charging lead battery question

oldtimer

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Messages
383
AC outlet with 120V
Car adapter with 12V

For a full charge, it needs 10 hours on AC. However, using a car adapter, it recommends that you charge it for a maximum of 7 hours. Why? (This is assuming that you'll have the car running so you won't drain batteries.)
 

jayflash

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 4, 2003
Messages
3,909
Location
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
The AC charger is limited by its small transformer - it's small to save manufacturing cost. The car charger has no transformer to limit the charging current.
 

AlexGT

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 15, 2001
Messages
3,651
Location
Houston, Texas
Next question, Which of the two methods (AC Vs. DC) will give a better charge of the battery? I mean, get the full rated AH capacity out of it?
 

Draco_Americanus

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
696
Location
Michigan
both are probly just as good. But IMHO a slower charge rate is less stressfull to the batteries so the AC charger would be the charger I would use most times unless I needed a quicker charge
 
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