Looking for Answers about Schumacher Electric Schumacher SpeedCharge 6-Amp Battery Charger?

According to the brochure. Yes. I plan on using it for just that purpose for my motorcycle batteries this winter. It's fully automatic and can even unsulfate a battery if it detects sulfation.

I have used the charger hooked up for nonths on a PWC battery with no ill effect. It holds charge (float) after the full charge light comes on.

Already ansered this but it's showing I didn't. So...

Short answer: yes, definitely...but look for a smaller charger like a Yuasa 1.5A SmartShot or an Optimate 4 charger...they are great at long-term charging but won't charge a discharged battery very fast since they charge at a small amperage. The Schumacher SC-600A's lowest charge rate is 2A (not too high for a "amintenance" charge, though I'm not sure if this is it's "float/maintenance charge" or not). Yet also -- since it can charge at 4A or 6A -- it can charge a discharged battery much faster than a 1.5A max Yuasa or a 0.8A max Optimate 4.

Again, however, if you often need to recharge a vechicle battery (be it MCo r car) something's wrong with the battery or the vehicle's charging system: You shouldn't have to keep a good battery constantly on a charger unless it's for emergency use (like a deep-cycle for backup power durig a power outage) or a vechicle battery if it sits idle for many weeks/months.

Good luck...

P.S. I know this is an old post/question, but Walmart.com asked me to answer it anyway so I am, even though I have just seen all these questions (I reviewed the Schumacher SC-600A today and then saw all these questions). And my answers can still be useful because this item -- the Schumacher SC-600A battery charger -- is still a current product, so people will still be looking up info on it...

this battery charger has a 1.5 amp trickle charge mode that it goes into after the battery is fully charged. it should be fine on your motorcycle battery.

YES AS LONG AS THE BATTERY DOES NOT HAVE A DEAD CELL

Yes. I charged a completely dead motorcycle battery (BBL 50N18 Goldwing battery), no problem.

3 WATTS or do you mean 3 VOLTS? I've not heard "Watts" used to describe batteries...it's either CCA (for car batteries) and Ah (for deep-cycle batteries). And I'm talking about 12-volt batteries.

If you have a too-low a voltage battery, yes, some "smart chargers" will NOT charge it, so you get a simple "dumb-charger" to get it up past the lower voltage and THEN put it on a smart-charger...that's how you get around a charger that won't charge a battery if its voltage it too low. Of course, this assumes the battery is otherwise okay (no shorts/dead cells internally) so if it's just been left sitting too long and has gone pretty dead, then just get another charger ("dumb"), get it up a few more volts (be careful, pay attention) and then put a smart-charger on it for the rest of the charging process.

As for this particular model Schumacher (SC-600A) I don't know if it will charge a REALLY dead (low voltage) battery, MC or not...never had one to try it on...sorry. I don't have the manual handy so I can't look at it, but you could look up the manual on the Internet and maybe find out yourself.

Good luck...

you would be better off with a manual charger, such as the Dihard 6/2 charger which Walmart also sells.

you'll need to monitor the charging process, and watch for overdharging but you can bring a completely dead battery back to life with patience.

I should mention however, that complete discharging is extremely hard on batteries, and will affect both the life and current delivery capacity of the battery even if it is recoverable.

The charging light on the two I have owned stays on all the time, no blink.

Solid. If it's blinking it's not hooked up correctly.

mine comes on solid while charging.

it will blink on a totally dead battery until it gets some charge in it then it will go solid.

solid

6 and 12 volt yes, 24 volt, no.

only 6 v and 12 v. without overcharging . will not charge 24.

Not for 24v batteries, only 6v & 12v.

As for "overcharging," I am no expert in this field but IMO, the Schumacher SC-600A is safe for small 6v/12v batteries up to about 30Ah (of course, it'd still charge much larger Ah-rated batteries but it'd just take longer). IIRC, your average car battery is about 30-40Ah (although Ah is a deep-cycle battery descriptor, not a car battery which uses CCA instead)...I'm just saying a typical car battery is about 35-40Ah. A 35Ah battery (dead or almost dead) would take a charging rate (1/10 Ah rating = ideal) of about 3.5A, 7.5A max (twice the 1/10 rate).

So whatever charger you're considering, remember the basic rule: The best charging rate for any given battery (again, I'm talking about 12v batteries) it's 1/10 of the battery's Ah rating. A MAX of twice that is as far as you'd want to charge at, IMO.

