Charger for a Deep Cycle Battery

You will need to purchase a 3 stage charger. I use a 3.5A/hr charger, so that would take 15hours to charge it up from half capacity (for example). If that is OK for you then you can buy them for a good price from battery shops, Jaycar, dick Smith etc.

I run a similar setup to you with a 130A/hr battery and a 3.5A/h charger. The 4wd alternator does a good job of keeping charge in the battery, but the 3 stage charger brings it right up to fully charged before each trip.

Search the archives heaps of other thoughts on this exact topic.

Cheers,

Glenn.

I have a Kimberley Kamper - Came standard with Deep Cycle Gel Batteries and a Battery charger fitted - its a Xantrex TC10 - Microprocessor controlled with 3 step charging as referred to above. I have done some lengthy trips just using the Rotronics (in the car) to charge it for up to 5 to 7 days and then plugging in 240 volts when the opportunity presents. When we first got the setup, I used to run the Gen Set almost every night, but found that really not necessary. It runds a BIG Autofridge and lights - never had a problem

Tony

Go here Absorbed Power . Good gear and good to deal with.

Regards

Paul

After a Good Battery, Solar panel/reg, etc, try this on line site.
www.solaronline.com.au
They are in Sydney and give great advice over the phone, better than any shop I have been to.

Thanks everyone for your feedback and links to other sites and info.
I am now much better informed. 3 stage chargers are the go I believe.
I would have wasted my doe on one of those cheapy chargers and not got 100% out of the battery and due to being unable to fully charge, the battery would have started to lose capacity and die earlier.
Thanks again

Tony (Pedirka)
Sunny Qld

When comparing charger costs bear in mind that a genuine three-stage battery charger will bring a battery up close to 100% charge (from say 40%) in about half the time that a conventional charger will take to reach 70%.

Its hard to give absolutes but a good 7.5 amp three-stage charger is likely to do much the same as 20-amp chainstore device - excepting only the former will fully charge a conventional battery.
Collyn Rivers