The Best Deep Cycle Battery Chargers in 2023
Comparisons, Product Reviews, and Buying Guide
Battery chargers are essential for keeping your battery up and running when you need it Not all battery chargers are the same. A battery charger designed for one type of battery chemistry can't be used for other types of batteries. For example, best agm battery charger shouldn't be used with gel cell batteries.
A high capacity charger could shorten the life or outright kill a standard battery. This is why you need the best deep cycle battery charger for a deep cycle battery and the right type of battery charger for 12 volt house batteries.
Top 3 Best RV Battery Chargers - Comparison
Image | Name | Editor Rating | Price |
---|---|---|---|
4.7 out of 5 | |||
4.6 out of 5 | |||
4.5 out of 5 |
Here are Top 11 Best Deep Cycle Battery Charger Full Reviews
After doing a proper research the market and specific parts of the deep cycle battery chargers, We listed here "top 11 deep cycle battery chargers" what you can consider to purchase. We hope- you get honest reviews and win to choose one of them listed below_
01) NOCO Genius Model UltraSafe Smart Battery Charger
Editor Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
The NOCO Genius Model battery charger is on the cheap side. It can charge both 6 volt and 12 volt batteries and comes with a number of safety features.
This NOCO Model is spark-proof. It has reverse polarity and over-charge protection. Also, It lets you charge deep cycle batteries, standard lead acid batteries and AGM batteries.
You have to pay for its more expensive siblings to be able to charge lithium batteries. The battery charger is able to de-sulfate batteries.
That feature is not often found on battery chargers this cheap. However, that mode is only an option for 12 volt batteries. It is of average size and weight.
02) Battery Tender Plus 125 Amp Battery Charger
Editor Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
The Tender Plus batter charger is safe to leave connected to your battery to keep it at optimal charge for an extended period of time. It is smart enough to determine how to adjust the trickle charge as the temperatures outside change.
This tender plus charges batteries somewhat slowly; it puts out around 3 amps. It comes with clamps, but they're sometimes a challenge to get into place.
The ten year warranty is pretty much a myth. It is almost impossible to get the unit repaired under warranty. They charge you shipping in all cases, and they often charge you an evaluation fee for finding out what is wrong with it And that's assuming you can get a hold of them to find out how to send it back in the first place.
In reality, you have a 90 day warranty at which point they'll replace it if it fails and can't blame it on you. The battery indicator lights are useless, a direct red/green notification that may give you green when it is barely charged. You could get a green "good° light and the battery still can't start the motor.
03) OptiMATE 6 Ampmatic Battery Saving / Battery Charger
Editor Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
This battery charger is usable as both a battery charger and battery maintainer. It is intended to charge only 12 volt batteries. Conversely, it can charge standard 12 volt batteries, gel batteries and AGM batteries.
It is smart enough to recognize when the battery is sulfated and dead, so it won't overcharge a dead battery and cause it to explode. It has a desulphation mode, as well This unit costs more than average.
However, it can accept any power input from 100 volts to 240 volts, 50 Hz to 60 Hz. It is larger and heavier than average.
The instruction manual that comes with the unit is nearly indecipherable. Getting customer service for this product can be a challenge.
04) SAmp Car Battery Charger for AGM GEL Lead-Acid Batteries
Editor Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
One of the points in favor of this model is that it can charge nearly everything. It can be used with lead acid batteries, AGM batteries, gel batteries, and SLA batteries.
This is the best RV battery charger, It comes with all the hardware you need to hook it up. This battery charger won't let you accidentally burn it up by accidentally reversing the clips. It has a basic battery level indicator.
The battery charger is nearly water proof and dust-proof. You can use it outdoors, but it shouldn't be immersed in water.
In theory, it will work in the pouring rain. It has basic over-current protection and short-circuit protection.
05) BLACK+DECKER BDCAC202B 20V Lithium 2 Amp Charger
Editor Rating: 4.8 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
This battery charger by Black and Decker stands out for its low price. It is good for both 6 volt and 12 volt batteries. Better yet, it can charge AGM, gel and standard wet batteries.
However, it is mostly to be used for maintaining charge. Don't use this to try to recharge a nearly dead battery.
