Car batteries store and release the surge of power needed to turn over the starter and get your car running… And while running, the alternator recharges the battery so it can re-start the car later.

Deep cycle batteries are designed to release their power over a longer, more extended period of time; and they discharge more fully before accepting a recharge than regular car batteries.

The most common type of deep cycle batteries are those used for storing the energy created by solar power, those used for back up power or lighting, or batteries found in RVs, golf carts or boats.

Sometimes called “fork lift” or “traction” batteries, these deep cycle batteries are used when power is needed over an extended period of time.

And these deep cycle batteries are used because (unlike auto batteries) they have very thick, self contained plates on the interior of the battery (which is also a lot larger and heavier than a car battery) because you can get a lot of power storage into one single battery.

These larger, bulkier “fork lift” deep cycle batteries are designed to expend up to 80% of total battery capacity; but regardless of the deep cycle battery you use, you will see the best results (and longer battery life) when you recharge your battery at about a 50% discharge.

The Best Deep Cycle Battery Charger

You have multiple choices when it comes to choosing a deep cycle battery charger; and the majority of them are all “smart chargers”; which means that they are controlled by a microprocessor to monitor the charging period.

But the best deep cycle battery chargers use a “3 stage” battery charging technique. These 3 stage deep cycle battery chargers work like this…

Three Stage Deep Cycle Battery Chargers

1. The bulk charge – The bulk charge is the first stage in the 3 stage process. Electrical current is sent to the battery at the maximum safe rate that the deep cycle battery will accept. The bulk charge continues until the battery voltage reaches between 80-90% capacity.Generally, this means that the voltages during bulk charging range anywhere from 10.5 volts up to 15 volts; though each individual battery may have a limit on the maximum current the battery (or its wiring) can handle.
2. The absorption charge – The second stage of the 3 stage deep cycle battery charger is the absorption stage. This is where the voltage is maintained at a constant level as the current slowly tapers off since the internal resistance of the battery increases during the charging.It is at this point that the charger pumps out the maximum voltage for the deep cycle battery; generally around 14 volts to 15.5 volts.
3. The float charge – This is third stage of the three stage deep cycle battery recharger, and it kicks in once the battery has a full charge.Once the battery has a full charge, the voltage is reduced by the charger to eliminate gassing and insure longer battery life.  This stage is often referred to as a “maintenance” or “trickle” mode, since it is primarily designed to keep a fully charged battery from losing power or discharging; and it detects fluctuations in the deep cycle battery voltages and maintains the correct charge in the battery by sending short bursts of power to the battery when it detects power discharge.

The Best Deep Cycle Battery Chargers Use 3 Stage Charging

When looking for the best deep cycle battery chargers, stick to the chargers that use the 3 stage charging techniques. It is hand free, and insures the safety of your battery.

There are a few battery chargers that use the bulk charge method only. While these chargers are fine if you need to charge a battery quickly, there is absolutely no (or very little) voltage regulation.

Using deep cycle battery chargers without any voltage regulation is a quick invitation to deep cycle battery damage; and you have to watch these chargers like a hawk to insure that you do not overcharge your deep cycle battery.

Using a 3 stage deep cycle charger not only recharges your battery as quickly as possible; but it also prevents any damage to the battery as well without having to monitor the progress of the charge.

Some of the better 3 stage chargers are made by Schumacher Electric, Xantrex as well as Iota Engineering; and can be found at multiple places online.

It is critical that you match the right battery charger to the right battery type to avoid damaging both the charger as well as the battery.

And not only that, but using the incorrect charger with the wrong battery type can also result in personal injury as well; as the battery may explode and send flying battery acid and solid parts throughout an enclosed area causing serious, permanent injury or blindness.

Battery Construction – How Batteries Work

To match the correct battery to the correct charger, let’s first examine exactly how batteries work.

Most people have no idea on how a car battery works in their car. So first we’ll go over the basic components of a lead acid battery and then show how they all work together generate electricity in your car.

