Small Charger and Large Battery. Will This Charging Damage the Battery?

Is charging a large battery with a small charger dangerous? And what about the opposite situation, a very powerful charger and a small battery?

Battery and Charger

Rarely do we pay attention to the exact parameters of the charger, and even less often do we match a specific charger to the battery. Various vehicles with different starting current and capacity needs come to the workshops.

As a result, we often use simple, small chargers and treat them as universal devices. But what happens if the battery is significantly larger than the charger’s capabilities?

This situation is not dangerous, but under certain conditions. A small 12V charger will charge a large 12V battery simply longer than a large charger would. Nothing will happen if you connect a larger charger to a small battery either.

Voltage is Important

In the situation of charging batteries with a charger, the most crucial factor is the voltage. We are talking about 24-volt batteries, which require a 24-volt charger, and vice versa.

Connecting a 12-volt battery to a 24-volt device will cause serious battery damage. These batteries are designed to be charged with a voltage of 13-14 volts, so too high a voltage can result in overheating, electrolyte leakage, and even explosion. Before connecting the charger, make sure the charger can adjust the voltage. Some devices can be manually switched between 6, 12, and 24 volts.

Source: NOCO