This battery charger is easy to use, since it comes with 0-rings, battery clips and other hardware. And it comes with a mounting bracket so you can position it properly and leave it for hours.
On the plus side, this is perhaps the only battery charger on this list that comes with a DC plug so you can charge and maintain the battery from inside your vehicle. It is a little heavier than average.
However, it is compact. If the unit you receive turns out to be bad, getting customer service and/or a refund is almost impossible.
06) Schumacher SC-1200A Fully Automatic Battery Charger
Editor Rating: 4.6 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
The Schumacher automatic battery charger is average in terms of price. You can sometimes find it at a better price on sale. This battery charger can charge both 6 volt and 12 volt batteries. It can automatically detect the type of battery it is charging.
This charger has modes for rather rapid charging and slow charging. It can also be used to maintain battery charge. However, it doesn't perform this function very well. For example, it can only maintain a battery if the battery isn't being drained by anything.
The Schumacher will charge batteries but may only do so to 95%. It has an indicator to warn you if you've hooked it up incorrectly. However, it can overcharge batteries and may °cook° them in the process. The company has decent customer service.
07) BatteryMinder AMP Battery Charger-Maintainer-Desulfator
Editor Rating: 4.7 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
This combination battery charger / battery minder is at the expensive end. Part of the reason is the fact that it has the mode that lets you de-sulfate the battery, extending its operating life. It can reverse sulfation, a major case of battery failure.
This battery charger is smart enough to adjust its charging level to the battery discharge level due to the current temperature.
The battery charger can be set to charge slowly or maintain charge at 2 amps, slowly charge at 4 amps or charge relatively quickly at 8 amps. You should use the 4 amp setting when charging multiple batteries or a single deep cycle battery.
If you have a battery bank that needs to be charged, this is the best deep cycle battery charger for you It can maintain up to eight batteries at the same time This does require Y-connectors that are sold separately.
Another benefit of this battery charger is that it can use almost any source of incoming power. It can accept power between 90 volts and 240 volts and alternating currents at frequencies between 47 Hz and 63 Hz. You can literally use it anywhere on the planet. The charger itself is quite energy efficient, and it is legal to buy in California.
08) Energizer ENC2A 2 Amp Battery Charge, Maintainer
Editor Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
This battery charger stands out for its price — it is one of the cheapest smart battery chargers on the list. It is smart enough to switch from charging mode to float mode so it doesn't over-charge the battery. The battery charger is easy to attach to the battery. It comes with both 0-ring terminals and battery clips.
This is a slow battery charger; it generates 2 amps, enough to slowly charge a battery overnight in most caes. Conversely, it can be used as a battery maintainer.
This battery charger can be used with both 6 volt and 12 volt batteries. It is specifically for wet lead-acid batteries, but you can use it on a wide array of batteries. You can use it for lawn mower batteries, RV batteries, motorcycle batteries and even classic car batteries.
It has a five year warranty. Be careful of where you get the battery charger, since the warranty may not apply if you buy it through third party websites. The battery charger is somewhat light and compact.
09) CTEK 56-864 Fully Automatic 8 Step Battery Charger
Editor Rating: 4.8
Price: Check on Amazon
This battery charger is middle of the pack in terms of price. One of the benefits it brings is a variety of charging modes so it can keep things fully charged, maintain batteries and give your battery the longest possible operating life.
This battery charger resists both water and dust. The safety factor is heightened by the reverse polarity protection, the system that can't short circuit and the fact that it is easy to use.
One unique benefit of this model is the exceptionally wide operating temperature range. It will work whether you're in the hot desert sun or Arctic wastes. This battery charger generates rather clean power.
The current won't vary very much. When the current does vary or "ripple., it will age the positive battery electrode and could continue on to damage sensitive electronics in the car. It is rather lightweight for this type of product.
10) Guest ChargePro On-Board Waterproof Battery Chargers
Editor Rating: 4.8 out of 5
Price: Check on Amazon
The deep cycle battery charger is suitable for flooded, gel and AGM batteries. It has an advanced microprocessor to provide accurate level of charge. This battery charger is water-proof, perfect for taking in any type of environment.
You do pay more for this feature. This battery charger can accept both 120 volts and 230 volts; you can use nearly any type of power source to charge your battery with this battery charger.
