Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

[summerwind1991]

I am charging the batteries over this winter and not sure of the purpose of the different features on this Schumacher, battery charger. It has a 2amp and a10amp setting. Which setting should I use for a marine battery? It also has a manual setting, a conventional maintence and low automatic settings. Which do I use? Is this a trickle charger?

 

[drewpster]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

I have one that has 8 10 and 12 amp settings. Unless you have a deep cycle or gel cell battery, the setting should be be same for a conventional car battery. you can find instructions for using the different models here:

http://www.schumacherproducts.com/manuals

 

[summerwind1991]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

I have deep cylcle.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

If it has a "maintenance" setting use it. That's the "trickle" feature.

 

[summerwind1991]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

should I use 10 amp or 2 amp? and what is the difference.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

That battery charger is more than likely not a float charger and you shoould be using something completely different.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

If it has a "maintenance" setting it probably does a "float" charge. Use the 2A setting. The 10A setting would be used to fully charge a dead or very discharged battery. Some smaller batteries (like a yard tractor) should not be charged at a 10A so you would use the 2A setting in that example. Go to the web site and print a manual for your charger. We can't see it so we have no idea what you have and what its capabilities are.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

I don't have my charger's model number in front of me but it seems Schumacher is making a smarter charger these days. As I remember it, the model I have has a maintenance mode that is automatic. Once the charger goes through its charging cycle it then goes into a mode that will keep the battery at optimum. The includes a desulfation mode and a saturation mode every 21 days. I do not know if this typical of all Schumacher's models however. Refer to the website for more info.

P.S. I remember the Schumacher manual recommending the higher (10-12amp) setting for car type batterys and the lower setting for motorcycle type batterys. The is different from earlier chargers because of the newer "smart charging" and "float" profile of the charger. Again check the manuals on the website to be sure.

 

[imported_Curmudgeon]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

If you have lead-acid deep cycles, charge/maintain on 10 amp, "automatic", and "low maintenance". You'll see the needle bounce on zero when fully charged ... d

 

[Boatist]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

I have a couple of the older Schumacher charger. Ones I have have a switch for conventional / Manual / Maintenance free.

Conventional is a automatic setting for batteries with caps where you can add water. This setting will taper to 0 amps and will not over charge.

Manual is just that pure manual setting with no voltage regulation. This setting will over charge the battery if not watched closely.

Maintenance Free is also a automatic setting for maintenance free batteries. It charges to a slightly higher voltage then the conventional setting but will also taper to zero.

I use the convential automatic 10 amp setting all the time and it works great. If you have a sealed maintenance free battery then use the maintenance free automatic setting.

Unless your charging a lawn mower or motorcycle battery I would never use the 2 amp setting.

 

[summerwind1991]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

Thank you all! So forhe marine deep cycle EVERSTART charge at 10 amps. If I understand correctly the DC amperesmeter should read 0. I've tested with Ohmeter, should voltage be upwards of 13 when fulling charged? Thats what I am getting. Also, "the deep cycle maintence" setting is the same as that of a trickle charger on the Schumacher SE-50MA-2, I can hear the charger hum, then it shuts off, then hum shuts off periodically,

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Battery Charger 10amp and 2amp

You got it. When the ammeter says "0", that means little or no current is going to the battery so it has had its fill. You are correct on the maintenance issue.