The best trickle charger and maintainer is a useful tool for drivers to feed their vehicles’ batteries and keep them loaded around the clock. The latter is crucial when the car is not in use for several days and longer. These appliances are necessary to prevent seasonal vehicles and garden mini-machinery batteries from dying. The items listed below allow the user to select an appropriate model depending on whether the battery needs to be maintained or if the user has enough time to complete the slow feeding process. The information below is useful for those seeking devices to revive dead batteries.
All the items in the post feature smart charging, meaning the opportunity to leave them hooked up to the battery for any time without a risk of an excess charge. Stay tuned to pick up the right trickle battery charger to keep your battery healthy.
Trickle Charger Reviews
BLACK+DECKER BM3B – best trickle charger
This appliance could be rated as the best battery trickle charger and maintainer among compact models to feed WET, AGM, and GEL batteries in automatic mode. The unit defines voltage between 12.6V and 13.2V, subject to a battery’s specs. Without overcharging the device, it can be left connected to a battery for months.
The Black and Decker trickle charger has a peak current flow of 1.5A. The battery’s Ampere-hour determines how long the unit will top off the battery. Is it possible to reveal the issue beforehand? I just divide the number of Ampere-hour by the unit’s current to calculate the right time. For example, a 50Ah battery requires 33.3 hours and even more, considering a typical 20% loss of power during the load. So, it would be more sensible to use the appliance for small batteries in lawn mowers, motorcycles, or jet skis. The item seizes the moment when the battery has the allowed maximum of current. It is capable of sending voltage via a car cigarette lighter if the latter is always on, even when a vehicle is off and the keys are removed.
The trickle charger for cars and vessels is designed in a robust casing. It is made with 2 pairs of non-removable cables. One of them has plier style crocodile clips on the ends while the other – O-ring connectors. Two indicators on the front panel show the charging process and the fully fed battery. Red light starts flashing in the case of a wrong connection. Toggling between 6V and 12V is possible with the large red switcher.
Pros
- This model has inline brackets to mount it on the wall.
- The cables are flexible and robust at the same time.
Cons
- It lacks water-resistance.
- This item cannot feed batteries below 3V.
NOCO GENIUS1 – best trickle charger for riding lawn mower
Searching for the best battery trickle charger, remember to check the energy-efficient NOCO GENIUS1, 1-amp appliance for batteries with a capacity up to 30Ah. It’s compatible with cars, ATVs, bikes, golf carts, RVs, and various generators. It is compatible with WET, AGM, GEL, and lithium batteries and offers multi-functional protection against any errors and malfunctions between the battery and clamps/O-ring connectors.
The unit operates in four stages, making the start impulse, providing constant current, voltage regulation, and float (maintenance) mode. It’s possible to top off and keep the current in a couple or even three batteries in parallel. It takes much time, making this method more relevant to untapped batteries. This model removes sulfites from the batteries automatically and regulates the charging algorithm subject to the temperature outside or indoors.
The trickle charger for a car battery features a long power cord of 7 feet. It comes with clamps and eyelet harness. There is a single button to choose the charging mode on the front panel. For instance, to activate an advanced mode for feeding near-dead batteries, press and hold the button for a few seconds. One can learn about how to choose the relevant configuration from the manual. The LED indicator shows the status: it flashes red when the battery is empty and switches to green when it is already full.
Pros
- The unit can be paired with X-Connect parts.
- If a blackout happens, the appliance picks up where it left off once the electricity comes on again.
- The unit is not vulnerable to impact and moisture.
Cons
- The appliance doesn’t have the repair and supply configuration for 12-volt batteries.
- It’s not powerful enough to revive completely empty batteries. A device with higher amperage is necessary for this purpose.
Foval BC01B-1
The 12-volt trickle charger with 1A of current flow and a 4-stage charging process works well with all the batteries in motor vehicles, watercraft, ATVs, RVs, lawn mowers, and golf carts. The appliance boasts the Infinite Sequential Monitoring tech, adapting the operation hundreds of times for a second, based on the battery’s feedback.
Because the unit is not waterproof, it is vital that it be kept dry. Still, it has all the necessary protection against reverse polarity, sparks, overloads, and short circuits for trouble-free use. Besides, it switches to a maintaining mode once the voltage is already high enough.
The car trickle charger is engineered with both clips and O-ring harness. Yellow, red and green sensors in the lower-left corner show battery feedback and diagnostic data. If any of them blinks, it means the error or damage, so the appliance stops the operation until the error is rectified.
Pros
- It has an 8-feet power cord.
- It’s possible to attach and detach the harness at short notice.
Cons
- The clamps’ jaws lack a rubberized or plastic cover, resulting in insufficient isolation. Furthermore, they are fragile and do not hold well.
- It lacks thermal compensation.
MOTOPOWER MP00205A
Those looking for the best trickle charger for a car in the 12-volt range may consider this model. This model copes with automotive, motorbike, and vessel batteries up to 800Ah and has multi-level protection from sparks, overloads, faulty wiring, and short circuits. Moreover, it saves power by preventing the battery from drawing when it is not loaded.