I think this SC-600A Schumachers covers most of the bases for batteries we have in our cars, motorcycles, or deep-cycle batteries. The LARGER deep-cycle batteries (as often found in Solar Panel applications/arrays) would need a more powerful charger, because their Ah rating is much higher...as would very high CCA car batteries. The Schumacher charger models above this one -- the digital readout ones -- charge at higher rates which I would prefer to avoid since in MY case, I don't have any batteries above 30-40Ah. Yes, like the SC-600A, the more powerful digtal chargers automatically sense the proper charge rate but if they are charging a dead or nearly dead battery (IF they will charge a low-voltage battery, that is, some do not charge it if it's TOO low/dead), it'd be at their higher amp rating (I am guessing here) than the 1/10 or even 1/20 charging rate since it'd try to bring the battery up quickly. I suspect it'd start off high (let's say 10/12/14A -- whatever the digitals are rated at) and then drop the amps as the battery became more charged (makes sense to me) but still, I prefer the max my charger would do is at most twice the 1/10 Ah rate, but I'd try to keep it at the 1/10 rate, as per the rule.

You'll have to research this more as I can't give you any more specifics...sorry.

It does an excellent job on the 6V and the 12V, but will NOT charge a 24V battery.

No, this charger will only work on 6 and 12v.

No. This is a battery charger ONLY.

No, this is not a jump starter. It does not provide high-current needed for jump starting.

However, it is a charger. This should charge your battery fully if it's not too far gone. I believe there's a bigger version that does both.

OF COURSE the alternator is to CHARGE a car's battery...how could a car run after starting it -- which takes power from the battery -- and not REPLACE what it took out?

Yes, AFTER you start the car the alternator supplies your car's electrical needs, but ALSO, it charges your battery. If it did not, after a few starts your battery would be dead and you'd need a new one...maybe a new battery every week (or less!).

Find another mechanic if that's what he told you!

As for the Schumacher SC-600A being able to jump-start a car, a defniite NO, it's not meant for that. It just CHARGES batteies, it doesn't have the juice to jump-start.

If you weant a jump-starter, keep one of those assorted "portable/emergency power packs" (mine is a Sears Die Hard PowerPack 1150) that not only will jump-start your car, but usually have an inverter (for small-demand 110v devices), 12v accessory sockets, a liight and air pump. Just keep it on a battery-tender (or other small smart charger) so when you need it, it's "topped-off."

Good luck...

No, not for jump starting. You'll need a different device (or another battery). HAW1

This charger will only charge a weak or dead battery over time and will NOT provide an immediate jump start for a dead battery. Nonetheless, once your battery is fully charged, it should work fine. If you keep losing charge in the battery after use, there is definitely another problem occurring with your car. Usually a bad battery will not take a charge. So if the battery fails to charge using this charger, it may need to be replaced. Hope this answers your questions. Good luck.....

This will charge a dead battery over time, but it is not likely to provide sufficient current for an instant jump start. If your engine doesn't quite turn over, it would probably be enough. On the other hand, if your head lights come on dim or not at all, than you might need as much as an hour of charging time before it will start. This was an excellent choise for me, but if you frequently wake up to a dead battery, you may want to replace it and/or troubleshoot your electrical system.

Yes. If it's a 6 or 12 volt battery, this charger can charge it. Charging time may be increased because of the capacity of the battery, but it can handle it.

Yes. As long as it is 12 or 6 volt.

Of course it will...but at a max charging rate of 6A, if your new deep-cycle battery is really HUGE (meaning it has a very high Ah rating, or possibly is physicaly huge -- the two seem to go together even if it's not an exact ratio) then it'll probably -- at 6A -- just take longer to charge your battery up to full, but it certainly WOULD charge it and charge it safely/gently.

Remember, charging at a LOW amperage is LOTS better for a battery than at too-high an amerpage, so even if it DOES take longer -- because the Schumacher SC-600A has a max charging rate of 6A -- it will STILL charge it, and safely, it'd just take longer than a 8A/10A/12A/15A max charger would.

Of course, you really need to go by the ideal-charging-rate rule: The IDEAL charging rate for 12v batteries is 1/10 it's Ah rating (TWICE that is the MAX charging rate you'd want to go). You say you have a "deep-cycle" battery...if so, it chould state its Ah rating as true dee-cycle batteries are use the Ah rating. If it does not, but says something like ___CCA, it's a car battery, not a true deep-cycle. Two different animals.

So assuming you do have a true deep-cycle battery, divide its Ah rating by 10 and get the IDEAl charging rate. Multiply that times 2 and that should be your MAX charging rate (as you ALWAYS want to charge your battery safely and gently -- except in emergencies of course!). So let's say your big deep-cycle battery is 50Ah (just guessing as I don't know what its label says)...your IDEAL charging rate would be 5A, times 2 = 10A max charing rate. So your IDEAL charger (for THIS battery) would need to put out 5A minimum, 10A maximum. The Schumacher puts out 6A so this is fine for your deep-cycle battery using a 1/10 Ah charging rate, but it will not charge at 10-A (your MAX safe rate) so it'd simply take LONGER to charge it full up.

