembled on only two transistors. The main advantage of the circuit is the minimum number of components used, but the components themselves are quite expensive, we are talking about transistors.

Naturally, everyone in the car has a cigarette lighter charger for all kinds of devices, a navigator, a phone, etc. The cigarette lighter is naturally not without dimensional, and even more so it is one (or rather, the cigarette lighter socket), and if there is also a person who smokes, then the cigarette lighter itself must be removed somewhere, and if you really need to connect something to the charging, then using the cigarette lighter for its intended purpose is simply impossible , you can decide to connect all kinds of tees with a socket like a cigarette lighter, but it's like that

Recently I got the idea to assemble a car charger based on cheap Chinese PSUs with a price of $ 5-10. In electronics stores, you can now find such blocks that are designed to power LED strips. Since such tapes are powered from 12 volts, therefore the output voltage of the power supply is also within 12 volts.

I present the design of a simple DC-DC converter that will allow you to charge a mobile phone, tablet computer or any other portable device from a 12 Volt vehicle electrical system. The heart of the circuit is the dedicated 34063api chip, designed specifically for this purpose.

After the article, a charger from an electronic transformer, I received a lot of letters to my email address, asking me to explain and tell you how to power up the circuit of an electronic transformer, and in order not to write to each user separately, I decided to print this article, where I will tell you about the main nodes that you need will be remodeled to increase the output power of the electronic transformer.

If such devices appeared on the scene about forty years ago, they would have been booed. Because everyone knew: a real charger is a heavy box with a huge transformer inside, all kinds of twists, a voltmeter and an ammeter outside. Everything else is not serious.

A modern charger is usually a pretty pretty automatic box with a minimum of controls. And even without them at all. At the same time, many for some reason are very similar to each other. But are they the same in work?

We tested eight devices taken for the test at two temperatures: -10 and +20 ºС. We must say right away that you should not believe the statements of individual manufacturers about performance in more severe frosts. Firstly, the intensity of the charging process in the cold drops very strongly: at -25 ºС the charging current of the 55th battery will be only 4–6% of the indicator at plus twenty-five. And attempts to raise the charge voltage are fraught with destruction of the active mass and corrosion of down conductors. Secondly, at lower temperatures, the insulation of the power wires of the presented devices hardens and breaks. Thirdly ... However, two reasons are quite enough.

We have summarized kilograms, millimeters and volts with amperes in a table, and supplemented the photo gallery with notes for each copy. In general, we can say that the devices honestly give out the declared charging programs. The reason for the nit-picking was the fuses instead of electronic protection, the absence of intelligible inscriptions on the case and the overpriced price against the background of the “colleagues” with approximately equal talents.

8th place

Sweden

Estimated price, rub. 4950 Looks very nice. Everything is intuitively clear, except for the term RECOND: you can't figure it out without instructions. However, you can do without this mode to restore discharged batteries. There are no complaints about automation and circuitry. In general, everything is fine, except for the price. Well, no gate!

7th place

Denmark

Estimated price, rub. 4200 We will immediately blame the absence of inscriptions in Russian. But there is a LED to illuminate the space. The whole process is automatic and does not require intervention. Charging through the cigarette lighter socket is provided. By the way, the product, if desired, can be hung on the wall. Not bad overall, but the price ruined everything.

6th place

Taiwan

Again, the Russian language was offended: all the inscriptions on the device are non-Nashen. However, there is nothing to read: I plugged it in and forgot it. There is protection against polarity reversal, arcing, overcharging and short circuit. But for the shameful unit of measurement of capacity "A / h" in the instructions, its authors should be ashamed. That's right: Ah!

5th place

, PRC

Estimated price, rub. 3000 There is a heavy transformer inside. Just do not believe the inscription on the box: the device is not a starter charger at all. Look at the thin wires with "crocodiles" - well, what a start with them! It is not for nothing that it is sold on the Internet as a regular charger. It works fine, but the fuse is not good. And it looks like someone has adapted a suitable case for a different filling.

4th place

, Russia

Estimated price, rub. 1070 The product is the most simple in appearance and technically uncomplicated. A fuse as protection against incorrect connection is not the most user-friendly solution. Recharge mode during storage is not provided. But, proceeding from the principle "it couldn't be simpler", many will be attracted by the complete absence of bells and whistles. The price, which is several times lower than that of the others, is also an important factor.

