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So you are thinking of giving your friend a unique gift this time in the form of a battery charger. Well, while this is a useful gift for anyone, there are a few considerations to consider while buying your friend this gift.
- First and foremost, you have to decide if they really need the gift; no point in gifting a gift they don’t find any need of. This means, that although battery chargers can be used to charge batteries, they are better as gifts if your friend owns a car, boat or some heavy vehicle.
- Next, you have to find out what batteries they use so that you can buy a battery charger that is compatible with it. While most battery chargers claim they can be used with any brand and type of battery, this is not advisable.
- There is a chance of the battery charger damaging the battery by overcharging or undercharging the battery. In such a case, the warranty that accompanies the battery will be considered void because of improper usage.
- Another point to take into consideration is whether your friend is a novice with electrical stuff or if they are professionals. If they are novices, and don’t know how much of charging their battery will require, it’s better to buy a smart charger for them.
- If you buy a basic charger, they may end up over charging and undercharging their battery, and consequently damage the battery. Overcharging the battery can lead to overheating and possible explosion because of the oxygen and hydrogen gases liberated when the battery overheats.
- Moreover, as basic chargers don’t have any temperature and voltage drop sensors, if a power interruption occurs during the charge, the timer will restart the charging and overcharge the batteries.
- A better battery charger as a gift for novices is a smart charger. These chargers have microprocessor chips in them that can sense when your batteries need a charge, and charge it.
Smart chargers basically give a first 80% charge to the battery, while the remaining 20% charge is given in trickle charge mode. It is this trickle charge that keeps the battery fully charged at all times, and ready for its next use.
Thus, there is no chance of the battery getting over or undercharged, and thus prolongs the life of the battery. So if you can afford it, a smart charger is definitely a better gift for your friend.
- Then again, if your friend travels often, and tend to take their electronics and gadgets with them its better to buy a battery charger that can be used overseas. Such battery chargers are those where the AC adaptor plug states 100V-240V 50-6-Hz as its power specifications.
- If your friend loves trekking and outdoor life, you could consider getting a solar battery charger. These chargers come with solar panels that have to be placed where they receive maximum sunlight. These panels are connected to the solar charge controller unit that charges their battery for them.
Taking all these considerations into mind, you will be able to make the final decision on the best battery charger to present to your friend as a gift this season.