Like the others, the Optimate monitors voltages to prevent overcharging and will revert to maintenance mode once the battery is fully charged. You can read more about how to use a jump starter here. Lastly, increase the reach of the 12V charging input and output functions on the GB70 and GB150 with the XGC extension cables. It's also cited as working well in extreme temperatures -- both hot and cold. How to choose the correct battery charger - BatteryStuff.com The most obvious difference is the size of each ones battery capacity. Each light denotes 25% of the batteries capacity. Rugged rotationally-molded battery boxes for marine and deep cycle batteries, including group 4D, 8D, Dual 6V and more. Each unit features the same battery clamps color-coded: red is for positive terminals, and black is for negative terminals. Where the Optimate three stands out on this list is its ability to recover or desulfate severely discharged batteries (claimed to be able to recover batteries with voltage as low as 2V) with a seven-step recovery program. Just put the clamps on your battery and plug the Battery Tender in the wall; it will do the rest. It jump starts almost every type of vehicle and equipment, including semi-trucks, motorhomes, coaches, buses, mining, agricultural, construction, and vocational equipment. Jump-starting large sedans, SUVs, RV trucks, heavy-duty pickup trucks are its primary function. The front panel shows whether the power is on; an on/off power button; battery capacity indicator lights; a flashlight on/off button; a manual on/off mode switch; and a boost indicator. This charger carries a five-year limited warranty. The LCD screen keeps the user updated on the progress of the charging process, and the unit also offers an easy-to-select range of battery types from which to choose (it works on standard lead-acid, 12 V battery, deep-cycle, AGM battery types and more). Typically, this is a problem for automatic chargers, but the Genius1 has a "force mode" that allows it to function as a manual charger. Jump Starter. If your car, boats, motorcycles, and SUV dont require the extra power that the GB70 offers, you will not find a better jump starter pack than the GB50. NOCO Genius GENPRO10X3, 3-Bank, 30A (10A/Bank) Smart Marine Battery Charger ($34) NOCO Boost X GBX55 1750A 12V UltraSafe Portable Lithium Jump Starter, Car Battery Booster Pack ($45 off) NOCO . The flashlight comprises seven light modes with SOS and Emergency Strobe functions. Noco Genius 10-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger: Shop Now Read review 4. Its a glaringly obvious idea: instead of using a quick-connect and a wall-mounted charger to maintain a battery, why not mount the charger in the vehicle so it can plug in anywhere you go? The first difference between these three products is when they were released. Engineered for improved clamping range, clamping force, and higher conductivity. This system allows for continuous operation without user intervention, and zero risk of overcharging your battery. It uses alligator clips to attach to the battery terminals and features reverse polarity protection, meaning it wont turn on if you have the clips attached to the wrong terminal. NOCO Boost XL GB50 is slightly larger at 7.7 by 3.4 by 2.0, yet weighs slightly less at 2.45 lbs. The eight-stage LED charge indicator is CTEKs biggest selling point; you can tell at a distance whats going onvery useful in crowded garages. Powerful battery booster jump box for jump starting cars, boats, motorcycles and more. Charging power is traditionally measured in amps. Price alerts on for Battery Tender Plus battery charger, Price alerts on for NOCO Genius1 battery charger, Best car battery charger for long-term storage, Best car battery charger for dead batteries, Best car battery charger for fast charging, Price alerts on for Schumacher SC1325 battery charger, Price alerts on for CTEK 40-206 MXS 5.0 battery charger, You're receiving price alerts for Battery Tender Plus battery charger, You're receiving price alerts for Schumacher SC1325 battery charger, You're receiving price alerts for CTEK 40-206 MXS 5.0 battery charger. High-powered SUV? It is designed as a tool: when you need to tinker under the cars bonnet, or around your campsite. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. NOCO GENIUS GENIUS5, 5-Amp Fully-Automatic Smart Charger, 6V & 12V Most mechanics own something like this, but chances are you wont need anything close to the SC1309s level of capability. Waterproof connection, and I never have the charger and the GPS in use at the same time. The fuses must remain in place and the additional length must be added after the fuses. An advanced architecture that pushes the limits of power efficiency for incredibly compact size and unprecedented power. NOCO Genius GENPRO10X4, 4-Bank, 40A (10A/Bank) Smart Marine Battery Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here. Charge dead batteries - Charges dead batteries as low as 1-volt. AC Cable Size: 18 AWG Trickle chargers (also known as automatic or "smart" chargers) are able to gauge the level of charge your battery has and act appropriately, keeping it fully charged without overcharging it. By night, he's a battery blogger who creates useful content that cuts down on his reader's car repair costs. To recharge, the GB40 model takes 3 hours to recharge fully. The included clamps are high-quality and should fit most cars. The Battery Tender Junior comes with a five-year warranty and can be used with AGM, and Gel cell batteries. Charging the battery itself is a fairly simple job, but can also be potentially dangerous, so you'll need to make sure you're careful. Its a charger, maintainer, and desulfator. 