What size battery charger do I Need?

The appropriate size battery charger has an output that ranges from around 10-20% of your battery's total Ah rating. For example, if you have a 110Ah battery, a charger ranging from 11 - 22A would be perfect. At this range, your charger doesn’t charge your battery too fast, preventing potential damage to your battery.

How do you calculate a battery charger size?

Charger size = battery voltage (Voltage of the charger) and the Charger Capacity (calculated above). For example, Bob has a 24V250Ah Lithium battery he would like to charge for 10 hours. Let’s take a look at how he would calculate his required charger size using the steps above. What can happen if I use the wrong size battery charger?

Are all lithium ion batteries compatible?

Li-ion batteries come in various voltages and chemistries—lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4), and lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) are some of the commonly used chemistries. While all of them are li-ion batteries, not all chargers are compatible with every type of battery.

How do I choose the right battery charger?

To choose the right charger, check the specifications of your battery to ensure that the charger you choose pairs well with the voltage and chemistry of your battery. Charging a battery with the wrong voltage or chemistry can cause permanent damage to the battery, reduce its capacity and lifespan, or even create a safety hazard.

What factors should you consider when buying a lithium ion battery?

Two primary factors to consider are voltage & chemistry and capacity and charging time. Li-ion batteries come in various voltages and chemistries—lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), lithium manganese oxide (LiMn2O4), and lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) are some of the commonly used chemistries.

How do you charge a lithium battery?

Use a dedicated Lithium charger like the OzCharge Pro Lithium series that charges to 14.4V and then turns off. Lithium batteries don’t like float charging. Use a charger that has an output amperage somewhere between 10% to 20% of the batteries rated capacity.