Difference between regular battery charger and deep cycle charger.?

Question

Also, what would be the outcome of using a regular battery charger on a deep cycle battery.

Answer 1

The two types of chargers you mention are not quite accurate.  

A deep cycle BATTERY can be safely discharged to 50% of its rated capacity (in Amp Hours) while in use.  (Other poster is incorrect - discharging batteries to 0% will kill them quickly)

To bring the battery back up from 50% to 100%, there are a couple ways:

1)  Using a standard (old fashioned) battery charger, which simply applies a voltage (at a rated current) to the battery constantly to bring it up.  This is often called a "bulk" charger and works well to bring the battery up cheaply.  BUT... these chargers cause damage to the battery once the battery is fully charged.  They aren't "smart" and don't turn off the applied current when the battery is fully charged. Because of this, they "cook" the batteries.

or...

2)  Using a smart charger, which is the best way to charge a battery.  A smart charger has 3 stages of charging (bulk, absorbtion and float).  Bulk charging works like the above old fashioned charger.  However, once the batteries reach various states of charge (almost full and totally full), the smart charger accounts for this by changing the amps and voltage of the energy it is putting into the battery.  Once fully charged, the "smart charger" or "three stage charger" will taper off its power to the battery, resulting in a battery that is protected from over charging.

If you have expensive deep cycle batteries (like I do - Trojan T-105 batteries), it is well worth it to invest in a smart charger.  (also called a three stage charger)

What you are calling a "deep cycle charger" is probably more accurately called a 3 stage or smart charger.  If it does not work like mentioned above (with the 3 stages), it is NOT a good charger for deep cycle batteries.  Don't buy it.

Answer 2

A deep cycle battery is commonly used all the way down and then charged all the way up this is what it is designed for a regular battery is designed to be charged as it is being used.

If you use a regular battery charger on a deep cycle battery it will boil the acid out of the battery rendering it useless this wont be an immediate effect but over time it will cause damage if you are looking for a dual battery charger that charges both a regular battery and a deep cycle battery bass pro shops and tracker marine sell them

Answer 3

deep cycle batteries are meant to be completley discharged repetedly and the recharged at a low ampherage rate (trolling motor batteries) where as a battery for cranking an engine can be charged at a higher rate ( 20-40 amps) with no harm to the battery if your charger  will shut off automatically when full charged. Deep cycle chargers charge at a lower amp. rate (2 to 6 amps.