The device recovers dead batteries by giving them an impulse of 0.5A of current flow. It also keeps the battery maintained at the level of 13.2V. The appliance gets sulfates off in the repair mode. UL standards, BC standard, CE, and RoHS certificates are only a few of the worldwide certifications that verify its safety in use. There is no problem to use the appliance and leave it connected when the weather is cold. Still, it would be wiser to avoid feeding lithium batteries when the temperature is below zero.
The appliance has eyelet connectors and fully isolated clamps. This model features an understandable front panel with three indicators to show the operational process and basic information about the item. The user can disconnect the item once the green LED starts blinking since it notifies the full battery. However, I’d recommend leaving it hooked up until the green light stops flashing to ensure a longer battery service life.
Pros
- The small alligator clips fit down into the battery space. Their jaws are wide enough to clamp the battery terminals.
- It loads small boat batteries just in three hours.
Cons
- The unit feeds relatively powerful batteries slowly. For instance, it takes over 15 hours to top off the car battery.
- The device is getting very hot while working when the temperature is above 900F.
Mroinge MBC010
This model could become the best trickle charger for car battery among the 12-volt 1-amp versatile devices suitable for PWCs, boats, motor vehicles, lawn mowers’ batteries of all types (except for the 12-volt lithium LiFePO4 one). I’ve noticed that output voltage doesn’t exceed 14.5V, meaning an acceptable threshold for AGMs.
The unit includes full inline protection and the ability to resume normal operation once power is restored after it has been turned off. It works in 4 steps, eliminating sulfates, giving most of the current, completing the process up to its 100%, and providing maintenance. The appliance operates well on the premises without heating.
The MBC010 has red and green sensors. The red indicator is blinking when something is wrong with the battery. It is stable while the unit tops off the battery. The green light means the 80% threshold, and it is steady after getting into the maintaining mode. A 12-feet cable, crocodile clips, and eyelet connectors are in the package.
Pros
- The manufacturer includes a table that shows how long a battery needs to be charged based on its capacity.
- The major stage gives a battery 90% of current flow while many other similar items are capable of 80%.
- There are protective caps on the SAE harness to avoid its damage.
Cons
- The appliance is not designed for batteries over 45Ah.
- It lacks amperes to load completely empty batteries.
- The crocodile clips are not fully isolated.
LEICESTERCN LST
Wondering where to find the best car trickle charger with the current flow of 1.5A to toggle between the 6-volt and 12-volt modes? The LEICESTERCN LST deserves attention because it is able to top off empty batteries below 1V. The device is appropriate for both automobiles and watercraft. Apart from regular protection from reverse polarity, short circuits, overloads, and overheating, it is unaffected by water and dust.
Besides, the unit is remarkable for a 5-step operation, in contrast to typical 4-stage charging. It means that the device can diagnose and recover dead batteries before giving it a pulse charge to ensure their longer lifespan.
The Fault light on the front panel blinks to reveal the defective battery. A blue button is necessary to choose either 6-volt or 12-volt mode. The package comes with clamps, eyelet terminals, and SAE connectors with protective caps on their ends. The cord is 4 feet only.
Pros
- The O-ring connectors are wide and fit any batteries’ bolts.
- Throughout the process, the device remains cool.
- The voltage output is within the optimal range of 13.59V and 13.68V.
Cons
- The device can maintain but not feed boats, tractors, and RVs’ batteries.
- It would be great to see teeth on the clamps to make them hold the bolts tighter.
NOCO GENIUS10
I would boldly rate this model as the best trickle charger for car batteries that is also compatible with other motor vehicles, vessels, PWCs, motorbikes, and farming machinery. It is a powerful 10-amp device, operating in 6- and 12-volt configurations, compatible with the batteries’ capacity up to 230Ah. The unit’s power allows topping off and maintaining two batteries in parallel. The inline thermal sensor changes the charging cycle in real-time, based on the ambient temperature. This feature provides a correct process in the range of -40F – 1040F.
Four green lights in the upper right corner display the battery level. There are seven sensors to disclose the current mode suitable for particular processes and batteries. They are marked as 12V, 12V AGM, 12V lithium, 12V supply, 12V repair, 6V, and 6V AGM. For example, the 6V AGM light is glowing when the unit feeds the 6-volt AGM battery. It seems tricky to figure out what each of them means since some modes make several LEDs glow simultaneously. Nonetheless, the manufacturer provides explicit instructions for each mode.
The appliance comes with detachable clamps, O-ring harness, and SAE adapters. Moreover, it works with any type of X-Connect accessories, including male and female plugs, OBD-II connectors, male-to-male coupler, and extension cables.
Pros
- The strap, mounting bracket, and self-tapping screws are in the package.
- The device boasts a durable case and top-quality terminals with caps against dust.