One issue with this product is the fact that the manufacturer makes it almost impossible to get service or a replacement if the charger you bought was defective. They'll even make you jump through hurdles if they help you at all if the battery charger was professionally installed. It's another best RV battery charger what we recommend for you.
11) BMK Brand 12V 5A Smart Battery Charger / Portable Battery Maintainer
Editor Rating: 4.4/5
Price: Check on Amazon
The BMK portable battery charger can go anywhere you want to go. It is water-proof since it is designed for use on boats, so you know it will work just fine in the pouring rain or dust storm.
This model can charge batteries anywhere between 15 amp hours and 100 amp hours, though a higher Ah rating requires more time. It has four stage smart charging, and it stops as soon as the battery is charged.
This will extend the life of your RV battery. The built-in LED indicator tells you what state the battery is in before you remove it, so you won’t disconnect the charger too soon.
While we’re listing this as an RV battery charger, we need to add that it can recharge almost any battery. It could recharge boat batteries, lawn mowers, electric tools and even your electric vehicle batteries.
Since the battery charger weighs barely over a pound, you can even take it with you as an emergency battery charger for any other compatible battery.
Multiple built-in protective
This model has multiple built-in protective measures. It has reverse polarity protection, short circuit protection, over-voltage protection and over-current protection. It also has overload protections.
It uses constant pulse current during battery maintenance mode to avoid both overcharging and discharging the battery. The manufacturer fully loads the battery chargers and does burn-in testing so you know it won’t burn out after the first couple of uses.
One of the downsides of the unit is that it has a higher than average failure rate after several months of use. It will almost certainly work out of the box, but it may stop working after two months of continual use.
An occasional issue is when it gets stuck on; this can melt the battery as it overcharges, because there is no thermal protection on the device. Check how hot it is to avoid this from happening to you.
What is the Best Deep Cycle Battery Charger?
A deep cycle battery charger is simply a charger designed for deep cycle batteries. They have thicker plates than the standard flooded lead acid battery, and the plates are usually solid instead of spongy. All Deep cycle battery chargers are designed to charge these batteries as quickly as possible.
The Different Types of Deep Cycle Chargers
A standard battery charger charges the battery to nearly full, and the simplest ones could over-charge a battery because it is akin to pouring water into a glass until it is full and continuing to do so even if it overflows. Deep cycle chargers are designed to charge deep cycle batteries, quickly charging these batteries though they may be 80% discharged.
More advanced deep cycle battery chargers can monitor the battery's energy level. It recognizes when the battery is 80% to 90% full and than drops off the energy flow to ensure that the battery isn't overcharged.
Automatic chargers automatically switch to a float-mode with monitoring, automatically charging the battery as required, though they cannot be used indefinitely.
What to Consider before Purchasing the Right Charger?
Deep cycle batteries are able to deliver a long, strong charge until they are almost dissipated. This is a sharp contrast to deep cycle batteries designed to deliver short, high-current bursts to crank engines. Deep cycle battery chargers exist to fully recharge deep cycle batteries. Let’s learn what you should consider before purchasing a deep cycle battery charger.
01. AMP Capacity
Know how many amp hours of energy your battery can store. Then choose a battery charger that can recharge the battery in a reasonable period of time. For example, a 10 amp charger will take five hours to recharge a 50 amp hour battery. You want to choose a battery charger that won’t make you wait all day to recharge the battery without the risk of accidentally blowing up the battery.
This is especially true when buying a deep cycle battery charger.
02. Voltage Selection
A battery charger must be able to match the voltage of the battery. House batteries in an RV are often 12 volt, whereas marine or boat batteries are 24 volts. The higher the power, the larger the charger has to be.
Gel batteries are rated for 14 volts when you’re charging. You want to be able to choose the voltage the battery charger uses so that you can fully and quickly charge the battery of your choice.
03. Smart Technology
Smart technology often gives you plug'n run capability. Smart chargers can often control the power sent to the battery based on the battery’s needs. For example, it typically has a bulk charge mode that pours power into the battery. Then it slows down to a “trickle” charge that will top off the battery without the risk of over-charging it.
Some battery chargers have a maintenance mode that will maximize the battery’s charge, recharging it at the same rate it dissipates. This ensures that the battery has its maximum power capacity when you pull it out to use it.