3rd place

, PRC

Estimated price, rub. 3220 Perhaps the most presentable view. At least put it under the tree! The pictograms are understandable and do not require translation. Cooperates with 6- and 12-volt batteries. "Crocodiles" look funny without wires: the consumer has to screw them on himself. There is a "hanger" on the wall for ease of use. But the fuse as "foolproof protection" is outdated and inconvenient.

2nd place

Universal charger device "Sorokin" 12.94, "Made for Russia"

Estimated price, rub. 2000 This cute, fool-proof device can work with both 12- and 6-volt batteries. The charge is carried out cyclically, in several stages, while the "desulfation" mode is provided for almost dead batteries. The set includes various connecting wires, including those for plugging into the cigarette lighter socket. In general, not bad.

1st place

Berkut Smart Power SP-8N, China

Estimated price, rub. 2650 The Chinese "Berkut" is quite familiar in Russia: even the inscriptions are made in Cyrillic. It's simple: turn it on and use it. There is protection, the current is solid, the automation works, the modes to choose from, the price is average, the look is modern. No comments, everything is fine.

Every car owner must take care of an uninterrupted, essential electrical component, without which starting the engine is not possible. Battery failure as a result of discharge is a fairly frequent occurrence, especially in winter, so the issue of purchasing funds that restore the functionality of the battery is especially relevant for cold regions.

The battery does not produce electricity, it only stores it and then gives it away. The battery is charged from the car's electric generator, but full charging is not achieved, therefore, after some time, the battery loses its charge, requiring the connection of external devices. When the temperature is above zero, the engine is able to start from a half-charged battery, but in winter the chances of starting are significantly reduced if the battery is not fully charged. Experienced motorists know how important it is to always have on hand a lifesaver against sudden battery discharge.

The car market offers an infinite number of all kinds of chargers of different quality and cost, but the choice of the device must be approached with all responsibility. It should be borne in mind that not every charge can fit the battery of your car, so it is important to know what type of battery the car is equipped with. The rating of chargers for car batteries in 2019 will help you navigate among the variety of types and manufacturers. Here are collected devices with different characteristics in a wide price range of domestic and foreign production.

Types of battery chargers

Among the range of car battery chargers, you can find items with additional options. In addition to the main function, they can perform many others, but the cost in this case will be an order of magnitude higher, therefore, before buying, you need to decide which of the add-ons will actually be used and whether the overpayment is worth it.

Chargers and starters for batteries are:

1. Pulse. The advantages of devices of this variety are compactness and low weight as well. They are more convenient to use, at a higher cost than transformer chargers, but later the purchase pays off. The principle of operation of pulsed devices is based on the creation of high-frequency currents, for which large dimensions are unnecessary.
2. Transformer devices are much more voluminous and it is inconvenient to have such a device with you at all times, they are usually used for stationary battery maintenance. The action of the device is to reduce the voltage by means of a standard conversion. Transformer chargers are considered reliable, easy to repair, but heavy.

When choosing the best charger for a car battery, you should carefully study the characteristics of the devices, weighing all the advantages and disadvantages. In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to the type and parameters of the battery, this information is contained in the vehicle passport.

Top 10 inverter chargers

Inverter (pulse) chargers are car chargers that restore the battery capacity in a fully automatic mode. This opportunity is provided by an intelligent microcontroller that can analyze all the most important parameters of a rechargeable battery and, depending on these indicators, independently select the required amperage and voltage at any given time. The user is not required to enter or change its settings during the operation of the device, while the inverter charger provides the most gentle charging conditions for the battery, which prolongs its service life. A distinctive feature of such devices is high functionality, provided by a large number of pre-configured parameters, as well as a high level of security. The main advantage of inverter devices is the protection of the battery from overcharging, which some types of auto-accumulators do not like very much.

The Korean charger can be called the undisputed leader in the rating in terms of the ratio of price and quality of charging. The best pulse-type car battery charger in its category provides 9 modes of operation:

• testing the battery for its condition and correct connection;
• desulfation;
• soft charging for heavily discharged batteries;
• main mode, providing up to 80% of the battery charge;
• absorption function, when charging is carried out at a constant voltage with a dynamically decreasing current;
• recovery function, used when charging highly discharged batteries with electrolyte stratification;
• analysis of the battery for the ability to hold a charge;
• full recharge (using minimum currents);
• the "impulse" function ensures that the maximum battery voltage is maintained in storage mode.

The device has protection against polarity reversal, overheating, overcharge and short circuit.