Inside the battery are the basic electricity producing parts of the battery. These consist of…

• A series of positive plates and negative plates arranged in cells (every 12 volt lead acid car battery will have six cells),
• A liquid electrolyte solution
• Individual battery cell separators
• All included inside the polypropylene or hard rubber exterior casing of the battery.

The electrolyte solution is a mixture of sulfuric acid and water which conducts current through the movement of ions (charged particles in the electrolyte solution) between the positive and negative plates in each cell. It supplies sulfate ions for reaction with the active material of both positive and negative plates.

The positive and negative plates are generally rectangular components that contain the active material and a mechanical support structure called a grid (which is a lead alloy framework that supports the active material of a battery plate and conducts current by carrying electrons to and from the active material). Plates are either positive or negative, depending on the active material they hold.
So what happens is that the battery receives electrical current from the alternator as it is rotated by the fan belt. Small magnets inside a nest of copper wiring in the alternator create an electrical current which is then sent to the battery.

This electrical current flows thru the electrolyte in your battery, and the positive and negative ions are attracted to the positive and negative plates inside the battery; which stores them as electricity to run the various electrical systems in your car.

Matching the Right Battery Construction to the Right Charger

Before getting the right charger for your battery, you need to understand basic electricity. Every battery (car battery, appliance battery, dry cell batteries… even AAA batteries) have dual polarity with two poles (or posts).

One post is positive and the other negative; and it is crucial that you connect the correct polarity of the battery charger to the correct battery pole to avoid damage to either the battery or the charger.

And you need to match your battery charger with the correct battery type. For example, do NOT use a car battery charger to try and recharge a dry cell battery (like those commonly found in home appliances).

And every battery charger is designed to be used with a regular 120V AC outlet; and a grounded outlet at that.

A temporary adapter may be used, (in the USA only; not other countries like Canada), to connect this plug to a two-pole receptacle if a properly grounded outlet is not available.

When connecting your battery charger to your battery, you need to insure that the correct voltage is selected on the charger to match the voltage of the battery being recharged.

For an auto battery, this is 12V; while marine (boat) batteries can fluctuate… reaching as high as 32 V. For this reason, it is critical to not only match the polarity between battery and charger; but also the correct voltage for recharging as well.

And watch your charging time. Some of the more basic chargers do not regulate the charging current, and you will need to stop the process manually or lower the charge current to prevent “overcharging” of the battery.

More expensive battery chargers like those using the 3-step charge profile (also referred to as IUoU chargers) charge the battery fully and safely in a short amount time without requiring manual intervention.

The Right Charger for the Right Battery

Now that you understand how a battery works, you should see why it is critical to match the right charger with the right battery. It will save both the battery and the charger from any damage, and it will also eliminate the possibility of any physical harm as well.

I have compiled a quick list of the Schumacher battery chargers reviewed on this website and organized them into this Schumacher Battery Charger Comparison Chart. There will be more data added to the chart over time, and more Schumacher battery charger models added to the list as time goes on.

As always, you can still access the individual reviews by clicking on the links to the right of the page.

List Price: $103.30

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Here at Schumacher Battery Charger, we see a lot chargers.

Most of them do the job as promised, so we write up a review, list the features, rate the overall experience and then move on… not reflecting too much on the experience in general.

However, every once in a while, a charger comes along that really stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of reliability, ease of use, and customer satisfaction.

Today we are writing about one of those chargers:  The Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger

Although there are a few other Schumacher Battery Chargers that we like a little more, such as the Schumacher SE-4022 (God, we love that charger), the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger ended up winning the Consumer’s Choice Award for both advanced features and affordable price.

Note:  Although the Schumacher SE-4022 was better on raw horsepower (amperage) and longevity (due to the large internal fans and industrial-grade electrical components), it was a bit too bulky for most residential applications and wasn’t quite as “automatic” as the The Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger.

The Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger can handle just about anything you can throw at it:

• 6 Volt Batteries
• 12 Volt Batteries
• Deep Cycle Batteries
• Lead Acid Batteries
• AGM Batteries

One of the nicest features of the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger is the fact that it helps protect you from overcharging a battery.  If you set it for 10 amps or 15 amps, you can walk away for a while and just let it do it’s thing.  When the battery is fully charged, it detects that and switches to a “maintenance mode” that feeds a small 2 amp charge to the battery to keep it charged and “topped off” until you return to disconnect the battery.

Some people have written in to tell us that the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger does not accurately detect the percent charged.  We agree.  In our testing, we have found that it overestimates the percent charged by about 5 percent.  Personally, I think that this is another safety feature disguised as a flaw, as overcharging a battery can threaten the health of both you and the battery.

The desulfation feature is nice too.  Although it doesn’t work all the time (and it’s certainly not a “cure all” for an old battery), desulfation can certainly breath new life into an old, worn out battery.  Just plug in the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger and it determines if the battery needs to be desulfated… and if so, starts the process of sending the high amp pulses necessary to break down the sulfate crystals.

Note:  Sulfation is when lead sulfate crystals form on the conductive plates on the inside of a battery.  These crystals are non-conductive and they cover the plates, these crystals slowly degrade the performance of the battery.  Sulfation is a natural process that occurs as a byproduct of the chemical reaction of lead acid batteries.  Sulfation occurs more often on batteries that go unused for long periods, such as boats (which is why the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger has this desulfation feature).

Another thing to note is that this charger is ideal for people with deep cycle batteries.  Deep cycle batteries are primarily used in:

• Planes
• Boats
• Emergency Sump Pump Battery Backup Systems
• Solar or Wind Power Battery Banks
• Battery Powered Scooters

So, if you have any of those, the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger is probably for you.  It’s the perfect all-purpose battery charger to have around the house or garage for the occasional battery recharging.

However, the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger is not for everyone… and it is certainly not designed for those with more “advanced” charging needs.  Even though we love the Schumacher SSC-1500A Ship ‘N’ Shore SpeedCharge Charger, it’s not designed for heavy usage (such as in a fleet environment or on a farm or in a busy garage, for example).  For that, pay a little more and move up to the Schumacher SE-4022.

List Price: $69.99

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This Schumacher IP-95C combination jump starter and air compressor is exactly what I needed for my 17 year daughter with a new driver’s license and a beat up old Volkswagen Bug.

Being 17, she expects her car to run forever; forget any maintenance. Because of this common misbelief, I have had to run out in the middle of the night more than once to give her a jump when she was stranded with a dead battery halfway across town.

Instead of getting a new battery for her Bug, she opted for seat covers, window tinting, and other really useful stuff.

And since the IP-95C only cost me $55, it was much cheaper for me to get her this portable charger and stick it in her trunk than it was for me to run all over town whenever she needed a jump.

Here is a another very similar review of the Schumacher IP-95C Jump Starter from Amazon.com…

Bought this product as I have a 20year old car that was idle for the winter. I used my other cars to jump start it a few times but this is so much easy and better! once I started using the car it died at rush hour just off the exit ramp in a very busy intersection, on a dark and rainy night. I used the Schumacher IP-95C and was able to get out of that dangerous situation and managed to get the rest of the way home safely. No trying to get another car into an already busy and congested intersection, just raise the hood and connect this product and that was it. it. The car started immediately and I quickly got out a very dangerous situation. I’ve also used it on my…

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS REVIEW…

Some Nice Features of the IP-95C

Another nice feature of the IP-95C is the built in high pressure air compressor. Considering that tires are probably the last thing on her list to upgrade, she has the ability to pull the IP-95C out of the trunk and pump air into her rear tires whenever they get dangerously low (which is like once a week).

Some other cool little tricks the IP-95C has up its sleeve are the on board USB plug (so she can keep her cell phone charged in those emergencies); and it also has doubles as a portable power source for any other 12 volt accessories.

It is also maintenance free (unlike her VW), though she does need to remember to plug it in and charge it more than once a decade. And it is compact, light, and pretty durable with a corrosion proof polypropylene case.