3 years ago. Likewise, the spark-proof protection means these systems wont give off any sparks; the jump starter pack doesnt discharge power to improperly connected cables. His work has appeared in Bicycling, Cycle World, Road & Track, WIRED, Wheels Weekly, EVO Malaysia, Esquire, and many other publications. If you're worried about the cold of a garage affecting the battery's health (if you're storing a vehicle, such as an RV, for the winter), you can also detach the battery and leave it charging indoors -- but this presents risks of its own. 1. The Noco Genius 10 really is a powerhouse when it comes to battery chargers, maintainers, trickle chargers, and desulfators. The low power means its best suited to motorcycles, ATVs, and other vehicles that dont need a heavy charge. Read more:JNC660 vs. JNC770 vs. JNC950: Pick the right jump starter for your vehicles , Excellent blog post, lots of useful facts about jumpstartersI also want to add that you need to look at your car and compare the specs, e.g. Think of this 15-amp charger as a miniature version of the shop-grade Schumacher. Just charge your battery and switched the charger to recovery, it will bring the battery back to life. Your email address will not be published. Terms And Conditions. I have my GPS set up with the same terminal as the charger. This review will look at three battery chargers in the Noco Genius Range: Genius 2, Genius 5, and Genius 10. The Tecmate Optimate 3 is a robust smart charger with that touts itself as an all-in-one tool for battery testing, charging, recovering, and maintaining. Amazon Basics Battery Charger: Shop Now Read review 3. As an added bonus, it can also keep lithium-ion batteries in tip top shape. Noco Boost Plus GB40 1000 Amp 12-Volt UltraSafe . Unless you are a full-time truck driver, this product may be a little overkill for your vehicle. Dirty, corroded, or lubed connections can interfere with the connection. The GB40 can pack 1,000 amps; the GB50 1,500 amps; and the GB70 stores 2,000 amps of power. It charges and maintains batteries, with a trickle charge feature that keeps your battery charged over long periods of inactivity. Battery Tender Plus vs. Noco Genius2: Which is the best Trickle Charger? Technically, yes. The cables can melt when exposed to serious heat, so don't let them touch an exhaust pipe. All three battery chargers have the same Noco company style, with the Genius 2 and Genius 5 being almost identical. At 0.78 pounds, its even light enough for most race cars. This greatly increases the GB70s versatility and usability. (fits in most vehicles). We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. To reset the charger's memory, you'll first need to have the charger connected to a battery. These will get your vehicle started and back on the road. "A jump-start or using a fast charger on modern cars can fry all kinds of delicate electronics, and then you may be looking at some real money," says Arman. Both GB40 and GB70 were introduced way back in 2010, with a re-release in 2015. (It's also nice to know it will start without jumper cables.) While it has charging and maintenance modes that deliver 2 or 6 amps of power, it can also provide a boost of 40 amps to revive a battery, or -- if necessary -- a 250-amp jump-start that will get even large engines running again. DC Cable Size: 16 AWG If your charger has an adjustable amperage rate, you can determine how long it will take to fully charge. Maintenance and desulfation modes extend the useful life of your battery while ensuring it is always ready to go. For most small or medium car owners, the Genius 5 has enough power to charge and recondition your battery without breaking the bank. The GB50 sits in the middle of this line-up: it offers more features than the GB40 while packing nearly as much power as the GB70, but for a price that is closer to the GB40 than the GB70 models. To fully charge it will take less than 3 hours with that 12-volt/15A/36-Watt fast-charger. As pointed out above, they rate the GB40 for use with vehicles with gas engines less than 6.0-liters and 3.0-liters for diesel. Finally a charger from start to finish thats completely automatic. Lumen is the amount of visible light you get from a source, calculated in a specific unit of time. How KTM Revolutionized the Two-Stroke Engine, Memorial Day Deals on Auto Parts, Tires, and More, Robert Downey Jr. Is a Gearhead Just Like You, How Chevy Built Its New