There is a protection system: from polarity reversal, overheating (overcharging) and short circuit. An added benefit is the three-year factory warranty. Knows how to work with six-volt batteries.

In addition to the affordable cost (about 2.0-2.1 thousand rubles), it is characterized by high functionality, including the ability to memorize settings.

The only drawback is the need for manual switching between 6/12 V modes - the model itself cannot distinguish between the nominal voltage of the battery.

The second place in the 2019 ranking of the best chargers for car batteries is taken by a professional model from a Swedish manufacturer. Pulse charging CTEK MXS 25 can only work with 12-volt batteries, but it supports batteries in a very wide range of capacities (40-500 Ah) at a maximum charge current of 25 A.

Despite such impressive parameters, the device is lightweight (less than 2 kg) and (235x65x130 mm). It is able to work with all types of lead-acid batteries (WET, MF), as well as with gel and AGM batteries.

MXS 25, like the previous model, is a multifunctional device with support for 8 modes, including Supply, which allows you to use the charger as a power source and disconnect the battery while maintaining the basic settings.

Among the important functions, it is worth noting the ability to diagnose a battery for its ability to accept a charge, as well as to hold it, the possibility of desulfation of plates, detailed prevention of battery.

CTEK MXS 25 advantages:

• powerful charger can be used for all types of batteries;
• full automation of the memory in all modes of operation;
• five-year manufacturer's warranty;
• the presence of the Supply function, which allows you to save the settings after disconnecting the battery;
• high level of protection (from moisture, mechanical damage, sparking, polarity reversal, short circuit, voltage drops, overcharge).

Unfortunately, there is also a drawback - the rather high cost of CTEK MXS 25 (about 35 thousand rubles).

The third place in the ranking of the best pulse chargers is occupied by another representative of the South Korean concern. This smart device has a good feature set and a high build quality. It can be used to recharge both six- and twelve-volt batteries, that is, it is a universal model.

The DW450 uses a proprietary microprocessor (upgraded ADC 12 Bit), which is able to assess the condition of the car battery and, based on this analysis, adjust the charging parameters, voltage and amperage, which optimizes the charging process and prolongs the battery life.

Works with all types of lead-acid auto-accumulators (WET / MF / GEL / AGM) with a capacity of 40-120 Ah.

Other advantages of the model:

• the presence of an informative digital display showing the charging process in real time:
• diagnostic function;
• "Winter" package that allows charging at low temperatures;
• protection against polarity reversal, short circuit, overheating, overcharge;
• budget cost (from 2200 rubles).

Unfortunately, there is no desulfation function for the plates, and a one-year manufacturer's warranty is not too much.

A product assembled in Germany, by definition, cannot be of poor quality.

So if you are interested in which charger for a car battery is better, and the cost factor is given a secondary role, we advise you to pay attention to this particular model. It costs about three times more expensive than its Korean counterparts, and this can be called the only significant drawback of the model.

AW05-1208 is a universal charger, for which it makes no difference what type of battery and what capacity to charge (within 10-160 Ah). True, it does not support six-volt batteries, but in all other respects the device is really good: it can charge slowly / quickly, test the connected battery and recover heavily discharged and sulfated batteries with stratified electrolyte. There is a charge support mode: if you are leaving somewhere for a long time and do not want to allow the battery to run out, leave the recharge on.

Advantages of the model:

• automatic determination of battery parameters (type, amount of charge, ability to hold it) and selection of the charging mode;
• excellent build quality and components;
• both network and interface cables are located on one side of the device, which does not cause any inconvenience in work;
• the delivery set includes a hook with which the charger can be hung from the wall.

The product of a well-known Italian company has closed the TOP-5 rating of automatic chargers for car batteries. Despite belonging to the middle price segment, this model managed to take a fairly high place due to the support of all types of batteries and high charge current. With the STAR SM150, you can recharge batteries with a capacity of up to 225 Ah, that is, even those used in commercial vehicles.

Such chargers are a frequent guest of companies with a large fleet of vehicles, they can be classified as semi-professional. Having a relatively small size and modern design, car recharging has extensive functionality, allowing you to reanimate hopeless batteries and work in low temperatures.

The device independently determines the operating modes depending on the parameters of the battery, using an intelligent microprocessor with built-in current and voltage sensors.