If youre going to err on getting a charger, err on the smaller size than larger (more powerful/higher amps) size as too many people buy a HIGH-amp charger and soon fry their batteries! Don't be in a hurry to charge batteries unless it's crucial to do so.

So, in this case, a "smart-charger" that does not put out more than 10A max would be good for THIS particular battery you just got...other batteries have different Ah ratings so you have to consider each one on a case-by-case basis to choose their IDEAL (1/10Ah) charging rate. Still, these chargers usually put out 3 different amerages so they cover MOST batteries we usually see (car and "marine" deep-cycle batteries). HUGE solar-panel-array dee-cycle batteries, however, require more powerful chargers (or larger solar panels) to bring them up if they get down too far.

So I can't tell you exactly what rated charger would be BEST for your new deep-cycle battery, but read its label and see what its Ah rating is, then choose a charger that will put out AT LEAST 1/10 the battery's Ah rating, and also a MAX of twice that. Get that one. And at it's lower amp charging rates, it will do your smaller batteries, too, such as MC/ATV and other such smaller batteries.

The Schumacher SC-600A will certainly work, but the next model up (the digital like the SC-1200A, or even the SSC-1500A even) may be better if your "deep-cycle" battery has a high Ah rating (above 30-40Ah for example).

Remember, you can always charge a battery at a lower/small charge rate -- it'll just take longer -- but charging a battery at too HIGH a charge rate shortens its life. Protect your battery investment (my "large" 12v deep-cycle battery was $210 and they can be lots more)...so choose a charger using the rules I mentioned above. Only charge them at a higher rate if it's an emergency and you need them up fast, even if you do shorten their life down the road.

Good luck...

Yes, absolutely. That's exactly the battery I have and it does great.

Yes it will work on deep cycle batteries too.

it works fine on my deep cycle battereies

Yes but it will take more time to charge than it would with a charger rated for more amps.

No. This unit converts household (120 volt AC) into 6 or 12 volt DC (as needed).

No, it has to be used connect to the battery terminals, not the cigarette lighter.

Yes, it would be fine, but for smaller batteries as used on most MCs/scooters, perhaps a smaller amp rated charger would be better.

For example, I have a 5-stage Yuasa "SmartShot" charger (rated 1.5A max) and an Optimate 4 (even less amps max, something like 0.8 max)...but the Optimate 4 includes a desulfator if a battery needs to be desulfated.

I also have a made-in-Japan "Nanopulser" (it is a desulfator only, not a charger) I switch around on all my batteries WHILE THEY ARE ON A CHARGER (so the "parasitic" Nanopulser doesn't drain the battery too low) just to make sure they don't get sulfated.

But in short, the Schumacher SC-600A would be fine...you don't need the 1200A or 1500A.

Good luck...

Not without some adaptation. It comes with clips to attach to your battery posts, and needs to be plugged into a 110v outlet.

you can charge the battery while it is still on the car.

Yes you dont have to take out the battery. I didnt. I charged my battery while it was in the car and connected. just make sure your car is off so your alternator dont back feed the charger and blow it.

Don't think this charger has a lighter adapter. It has battery clips. Schumacher does, however, make a charger for this purpose I believe.

Do I just plug it into the regular wall outlet, then clip it on my car battery?
YEP. It's fully automatic. Once the battery reaches full charge, it will automatically go into "maintain" mode. PLUS, it will NOT operate if you put the clips on backwards and has a light on the unit which will tell you if the cables are hooked correctly.

If your car batter is over 3 years old get it replaced. That being said car batteries can drain if not used regularly. You might want to look for a maintainer type product. This has a 2A mode (trickle charge), but most maintainers are only 1A and will definitely not overcharge your battery.

- It has a regular wall plut.
- It clips to your battery (no disconnection necessary).
- Charge time depends on how discharged the battery is. At most 8-12 hours. There is an indicator to show you what stage it's at. It will not overcharge your battery. It should automatically switch to maintenance mode when it's done.

Plugs in regular wall outlet. No need to take the existing cables off, just clip onto the battery terminals. It will charge and then keep the battery charged up and will not overcharge the battery. It's a good product and relatively inexpensive. You'll be happy with it.

Answers in order that you asked:
yes, it plugs into a regular outlet.
yes, you should remove the negative(black) cable.
The time for completing the charge is dependent on the condition of the battery and the initial state of charge, so it depends. The charger has a percent of charge monitor, when it's above 80% it's good.
It is supposed to shut off automatically, but like any electical equipment, it pays to monitor it.