Corvette Z06 Engine, How To Get a Killer Deal on Your Next Car, The Best Car Cleaning Kits for a Perfect Paint Job, How to Remove Rust on Your Car Like a Pro, The Average Price of a New Car Finally Drops, All About the 17 Most Badass American Muscle Cars, Fueling Up With Cheap E15 Gas? Well, then the GB70 model cant be matched in terms of power, battery capacity, and features. NOCO is the first company to take a serious shot at it, however, and the Genius 2D is remarkably good at what it does. Our editors pick the products & services we write about. Some of these external battery chargers were tested directly in our shop under varying weather conditions; others were chosen based on reports from credentialed mechanics across the Midwest and also from published user feedback. Two LEDs on the front convey the chargers status. The GENIUS5 is a 6-volt and 12-volt battery charger, battery maintainer, and battery desulfator rated at 5-amps for lead-acid automotive, marine, and deep-cycle batteries, including flooded, gel, AGM, and maintenance-free, plus lithium-ion batteries. Since your personal situation dictates which battery charger is best for you, there is no single "best battery charger on the market." We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Any charger with 2 Amps or more should be able to be rotated around multiple vehicles. Dont expect a bargain here, but as previously noted, its very hard for a good charger to not be a net positive financial return over time, even when that charger costs close to a hundred dollars. But we will get to that later. The Battery Tender Plus is our pick for best overall battery charger. Yuasa does not recommend this charger for use with lithium-ion batteries. Genius clamps are built with needle-nose profiles for smaller terminal applications and detachable integrated eyelets for permanent mounting the accessory to battery. Meet the GENIUS5 - Similar to our G3500, just better. The three Genius models are all capable of charging 6V and 12V lead-acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'batteryglobe_com-box-4','ezslot_4',128,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-batteryglobe_com-box-4-0'); Lead-acid batteries can give off explosive gasses, so safety is essential. It should come as no surprise that an RV battery needs a charger that can handle deep-cycle batteries, which the CTEK 40-206 MXS 5.0 does (in addition to charging all types of lead-acid batteries). Line Voltage: 120V to 240V AC Weve touched upon the fact that the GB70 comes with a 12-volt/15A power out port for powering any 12-volt devices like tire inflators, inverters, and more. This is where you recharge your jump starter pack. The 16AWG D/C leads of this charger can be extended up to an additional 10' without modifying or moving the fuses. Safety is a priority in jump-starting car batteries. Arman has built fuel injection systems and wired countless cars, Thanks, Yuri! Fix is a television and radio host and auto columnist who has been featured on Forbes, Inside Edition and ABC.com. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. However, no matter what you choose, it will fall into one of the two major categories of battery chargers -- automatic and manual. Yes, all three of the Genius battery chargers on review will automatically switch into maintenance mode once your battery is fully charged. Add more ways to charge with GeniusPRO accessories. If you want a heavy-duty charger/jump-starter that's going to get you moving quickly should the need arise, this may be just right for you. Or use the all-new Force Mode that allows you to take control and manually begin charging dead batteries down to zero volts. That said, if you're looking to get moving quickly, you can't beat the SC1325 (also, it's got wheels, which makes the weight more manageable). Its also the form and function that will be most familiar to older or experienced users. Deltran's Battery Tender Plus ranks as our top overall car battery charger, but the company's Battery Tender Junior is the perfect choice if you're simply concerned about long-term battery storage. Once only one red battery light remains illuminated, will you need to recharge your NOCO Boost jump starter pack. In some hybrids, its a bit more complicated than that, but even a Prius needs a working 12-volt battery in good condition. Sited next to the battery capacity lights is an LED indicator for incorrect connection types. The Battery Tender Junior is Amazon's second-best-selling charger, with 4.7 out of 5 stars based on over 18,000 customer ratings. With that in mind, it is essential to buy the right one for your needs. Completely waterproof on-board smart battery chargers designed for harsh, marine conditions. JB: Yes, if the batteries are in reasonably decent condition. However, some automotive battery chargers are so large that they're better used in auto garages than in consumers' homes. When it comes to motorcycles, RVs, boats or any other vehicles that are likely to go long periods of time without use, though, drainage is a major concern.