This can also improve the battery life, since you aren’t letting it full discharge. If batteries fully discharge and stay discharged, they can lose their ability to be fully recharged.
04. Temperature Sensor
What is the importance of temperature sensors in battery chargers? The best battery chargers will have temperature sensors both built into themselves and the cables that connect to the battery. And it will automatically turn off if it or the battery are overheating.
This will protect you from an exploding battery, whether the battery is too hot to safely charge or an electrical short inside the battery charger is creating a fire hazard.
05. Works with a variety of battery types
You can buy a smart deep cycle battery charger that can recharge your starter batteries and RV house batteries. They can recharge a row of rechargeable batteries you can plug into various handheld devices and recharge your smart devices like cell phones, though this should ideally be done with an inverter or other protective system between the battery charger and your sensitive electronics.
Marine batteries are somewhere between deep cycle batteries and starter batteries, since they’re used to start and then power motors and electronics. This will let you recharge a marine battery or car starter battery, whatever is required.
Another factor to consider is the battery type. For example, some chargers work with all types of batteries except AGM batteries. On the other hand, some gel cell battery chargers work well with all other battery types.
However, battery chargers that can handle maintenance free lead acid cell batteries will support VRLA batteries and conventional wet cell batteries. Be sure that battery chargers can support lithium ion batteries before you connect it.
06. FCC CERTIFIED
FCC battery chargers can recharge your batteries without putting out electromagnetic interference that can interfere in the wireless connections of other devices. This interference can affect basic wireless phones connected to base stations, gaming systems with wireless controllers and wifi internet connections.
In other cases, it puts out enough electromagnetic interference that it will create static on AM/FM radios. A battery charger that relies on connecting cables to connect to batteries and electrical systems rarely requires FCC certification.
07. Charging Steps
The best RV battery charger has multiple charging steps. For example, your battery life is maximized if you can slowly charge the battery to its full capacity over three to four hours and then trickle charge it.
However, sometimes you don’t have time to wait for that, such as when you realize that the battery is fully dissipated. There are some battery chargers that have a fast charge option. It will quickly charge the battery to 60 to 80 percent of its full capacity.
The simplest battery chargers have one or two “steps”, one or two speeds they can work like fast and slow charging. Steps three and four are additional charging capabilities like trickle charging and desulfurization.
Desulfation may also be considered a separate feature / function.
08. Rugged and Waterproof
Batteries themselves range from water-proof to something that needs to be protected from the elements. Battery chargers themselves range from devices you could leave on the battery in the pouring rain to things you should only use when carefully protected.
Batteries range from items that will be ruined if you drop them to batteries you can put in the back of an ATV and take for a wild ride. And there are battery chargers that are designed to handle the accompanying abuse. If you want to have a rugged battery charger that is hard to break, prioritize one that is rugged.
If you’re going to be using the battery charger outdoors or in a marine environment, choose one that is waterproof. Note that not every battery charger that is waterproof is rugged and vice versa.
09. Automatic Desulfator
Desulfation is the process of breaking down lead sulfate crystals that build up on battery plates. Desulfation by a battery charger will improve the battery’s energy storage capacity. This mode typically pulses a higher voltage into the battery to dissolve the sulfuric acid crystals.
If you own a battery charger capable of doing this, you can maximize the battery life of lead acid batteries assuming it is otherwise maintained.
10. Price/Cost
Price or total cost is one of the least important factors when you're buying a battery charger. Don't buy the cheapest option when you have to buy additional safety equipment.
Don't buy a cheap unit that has a short life or lacks features you need.
11. Warranty
Battery warranties range from three months to three years. Battery chargers have equally variable warranties. Note that some battery chargers will have their warranty tied to its age, while others will be based on the number of uses. That means an unused battery charger may not be returnable even if you never used it, and the warranty may not be available if you bought it from an online vendor who kept it in inventory too long.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
01. How long will it take to charge?
The charge time depends on the amperage of the charger you're using and the battery charge level. In general, the charging process is faster with a high amp charger than a low amp charger.
A forty amp charger could recharge a depleted car battery or another starter battery to the point you can start the motor in a few minutes.
If you have a two amp charger, you may barely be able to maintain the charge of a bank of batteries and won't be able to power it up.
