Portable Battery Chargers for Cars & Trucks

Portable automotive battery chargers are needed in order to bring a battery with low voltage up to the proper power level so that it can be used to start your vehicle. This can be helpful when the alternator fails, a light or something else is left on inside the vehicle causing it to drain, or a battery has been sitting on a shelf for a while, requiring a charge before use.

Battery trickle chargers or maintainers keep your battery at full charge when not used daily or weekly. This allows a strong and reliable vehicle starting every time when you need it by keeping the battery at optimum and full charge.

An automotive battery charger works through the transfer and conversion of AC voltage from an electrical outlet in a home, garage, or workshop to DC voltage that a car or truck battery uses. Most car and truck battery chargers use clamp style cables that connect to the battery post or side terminals. Once charging begins, voltage is sent to the battery, which is then stored in its cells. Nearly all battery chargers have a fail-safe that prevents them from over-charging the battery. Once the battery is fully charged, the battery charger stops the charging process. Some chargers have a maintaining function, which monitors the battery voltage and automatically charges the battery to maintain the correct voltage level during periods where the battery or vehicle it's installed in is not used.

Depending on the charger brand and type, the steps to use a battery charger can vary. In most cases, the first step is to connect the charger to the battery with the clamp connectors (red attaching to the positive terminal and black to the negative terminal), similar to auto jumper cables. The charger is then plugged into the wall to begin charging. In some models, additional steps are necessary such as buttons to press or selecting the voltage to match the battery and the charging amperage you want to use.

If the portable battery charger for car and truck applications has a peak amp "jumpstart" or "battery booster" option, it only takes the time to connect the charger to the battery and turn the key. However, if the battery charger doesn't have a "jump start" option, the battery needs to be charged enough to be able to properly activate the engine starter. This amount of time depends on the voltage level in the battery. Charge time can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 48 hours, depending on the charger amperage being used and the battery voltage level. For jumping a vehicle quicker if your charger does not offer a jumpstart option, a power pack or battery pack can be very helpful in addition to a dedicated car jump starter portable option.

Depending on options, the price of battery chargers start at a little over $35 and extend to over $1,000 for a multiple battery charging station. The large variation includes options such as amperage and voltage selection, battery type, display (LCD or LED), and others.