Portable battery charger. What do you carry?

You can have the little guys.

I prefer my Schumacher SC-12000A, 6v, 12v, Speed Charger. When I get tired of it I will replace it with their next top-of-the-line (Bad @$$) charger.

:B Mark B.

Hi MEXICOWANDERER,
Does the HF charger put out high enough voltage to equalize a pair of GC2's? I know you've posted that the transformers in the HF charger are more than adequate. Have you had the inclination to change the voltage regulation or current output? IOW, have you pimped your HF charger?

For the record, I have an Exide shop-style charger, 2,40, and 200 Amp boost. I carry a small Schumacher 2,6 Amp charger. Looking to fill the gaps between the two and carry something like the B&D or the HF models. FWIW, my solar controller has an equalize function but I'd like the option of a grid powered charger, also.

I carry none but I have disconnected Magnetek 7555 55A switch mode converter still there just in case.

I carry a Battery Tender 20a charger when in extreme conditions such as well below freezing.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
. It did no good at all screaming "You cost a thousand dollars! You cannot fail me now! You are only three months old!"

you forgot to read addendum "B" on the In case of trouble sheet. The proper fix is:

You #@$%%%$%!!! cost a thousand #@$%%%$%!!! dollars! You cannot fail me now #@$%%%$%!!!"
bumpy

Many places if you start your engine it means (to the rest of the campground) you are leaving, whether you want to or not. Pull your car up and use jumper cables you will leave just as soon as you get the rig started, or car connected to the trailer.

There is nothing sadder than seeing an individual who worked and dreamed of a vacation for 11-1/2 months who outsmarted himself and had to pull up stakes and head for home 8 days early. Refrigerators in warm country and water heaters in cold country can revolt and produce the same results. When I used to come to Mexico it was with extra ice chests, chargers and a way to heat shower water (solar shower). It did no good at all screaming "You cost a thousand dollars! You cannot fail me now! You are only three months old!"

bka0721 wrote:

My Solar system is very capable, but when your demand use is 150 – 200AmpH a day and you only have 900w,

900W of solar and 1168Ah of battery bank!!! You're definitely my kind of camper!!! Sweet setup!

KJINTF wrote:
I just look at the situation a bit differently from most other folks.

Enjoy your camping we sure do

I don't know if I look at this any different than you do. You DO have the capacity to repair your converter. Most of us don't. That gives you a leg up. I will admit I did not get my B&D as a backup to the converter. Although when my Paramode broke it came in handy until I got the IQ4 module for the IOTA. I can use my Harbor Freight manual charger too. And I have a couple of HF floaters that will go up to 14V that I could use in a pinch. I don't charge while camping so if the converter broke then, I wouldn't know till I got home.

Why do you good folks carry a portable charger?
Help me out what am I missing?
Is it that you do not have an
On board hard wired converter
Or a capable solar system
or the engine alternator is not connected to the battery bank

Thanks guys I see everyone has their own and many times unique reasons for carrying a portable charger. I had not thought of many of the concerns that were brought up in the thread.

Me I see no need to store and carry around yet another piece of hardware, got enough******already. We always dry camp aka boondock can't rememeber if we have ever plugged into shore power on the road in the past 30 years. As many have said solar in the shade does not do much, engine alternator is not a real solution. My backup solution is a proper multistage on board hard wired converter powered by an on board 4Kw genset. No worries what so ever about a failure of the converter or genset while on the road. Repaired the fuel pump on the genset while on the road and have repaired a hundred or so converters over the years (none yet while on the road). I just look at the situation a bit differently from most other folks.

Enjoy your camping we sure do

Bobbo wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
because things happen
who wants a ruined trip because of discharged batteries and a dead converter
this forum is full of posts about a trip saved from a dead converter or even dead alternator/regulator because of having a portable charger on hand

The only charger I have is my built in PD4655V. If it ever dies on me during a trip, I will get in my car and drive to a hardware store and buy a portable. Seems more efficient to me than carrying a portable for years "just in case."

For me that could easily be 50 or 100 miles
and my 'toad' has two wheels

riding 100-200 miles in bad weather just get something i could easily have carried (bad weather does happen) does not make much sense to me

The Scouts say, "Be prepared." Some of you guys must have accidentally joined the Girl Guides instead! (At least you can make good cookies as long as you have shore power) :)