Charging a deep-cycle battery is not as easy as charging a cell phone.
A starting battery has to provide a burst of current for a short period of time whereas a deep-cycle battery needs to provide a slow and steady current for a longer period of time.
Therefore, the way of charging a starting battery is different from the way of charging a deep cycle battery.
In this article, we will tell you how to charge a deep cycle battery and what should be the appropriate rate of charging for the same.
How Long Does It Take to Charge a Deep Cycle Battery at 2 Amps?
For the question to be answered, first let’s find out what does charging at 2 amps means.
A 2 amp charger delivers 2 amperes of current per hour to the battery. That means in one hour the battery will receive a charge of 2 amperes and in 10 hours, it will receive a charge of 20 amperes and so on.
So, if your battery has 48 amp hours, that simply means you need to charge your battery for a whole day (24 hours) in order to fully charge it.
A 2 amps charger takes a lot of time since it delivers a very small amount of current to the battery.
Hence, we suggest that if your battery is not completely drained and already has some charge in it, then you should go with a 2 amps charger.
Because it will help you to prevent overcharging which may cause a lot of internal damage to the battery cells.
How Long Does It Take to Charge a Deep Cycle Battery at 10 Amps?
A 10 amps charger does not take much time as compared to a 2 amps battery charger because it delivers a higher amount of current of 10 amperes within an hour.
Charging the battery at such a fast rate actually depletes and lower downs the functioning of the battery.
This helps rejuvenate the battery at a much faster and better rate.
And once the battery is around 50% charged, you can switch the battery with a 2 amps battery charger.
It just takes 4-5 hours to charge a battery to its maximum with a 10 amps charger.
But again, we would like to mention that always charging a battery at such a fast rate is always not the better option.
Does It Affect Quality?
Imagine you are eating your meal at a very higher speed than normal. What would happen to the functioning of your body? Won’t it affect your health in a certain way?
The same thing also happens with your battery if you charge it very extensively. Charging at a high speed heats up the battery and forces the electrolyte to release some gases that may actually create pressure in the cells. This pressure swollen the battery and also deteriorated its functioning.
So, yes. The kind and speed of the charger that you are using always define the quality and health of your battery. Make sure that you use the right kind of charger in order to enhance battery life.
Does It Affect the Warranty?
When you have a battery with a warranty, you always seem very careless with its usage and the way you charge it.
Because you already know that even if something happens, you will be able to get a new battery after claiming the warranty.
Hence, the way you charge your battery has a great impact on whether you will be able to claim the warranty or not.
So, is it better to charge a battery at 2 amps or 10 amps?
If you are charging a deep cycle battery at 2 amps, it will take about twice as long to charge the battery as if you were charging it at 10 amps.
The reason for this is that 10 amps are the nominal charging rate for a deep-cycle battery. The battery is able to accept higher rates of charge than this, but the actual charging rate is usually lower.
When you are charging a deep cycle battery at 2 amps, the actual charging rate is actually 7.5 amps. This means that the battery will be charged much more quickly than if you were charging it at 10 amps.
Ultimately, it is up to you to decide what amp level is best for your battery. Just be sure to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and make sure that your charger is compatible with the battery you are using.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my deep cycle battery for overnight charging?
Which one is a better way to charge a deep cycle battery – slow or fast?
Is it OK to run a deep cycle battery and a starting battery together in parallel?
For how long can a deep-cycle battery hold a charge?
Can I use a trickle charger to charge my deep-cycle battery?
Does a 2 amp charger is capable of overcharging the battery?
Final Words
Choosing an appropriate charger for your deep cycle battery is not everybody’s piece of cake.
We spent a lot of money on buying batteries and most of us end up losing our so much precious batteries because of unspecific ways of charging.
Therefore, one should always ensure that a deep cycle battery should be charged according to its amp hours and its capacity of taking up the charge.