Note that the Deca STAR SM150 is manufactured at the San Marino plant, which guarantees high build quality and compliance. All stages of charging are indicated by LED indication, the lack of a display can be called the main disadvantage of the STAR SM150 (as well as the lack of support for 6-volt batteries).

This reliable universal charger combines affordable cost and European quality. The Latvian model opens the second half of the top 10 impulse chargers for car batteries. The only model in this review that provides charging for 24V car batteries, which allows the Vitals 2415ddca to be used for recharging the batteries of both passenger cars and trucks. The charging current can be selected manually, and switching within the range of 3-15 A is performed smoothly. It is possible to simultaneously charge two 12-volt batteries connected in series (important for heavy trucks equipped with two batteries). An intelligent microprocessor provides battery testing, selection of the optimal mode, monitoring of indicators and completion of recharging with automatic shutdown of the device.

The metal shock-resistant case will protect the charger from mechanical damage, the presence of forced ventilation eliminates overheating of the device.

Vitals 2415ddca fully complies with the EU standards of quality, safety and protection level, is able to restore the capacity of deeply discharged batteries.

Among the shortcomings, it is worth noting the bulky case and the inability to recharge old batteries.

The brand name clearly indicates high build quality, reliability and reliability of recharging, at the same time associated with the high cost of this brand's equipment. In this case, the cost cannot be called very high (6200-6500 rubles), but this is due to the relatively low level of charging current (the maximum value is 7 A). However, it is enough to recharge most car batteries.

Bosch C7 is one of the best car chargers due to its high level of safety and long resource. The intelligent microcontroller supports three operating modes of the model, which significantly expands the scope of its application (you can recharge a portable refrigerator, start the process of regenerating old batteries). The charger can work with all types of accumulators, including gel ones. It has a compact size and fairly large functionality.

Another budget storage device. So if you think that excellent quality and low cost are incompatible concepts, then this model will significantly reduce your level of skepticism. At a cost of about 4500 rubles, this device has impressive characteristics and extensive functionality - but what else is needed for successful promotion on the market?

The result was not long in coming: in 2016, the Einhell CC-BC 10M memory was recognized in Germany as the best in the category "Choice of the Year". Unfortunately, the popularity of the model is so high that it becomes more and more problematic to find it in domestic car dealerships.

Compact size and bright, stylish and fashionable design only add points to this high-quality device. The built-in microprocessor-based controller performs most of the operations in a fully automatic mode, from detecting the type of battery to turning off the device when 100% charge is reached.

The CC-BC 10M has all the features you need, from recovering heavily discharged car batteries to a cold weather package. There is also a continuous charging function, which allows you to leave the battery in the garage for an arbitrarily long time connected to the charger, without fear of overcharging.

Among the advantages of the model are the presence of an informative liquid crystal display, a convenient handle for carrying or using the device in a suspended state, a 6/12 V mode switch.

The only significant disadvantage is the lack of desulfation of the plates.

With an average cost of about 4,200 rubles, this model can be considered one of the most affordable in our review, so its inclusion in the list of the best automatic chargers for car batteries is not at all accidental.

The device is able to recharge the battery through the cigarette lighter without requiring a direct connection (but only if the cigarette lighter is connected directly to the battery, bypassing the generator circuit).

Another distinguishing characteristic of the charger is the use of the proprietary PulseTronic system, which realizes fully automatic operation of the device and allows the following functions to be implemented:

• full protection of all electronic circuits;
• non-sparking protection against polarity reversal and short circuit;
• strict control of the recharging process;
• reduced heating of the battery;
• increased battery life.

The usual recharging mode is supplemented by an accelerated one (Boost function), it is possible to switch the recharging of two truck batteries. There is a choice of one of three operating modes T-charge 12.

The model is able to restore the charge of too much discharged batteries.

The disadvantage of the model is a small charge current (5 A) and support for a battery with a capacity of no more than 70 Ah.

CTEK MXS 5.0

The Swedish company is the only one to have been included in the list of the best car chargers of two different models.

What helped MXS 5.0, which costs 12 thousand rubles, to gain a foothold in our top 10 impulse memory devices? With its compact dimensions, this recharge can restore even heavily discharged batteries. The Swedes, as you know, are obsessed with safety, therefore, this device implements all levels of protection, including the protection of the electronic components of the car. That is why this model is preferred by the owners of expensive foreign cars - they may not be afraid of the failure of their on-board computer and other electronic components while recharging the battery.

The microprocessor-based inverter provides 8 operating modes of the device, and the build quality is so high that the manufacturer provides a five-year warranty for its products.

