One Trickle charger - 2 batteries

Thread Starter

Gdrumm

Joined Aug 29, 2008
684
Can a trickle charger maintain two batteries at the same time?

I have a riding lawnmower, and an ATV parked side by side, and I want to know if I can rig up one trickle charger, to charge both batteries simultaniously.

Will a single trickle charger be able to handle the job?
What precautions might I need to take?

Thanks,
Gary
 

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
Not a good idea.

If one battery develops a shorted cell, it will drag down the other battery, causing it to fail as well.

I tried to explain this to a retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant, but he didn't understand what I was talking about. The battery with one shorted cell caused three other batteries to fail, resulting in an un-necessary expenditure of $400 to replace batteries that would have otherwise been OK.

Don't try what you are thinking, unless you can isolate one battery from the other, and charge them independently.
 

Thread Starter

Gdrumm

Joined Aug 29, 2008
684
Would diodes in series with the pos. wires from each of the batteries serve as check valves to isolate the batteries from each other?
 

Thread Starter

Gdrumm

Joined Aug 29, 2008
684
Okay,
Thanks for the help.
I'll wait until Harbor Freight puts them on sale, and buy a second one.

Gary
 
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