- The item saves the last charge setup in its memory.
Cons
- This model does not recognize the battery type on its own. The user must manually choose the appropriate mode.
- The device lacks an LCD screen that could have displayed the current voltage.
- It’s getting very hot during the operation.
NOCO GENIUS5
The 5-amp battery trickle charger is engineered for 6 and 12-volt batteries installed in cars and other motor transport, vessels, and PWCs, farm machinery, etc. It can remove sulfates to ensure normal chemistry, making the battery serve longer. It copes with empty batteries below 1V. For this purpose, it starts operating in the Force mode, giving a powerful impulse to prevent the voltage from falling down. Its thermal compensation allows using the appliance in cold weather up to -40F and in heat up to 1040F.
The button on the left targets the opportunity to toggle between configurations. The portable car battery trickle charger recognizes batteries with different active components. There are indicators for 12-volt, 12-volt AGM, 12-volt Lithium, 6-volt, and 12-volt batteries in the Repair mode. When the device is in the Force mode, all the sensors except for the 12-volt Repair red light glow. It’s necessary to hold down the Mode button for 5 seconds to activate the Force mode. Keep it pressed for 3 seconds to access the 6-volt mode.
The set of lights at the top shows the battery level: the dark-red light means start, the red LED shows 25% of charge, the orange one – 75%, and the green light means a full charge. Another three lights beneath notify errors: too high voltage, the battery’s disability to hold a charge, reverse polarity. There is the “On” indicator next to them.
This model is remarkable for its copper-plated clips with strong jaws and inline O-ring accessories. They have a common cable, screwed to alligator clips. If I need the eyelet terminals instead of clamps, I should unscrew them from the clamps. The independent eyelet harness must be purchased separately.
Pros
- The SAE connectors have a rubber cover inside the port to protect them from moisture and dust.
- The item signals too low or high temperatures by activating three error indicators simultaneously.
Cons
- The appliance cannot supply 12-volt batteries, and it’s not compatible with 6-volt AGMs.
- The terminals are designed in a unique shape, making it impossible to attach aftermarket parts. Only branded accessories fit.
Buyer’s Guide
Main Features of Reliable Trickle Charger
The high-quality trickle charger never harms the battery because it charges it slowly and keeps it free of sulfates. Bear in mind the appliance’s capacity in Amp-hours that must be always more powerful than a battery. Those who need to feed large batteries should opt for a trickle charger for a car with the highest Amp output. However, it’s critical to read the manufacturer’s recommendations since too high amperage may damage a battery. If the amperage is too low, it results in unnecessary long charge time, or the battery will never be fully fed.
As a rule, the device’s Amp rating should be about 1/10th at the Ah rating of the battery. For example, if the battery’s capacity is 50Ah, a 5-amp charger will match. The buyer should consider more features mentioned below while choosing the reliable car battery trickle charger:
- Those having several vehicles with different batteries should buy versatile 6-volt and 12-volt devices suitable for all types of batteries.
- Choose the unit compatible with the battery type since some of them use one setting or all battery types, while others require selecting a battery type before they start sending current.
- It’s crucial to acquire safe products fully protected against all the possible troubles, including reverse polarity, overload, overheating, and short circuits.
- Durable clamps and other terminals provide tight connections while feeding the battery.
- The waterproof design of the casing protects the unit from wet and dust that ensures its longer lifespan.
- The ability to compensate for temperatures makes it possible to use the device in cold and heat.
Besides, the users should consider the voltage of the wall-socket connector to make sure that a trickle charger for a boat or motor vehicle fits their country’s voltages.
Top Trickle Charger Brands
BLACK + DECKER
BLACK + DECKER is a reputable manufacturer with over century-old history. It produces power, garden tools and machinery, home-cleaning, pet, healthcare products, batteries, battery systems, and accessories. The BLACK+DECKER BM3B is one of their popular items for topping off and maintaining car and marine batteries.
NOCO
The company hit the market in 1914, focusing on engineering and producing top-quality jump starters, solar panels, chargers, and other battery-related products. Its headquarters, manufacturing, distribution center, and sales office are located in Cleveland, Ohio, the USA. NOCO is famous for the Genius series of powerful and portable appliances with various amperes and voltages.
MOTOPOWER
The British company was founded in London in 2003. It works within the industry of sale, maintenance, and repair of motorbikes, related parts, and accessories. It produces smart battery chargers that feature durable construction and user-friendly design.
LEICESTERCN LST
The company manufactures smart battery and battery repair chargers, digital testers, and accessories for the automotive industry. The manufacturer and supplier came into being in 2016 in Shenzhen, China. Its products are in demand in the USA, Germany, Japan, Spain, Australia, and other regions.
My name is Brandon, and I’ve been interested in cars since I was a kid. I got a bachelor’s degree in Automotive Technology and worked in a private car workshop. I have two cars that have been completely upgraded with my own hands. So I successfully put all my knowledge into practice.
Last update on 2023-02-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API