The only drawback, apart from the high price, is the lack of a digital display.

Top 5 transformer chargers

The main difference between classic transformer charging and inverter analogs is the absence of a microcontroller. In other words, the process of restoring the battery capacity does not take place automatically. This means that the car owner must monitor the ammeter to stop the process as it completes. Transformer devices can have a current charge regulator, while all of them are characterized by large weight and dimensions, which is due to the use of a transformer-type current converter. Despite a number of the aforementioned disadvantages, this type of charging is still very popular. The reason is simple - low cost, simplicity and reliability of the design, high maintainability.

The 2019 rating of transformer-type chargers for car batteries is topped by a charger of Italian origin, which is very popular in the Old World. The charge current of this model, as the name implies, is 16 A, which is enough to recharge batteries with a capacity of 20-200 Ah. Weighing 4.5 kg. and decent dimensions The deck is very easy to maintain and unpretentious in operation. And although the charging mode must be set manually, it is not difficult, there is no need to be afraid of overcharging the battery, since the device is equipped with appropriate protection. It can be charged with cars, SUVs, minibuses and trucks, and it is possible to connect two paired 12-volt batteries.

Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the small length of the cable - 2 meters for a heavy device is often not enough.

In our rating of transformer chargers for car batteries, this is the only model with the ability to both charge the battery in normal and accelerated (Boost) modes, and start the power unit with a fully seated battery.

To provide this capability, the apparatus must be large and powerful. WDK Start620 is just that: at a charge current of 90 A, it provides a starting current of 560 A and a peak current of 620 A. The unit is capable of charging batteries of almost any capacity (up to 1000 Ah), and this is a record figure for our review.

Of course, the weight of the charger is appropriate - about 29 kg, it is possible to connect two 12-volt batteries. The high level of protection allows you not to worry about incorrect connection, as well as the risk of overcharging the battery.

In addition to its heavy weight (WeiderKraft WDK Start620 can hardly be attributed to mobile chargers), the device is characterized by a rather high cost (from 13 thousand rubles), but it can be used to restore the capacity of any of the most powerful lead-acid batteries.

The only Chinese charger included in the rating of chargers for car batteries - agree, in our time it is a rarity. However, we cannot say anything bad about this device, and the Forte company itself belongs to well-known manufacturers. The combination of budget cost (2200 rubles) with good functionality is the key to the popularity of the CB-15FP. In principle, it can do everything that is required from recharging of this type: there is a standard charging mode and Boost, it is possible to connect paired batteries from trucks, there is overcharge protection.

The maximum capacity of the battery for recharging is 135 Ah. The charging current is regulated in the range of 3.5-7.0 A. The front side of the device is made of shock-resistant plastic, the case is metal. The design is modern, the controls are simple and intuitive. You can monitor the recharging process using the built-in ammeter.

The weight of the model is relatively small for the transformer type - 5 kg., There is a convenient rubberized handle for carrying. The assembly is not bad, but clearly falls short of European standards.

The Taiwanese brand Garvin is well known to the Russian consumer. The company specializes in the manufacture of a wide range of power tools, including battery chargers. The Charge GE-CB220 is a solid midrange. At a cost of about 8,000 rubles, the device is able to restore the capacity of lead-acid batteries, including paired 24-volt ones. There is a normal and accelerated mode, the latter provides 2-3 times faster recharging, but it is not recommended to use it for completely discharged car batteries. The charger is adapted for Russian conditions (it can operate in frosts down to -40 ° C).

There is protection against overloads, overheating and short-circuit, the case is shock-resistant and wear-resistant. The model is worthy of being presented in the rating of chargers for car batteries, and if it were not for the high cost, the place would be higher.

Elitech UZ 20/12

The only domestic model in our review, and not the cheapest one. At a cost of 3,600 rubles, it charges lead-acid auto-accumulators with a capacity of 90-180 Ah, including 24-volt truck batteries. The charge current can take two values ​​- 7 or 12 A. It weighs just over 7 kg, which is quite acceptable for this class of chargers. The case is wear-resistant, the design is modern, there is a built-in ammeter to control the recharging process. There is protection against overheating and short circuits.

But we believe that it is better to pay in addition and purchase an inverter model, with which you will not have any unnecessary worries at all - you turned it on and left. In addition, the choice of such devices is much wider. Transformer models are gradually but inevitably disappearing from the shelves of car dealerships.