Dakota Lithium has optimized this charger for use with their lithium iron phosphate batteries (LiFePO4). All 12 volt Dakota Lithium batteries should be charged using a LiFePO4 compatible battery charger like this one. SLA chargers will reduce the performance and lifespan of the battery. This charger charges at a speed of 3 amps an hour and is optimal for batteries less than 25Ah. For batteries greater than 25Ah like the 54Ah or 100Ah battery we recommend the 10 amp charger available here.
12V 3A Dakota Battery Charger Specifications
FOR 12 VOLT LITHIUM BATTERIES
We highly recommend you use a LiFePO4 compatible battery charger. 12v chargers for lead-acid batteries may work but will decrease the performance and lifespan of the battery.
BATTERY CHARGER RATING
INPUT 100-240 volts, 50/60HZ. OUTPUT: 14.4 volts, 3.0 amps
TERMINAL CONNECTIONS
Alligator clips for ease of use. Clip black to your black terminal. Then clip red to your red terminal. Do not short circuit. The red light on the charger will turn on when charging. Light turns green when the battery is full.
SMART BMS COMMUNICATION
Charger will restart or “wake up” a Dakota Lithium BMS that has turned off a battery due to short circuit or excessive amp draw. Simply connect the charger to the battery to initiate a restart.
HOW FAST WILL MY BATTERY CHARGE?
The battery charger charges your LiFePO4 batteries at a rate of 3 amps. To determine your charging speed take the amp hour rating of your battery and divide by the amp rating of your charger. For example, a 3 amp charger would fully charge a 7 amp hour battery (Ah) in 2.3 hours.
CAN I CHARGE MY BATTERY FASTER?
For most applications a charging time of 3-10 hours provides the longest lifespan for your battery. But if you have an application where you need rapid charging Dakota Lithium batteries can be safely charged in up to 1 hour (at a rate of 1C). For example, you could use a 10 amp charger with a 10 Ah battery for a 1-hour charge time. Charging at a 1-hour rate does reduce the lifespan over time. In our laboratory testing, we found that the longest lifespan for Dakota Lithium batteries was at a charging speed of 0.3C or less (we recommend that the charger amp rating is 1/3 or less of the battery amp hour rating for the longest lifespan).
WHAT VOLTAGE SHOULD LIFEPO4 BATTERIES BE CHARGED AT?
14.4 volts is recommended for Dakota Lithium (LiFePO4) batteries. This 12 volt, 3 amp battery charger charges at 14.4 volts.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 3 AMP AND 10 AMP CHARGER?
The amp rating is how much energy goes into your battery in 1 hr. For example, a 10 amp charger will charge a 54 amp hour battery in 5.4 hours. An appropriate sized charger should be 1/3 of less the amp rating of your battery. For example, a 3 amp charger is perfect for a 10 amp hour (Ah) battery.