It also has a couple of safety features that were probably built in with the teenager in mind.

• There is the On/Off Jump Start Switch that eliminates accidental clamp shorting…
• A reverse hookup protection feature built in with a handy alarm warning that tells you it’s hooked up wrong…
• And it also comes with short circuit protection on the 12 V accessory outlet….

The IP-95C Is Perfect for Teenagers

This is a perfect accessory for any teenagers you may have (or know) that are brand new drivers.

It is lightweight, yet durable. It is compact enough to fit into the trunk of a VW Bug. It has some external features like the air compressor and the 12 V accessory plug in that other models don’t have.

And it is very easy to use (and even easy to show teenage girls how to use).

For the price, this purchase was a no brainer.

Not only will it save you from those late night phone calls that will having you driving halfway across the city, but you will also get a little peace of mind knowing that even your teenage daughter can solve some of the most common problems that new drivers face.

Final Thoughts on the IP-95C Jump Starter

After posting this review, I have read some of the feedback from our readers and contributors.

Some of the consumers who had previously purchased this jump starter have complained about it either “not working” or “not working well enough”.

I still really like the IP-95C… and for the price, you just cannot beat it.

However, if you are needing something a little more robust and a little more dependable, check out the Energizer 84020 12V All-In-One Jump-Start System with Built-In Air Compressor and Power Inverter.  As the name suggests, it’s a jump starter that (like the Schumacher IP-95C) has a built-in air compressor.

List Price: $104.20

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I actually came across this Schumacher IP-125 Instant Power Jump Starter completely by accident.

In my case, I was shopping at one of the big box home improvement stores; Lowe’s or Home Depot, I cannot remember which. I came out from the store and my battery didn’t have enough power to turn over the engine.

It was pretty late and dark, and the parking lot was almost empty so I couldn’t find anyone that would give me a jump. I remembered back in the tools section of the store walking past one of these portable jump starters, and since it was around $50, I went back in and purchased it.

Bringing it out to the car, I opened the box of the IP-125, and started reading the manual. My heart sank when I got to the part in the manual that said that this model needed to be charged for 24 hours before first use.

With nothing to lose, I hooked it up to my battery, and hit the button to jump the battery.
To my surprise, my car fired right up; so I put the charger in the back seat and headed home.

Once back at the house, I began to delve a little deeper into this handy little tool that had just saved my bacon.

Here is a very similar testimonial on the Schumacher IP-125 Jump Starter from Amazon.com…

I’ve used this thing a lot, being that I hardly leave the house and have two cars. It will start a dead as a door nail battery several times before needing recharging. End Edit.

I had a battery that only provided enough power to make a click when turning the key. I ordered this, charged it for a day and hooked it to my battery. Finding the proper grounding spot is critical. I was alerted to the fact that I found a good ground finally after the 2004 Nissan Frontier Pickup’s interior lights came on and the ding (key in ignition with open door) started blaring. The truck started right up.

I then later used it to start a battery in a 2000 Mustang. The battery was very drained and the car would not start, similar to the above scenario. Found the ground spot and the car started. After plugging the device back up, in less than an hour it was fully recharged.

Click here to read the rest of this Consumer Product Review…

What I Found Out About the Schumacher IP-125

First off, don’t let the little size of this IP-125 fool you. It packs a lot of power in a small size unit. It has a 12 amp hour internal battery, and certainly has enough power to jump start my Dodge Neon (it has four times so far to date already).

I like the LED indicators on the front of the IP-125, which tell you the status of the internal charge in the unit. It shows you when it is fully charged, 75% charged, or 50% or less; so that you know when you need to plug in your charger so it is ready for future use.

And once charged, it appears to last a pretty long time between uses.

It is really light, and takes up absolutely no space in the trunk. And it has a rugged feel to it; even though it is made out of plastic.

Personally, I would have liked to have the attached cables a little longer, thought they work just fine as is. And this IP-125 did not come with an included power cord, which I found to be strange.

