What charger are stereo guys using for extra battery?

hanny

i decided to add an extra car 12volt battery to my cart to run my stereo and subwoofer off of instead of the carts 4 batteries.

Ive been using a trickle type charger the kind thats for extended sitting car or motorcycle and the battery wont run the radio for much more then an hour before its start to go down below 12 volts.

Anyone have any ideas? i think its either 1 of 2 things.
1. The battery isnt designed for using it liek i am?
2. The charger isnt charging the battery strong enuf overnight?

what do you think>=? thxs for responses. paul

BGW

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Scott H.

This is problem #1. You need a deep cycle marine battery instead of a regular car battery. They're designed for more frequent charges and discharges where a car battery is designed to start the car and act as a buffer for the alternator on the engine.

A 12 Volt golf cart battery would be even better, but those are real expensive for what you would be using it for.

Problem #2 is the size of the charger. Those are designed to mostly maintain the battery and slowly charge over a period of days.

Get a regular battery charger from some place like Harbor Freight, WalMart, etc. and you'll get a fuller charge and longer run times from your stereo equipment.

Hopefully your battery hasn't developed a memory from the shallow charges and will take a full charge again.

Personally, I would take the battery to an auto parts store like Advance Auto or Autozone and have them test and charge it. It's a free service the places I mentioned offer, so ask if there is a charge before having it done.

If there is a charge, take the battery (and your future business) elsewhere.

-Scott H.

crash test dummy

i use a 12v car battery with a 12v solar charger (eBay $22)
i hooked up the solar charger through a power outlet in dash and use a Scottyb knock off meter/switch to monitor voltage

the solar charger came from a VW dealer and puts out 8-9v in direct sun
i have not had to hook battery to electric charger sense i got solar
i agree a deep cycle battery would be best but had a free 12v laying around ..

i run head lights, running lights, brake lights, radio, dome light, horns, & fan from the 12v battery (not all at once)

attached is photo of charger and my wiring diagram

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	diagram.gif (30.1 KB, 0 views)

hanny

good stuff guys, I'm gonna try a more solid deeper charger and just use the battery for the subwoofer which i run very little and run the radio (which doesnt draw alot to a voltage reducer. If that combo doesnt do it then on to a deep cycle battery. the first options are free to me cuz i have the stuff. thxs again, paul

Clemsonprecedent

I bought an Ever Start deep cycle marine battery from wal-mart for around $70 to power my radio and HID headlights (which draw a lot less amps than standard Halogen lights). I use a tender battery charger shown here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BATTERY-TEND...e7e7f4&vxp=mtr

It has an indicator light that lets you know when the battery is charging, 80% charged and fully charged. If you leave it hooked up it will charge the battery and then go into a maintenance mode that will keep it charged if the voltage drops. I charge it about every two weeks and it charges back up in usually 12 hours or less.