Based on your battery symptoms , I suggest you purchase a new battery instead, it sounds like yours has reached end of it's life. Any auto repair shop or parts store can check that the car's charging circuit is ok.

Clip it onto the battery. Make sure that you match positive to positive and negative to negative or bad things will happen...basically make sure red goes to red and black goes to black.

Plug it in. It should automatically set to 12v or else you can select it. Choose the amperage based on how fast you want to charge. Slower is better but you may not have 24 hrs to wait. I would choose 4 or 6 amps and let it run over night.

Good luck with cold morning starts! Car & batteries get cranky when they get old sometimes.

Just plug it into any outlet, it will shut off by it's self. No you don't have to disconnect your car battery cables.

Songweaver, yes, you plug it in the wall and then attach (as diected) to the battery. You don't really have to remove your battery cables. A car battery may take overnight as a slow charge is better (2 Amp). The lights on the unit show you how the charge is proceeding (eventually turning green for finished). Good luck. Happy Howie

Yep. It charged my tractor battery in no time.

If it's 6 or 12 volt yes.

Do you mean 28Ah battery (a deep-cycle rating)? Or do you mean 28CCA (a starting/car battery rating)? They are 2 different animals.

If you mean 28Ah, then yes, the Schumacher is probably IDEAL as it will charge it at 2A, 4A or 6A, the max amps (6) being twice the battery's ideal 1/10Ah charging rate (which would be 3A) and no more than twice the ideal rate. The IDEAL rate would be (more precisely) 2.8A, so charging it at 2A or 4A would be fine, as would the 6A maximum.

I don't know how many Ah a car/starting battery has (you can't convert CCA to Ah or vice-versa, they are two different things), but I'd have to say that ALSO YES, this 2/4/6 Schumacher SC-600A would be fine for a smaller 28CCA starting battery, for car batteries or MC/scooter batteries or even for your average larger car starting batteries.

Sorry for the delay in answering, but I just saw all these questions today (after I did a review on this item today as Walmart.com asked me to do) and have already answered a bunch of them, although belatedly. Sorry...

This charger will charge a 6 volt mower battery. However, once you allow a lead acid battery (car type) or your mower battery to discharge completely (dead) it will no longer hold a charge. This charger, when left connected to the mower battery will keep it charged when your mower is not used frequently enough to keep it charged.

Sure can follow instructions

Provided that it is a 6v or 12v battery, it should work very nicely on the 2amp setting.

at the 2 amp charge rate it is fine for smaller batteries.

Yes. This charger is good for 6v or 12 volt batteries--worked perfectly for my riding mower/lawn tractor. Refer to my review on 11/2/10.

Yep. Any 6 volt or 12 volt battery can be charged using this unit.

Yes.

Yes, if they are not TOO large (too high a CCA or Ah rating, meaning pretty big batteries)...it'd just take longer as the Schumacher SC-600A charger only charges at a MAX of 6A, so that means -- using the ideal charging rate rule of 1/10 a battery's Ah rating -- it'll IDEALLY charge a 60Ah battery, or, a 20Ah battery (or smaller, since it also charges at 2A or 4A) at an ideal/close-to-ideal rate and a 30Ah battery at the the ideal rate (4A is close) or twice the ideal rate (6A) which would be the MAX rate for a 30Ah battery.

I know, it's confusing.

I just stated some "Ah ranges" of what it would work with as I have no idea what YOUR boat battery is rated at...you need to first know your battery's Ah rating (if it's a deep-cycle battery it's rated in Ah) or if it's a starting battery, it's rated in CCA (which is not convertible to an Ah figure unfortunately -- but an AVERAGE car battery is about 40Ah).

Whatever, you need to read your battery's label. If it's a true deep-cycle, it will be rated in Ah. Divide that by 10 to get your IDEAL charging rate (safe and gently charge the battery). TWICE that is the MAX amps you want to go. For example, a 40Ah battery should be charged IDEALLY at a 4A rate, 8A max. So ideally, you'd get a charger that'd charge at 4A minimum, 8A max. It's likely though that you probably can't get a charger to meet those specs EXACTLY, so jsut get one as close to that as possible. Most smart-chargers have 3 amp levels of charging so you can find one that's close. Whatever, do not get a charger that charges MORE than twice the ideal rate...it will shorten the battery's life down the road. Protect your (battery) investment!

Good luck...

you bet. that's exactly what I use it for

Yes it will charge boat batteries, car, truck, lawn mowers.

yes it can

i use it on my trolling motor batteries. i have a 12/24 trolling motor and i charge each battery separately.

The owner's manual says it can.

Yes