After all, you have to recharge the unit; so how about a power cord with which to do it? I discovered that using a simple extension cord worked fine for this, but I still found it strange that an electrical device was sold without an included power cord.

Overall, the four times I have used the Schumacher IP-125, it did exactly what it was supposed to do… It gave me an emergency start when I needed it. And since it is lightweight, compact, and pretty durable, I think that it was $50 well spent.

List Price: $157.34

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My experience with the Schumacher SE-4225 has overall been pretty positive. We use this charger in our busy auto repair shop both to start cars with dead batteries, and to charge these dead batteries as well.

It has performed both tasks fast and efficiently. The SE-4225 is a wheeled charger that is easy to maneuver around the shop, and has a heavy duty timer that is controlled manually (it is not a digital, computer controlled charger).

The SE-4225 Has Worked Every Time

This charger has plenty of emergency starting power with 225 amps, and has worked every time we have used it to kick start a dead battery that was still mounted in the car.

There is also a 65 amp rapid charge setting, along with a 40 amp fast charge and a 2 amp “trickle” charge setting; these are controlled by the rotary switches on the front of the unit.

The clamps on the cables appear to be very heavy duty, and stay clamped on once you hook them up, and there is a clamp bar on the handle which is a nice convenience as well.

It is very easy to use, and the timer controlled manual setting switches also provides protection from overcharging. I also like the adjustable speed charge settings, so I can re-charge dead batteries in about two hours.

And the trickle charge is nice for our in shop batteries; as it keeps them charged and maintained while on the shelf.

Another thing I like about the SE-4225 is that with the manual control, the charger will stop automatically if the battery is shorted; or if you try to start a vehicle with a lower amp setting.

My Experiences With the Schumacher SE-4225

This charger does exactly what is advertised. And since the price is around $120, it is cost effective as well.

When shopping around, at first I was looking at getting a digital charger, but I couldn’t justify the extra expense since the SE-4225 works just fine as it is.

And the physical construction of this charger is rock solid as well; plus I like the silver powder paint on the exterior.

I would have liked a little bigger charging meter on the front, as the one on the SE-4225 is a little hard to read; but that is a very minor drawback to a pretty solid 12V wheeled charger.

If you have an auto shop that needs emergency starting power and battery recharging capabilities, then the SE-4225 is hard to beat for the price.

List Price: $197.39

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Here’s my story about the Schumacher SC-8000A speed charger.

I bought this charger because I live in the country and have several snowmobiles and quad runners that continually lose the charge in their batteries.

After doing a little research online, I chose the Schumacher SC-8000A because of the reviews that were almost all positive on the SC-8000A.

I bought it online for right around $80, and I got free shipping included that was actually pretty fast.

Upon opening the package, I discovered what appeared to a strong, sturdy unit with a gray propylene case, a retractable handle, and push button controls that allowed me to choose and change the different charging rates.

The Schumacher SC-8000A In Action

I took this unit out to the barn, and immediately hooked up the first quad runner battery.

According to the manual, the SC-8000A uses a computer chip to control the charge rate, and the chip also picks up information about the charging process and the battery’s condition to eliminate any battery overcharging.

The SC-8000A is designed for both 6V and 12V deep cycle, gel cell, and AGM batteries, and the quad battery was charged completely in about half the time that my old charger used to take.

The display on the front of the SC-8000A is bright and easy to read, and the charge percentage display seems to be accurate on each of the four batteries I have charged to date.

I like the “diagnostic” mode on this charger as well; when hooking up the battery to be charged, it automatically does a diagnostic check on the battery before kicking into charge mode.

There is also a feature built into the SC-8000A that will allow an alternator check; but it not a feature that I have used so far.

The Schumacher SC-8000A Tech Stats

The Schumacher SC-8000A has a 30 amp “rapid charge” setting and a 12 amp “fast charge” setting. Both of these are self adjusting, which means that the SC-8000A will adjust the charge rate automatically to prevent any battery damage.

It also has an 80 amp “engine start” feature as well, which I have used once on my truck; and it sparked up right after being connected and turned on.