If you have a single deep cycle car battery or toy battery, a two amp charger like a trickle charger could charge it up to twenty-four hours.
At four amps, that same process takes about twelve hours.
02. Do I need to cycle my battery?
In general, charging up a battery and then using it up as a charge cycle. Charge cycles are used as a measure of the battery's expected life, since many batteries are only rated for so many charge cycle. However, this number may be in the hundreds or the thousands. Power cycling as a way of maintaining the battery can take two forms.
One is fully charging the battery, disconnecting it, letting it drain, and then completely recharging it This process ensures that the battery's chemical memory remains at 100%. This is in contrast to using a battery to 80% or 50% of its capacity, again and again, and it chemically setting such that it can only recharge to that threshold.
One different form of the battery cycling
A different form of battery cycling you should do to maintain the battery is de-sulfation. This process typically runs a much higher voltage level into the battery so that the lead sulfate layer that's formed on the plates is reabsorbed.
Some battery "re-conditioners° use a very short pulse at high voltage to reverse the crystallization process, but this can damage the plates of a wet battery. The best deep cycle battery chargers have a separate mode that you should use every 10 to 40 days (depending on battery usage and environmental conditions) to de-sulfate the battery to maximize its operating life
03. What is the maximum charge for a 12-volt battery?
The average 12 volt battery actually has a voltage of around 126 volts when fully charged. When discharging, the voltage could drop as low as 10 volts. When the battery is charging, voltage could reach 15 volts, but those voltage levels for an extended period of time will damage the battery. A reading of 13.3 volts would be high unless this reading was taken right after charging. Resting volts should be 127 volts, at most.
04. Can trickle chargers damage battery?
If you leave a battery connected to a trickle charger, it may overcharge the battery. The odds of this are reduced if the trickle charger automatically switches to "float-mode when the battery is fully charged. If the trickle charger lacks this feature, you'll likely overcharge and damage the battery.
However, you should not leave a trickle charger permanently connected to a battery in storage. And using the wrong type of trickle charger always risks the battery, such as using a charger for deep cycle batteries on lithium batteries
05. How many amps are in a fast charger?
Your smart phone charger will generate about one amp of current, while quick charging will generate around two amps. A fast charger for 12 volt batteries could generate anywhere from six to ten amps. A few 20 amp charge rates are available, and these are popular with recharging starter batteries.
06. Can I use a charger with higher amperage?
If the voltage generated by a charger is too high, you'll kill the battery. This means any device you select needs to be designed to charge the device you're trying to charge first and foremost, regardless of the amps it puts out The amperage the charger needs to put out must meet or exceed the amperage required by any device battery you're charging. Beyond that, you can use any charger assuming it can deliver the power at a rate that doesn't overload the battery.
07. What does STD AGM and gel mean on a battery charger?
AGM stands for absorbed glass mat, a type of lead-acid battery. Gel batteries are different from standard batteries, often labeled STD. Most chargers are designed for one or two types of batteries.
A battery charger that says STD AGM and gel on the top is safe for all of these types of batteries. Always check the types of batteries the charger says it can handle before you use it
08.Can you use a regular charger on a gel battery?
Not all battery chargers can be used on a gel battery. Just because a charger has a gel or AGM battery, it may not be suitable to use on a true gel battery. If you use a regular battery charger on a gel battery, it may not fully charge the battery.
09. Do I need a special charger for my OPTIMA brand battery?
Use a battery charger that explicitly states it can charge AGM batteries before you use it to charge the average Optima brand battery. However, even battery chargers rated to charge AGM batteries may not recharge a deeply discharged Optima brand battery. The best for an Optima battery is a charger designed for that type of Optima battery.
10. What is a float charge on a battery?
Float charge is the low level of charge given when necessary as the battery discharges. Hence, it is °floating'', slowly allowed to flow into the battery to top it off and help it fill up. The floating charge mode is only practical on smart batteries that can actually detect the charge level and then feed the right level.
Final Verdict
Choose a deep-cycle battery charger that balances function and features with price. Then you’ll get the right battery charger for both your current battery and everything else you own.
Also, we shared our good and bad knowledges to support you the right way for showing the perfect RV charger. Hope, you'll consider above explained metrics before purchase. Good luck...