And according to the manual, this charger should be compatible with pretty much any auto or boat battery.

Satisfied With the SC-8000A

For what I have done so far with the SC-8000A charger, I am more than satisfied with both the price and the performance of this charger.

And the design, ease of use, and bright LED displays make the SC-8000A a good charger for my quad runner and snowmobile batteries.

List Price: $341.15

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Here’s my review of the Schumacher SE-1072 multiple battery charger.

I’ve been using the SE-1072 for the last year, and it has performed perfectly for me.

I do custom auto rebuilds,, mainly specializing in “low riders”; and these types of automobiles eat a lot of battery power.

The two reasons I bought the Schumacher SE-1072 were…

First, I read online a lot about my options for a multiple battery charger; and the Schumacher line was continually the winner for positive reviews.

Second, I needed a heavy duty battery charger that could handle charging multiple 6V and 12V batteries at the same time.

And after purchasing the SE-1072, I couldn’t be happier.

Schumacher SE-1072 Does 12V & 6V

This Schumacher charger can charge up to 12 batteries at the same time; but it depends on the voltage.

It can handle twelve 6V or six 12V batteries at one time; in other words, you can set up to 12 batteries in a series all at once – up to 72 volts total. This charger also has dual-rate output, along with overload and short-circuit protection via it’s built in fuse.

It has both a 10 amp and a 5 amp rate; and comes with 5 individual jumpers – for connecting the batteries in series.

The Schumacher SE-1072 IS A Must For…

If you are charging lots of batteries with different voltage, then the SE-1072 is ideal. Especially if you have a low rider that continually consumes a lot of battery power.

Another friend of mine comes to the shop and also uses this charger for his marine batteries as well. And the charging time on both 6V and 12V is very quick.

For under $200, this charger has saved me a lot of time, and done everything I have asked of it.

If you have a business where charging several batteries simultaneously is a daily routine, and you need a portable, cost effective charger, then you need to give this Schumacher SE-1072 a look.

List Price: $912.22

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The Schumacher 8-Bank Digital Battery Charger is the Cadillac of the Schumacher Battery Charging Line, and it works like a dream.

I work in a very busy limousine rental garage, and our limos see a lot of service every day of the week. We go through batteries like a teenager goes through cell phone minutes.

The best feature of this 8 bank charger is the ability to charge up to 8 batteries simultaneously (hence the 8 banks). But it also allows you to charge different battery types on each bank independently.

And it’s high tech, since each charging bank is independently controlled by its own microprocessor; and the microprocessor automatically chooses from a 2 amp up to a 12 amp charging current as soon as you hook up the battery. There is no fiddling around with any switches or dials whatsoever.

The Schumacher 8 Bank Digital Charger Is Multi-talented

You can use the Schumacher 8 bank digital charger to charge pretty much every kind of battery that you have. It charges deep cycle batteries, gel cells, spiral, orbital, and flooded cell batteries, as well as AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries.

It has a digital display on each bank that is easy to read, and comes with 8 individual detachable 75 amp 6 foot long cables; so you are not stacking up batteries on top of each other.

With a high speed power cooling fan running 24/7, I would expect this charger to be a little noisier; but it merely hums in the background when running.

Our Results With the Schumacher 8 Bank Digital Charger

At any given time, we have five or six batteries hooked up to this monster, and it handles all of them effortlessly.

And since each bank is controlled by its own microprocessor and automatically determines the correct voltage, we never have an issue with exploding batteries.

This happened to us once before when one certain mechanic (not the sharpest knife in the drawer) tried to recharge a battery with the wrong voltage. And it also has polarity reversal protection and overcharge protection built in as well; so I don’t think this guy could damage it if he wanted to.

I think the boss said he paid around $800 for this charger, which is a steal considering how much time it used to take us to charge batteries with a few separate chargers.

But so far, this Schumacher 8 Bank Charger has kept our fleet running smoothly, and I would recommend it to anyone that needs multiple battery charging capabilities simultaneously.