Amps and volts…what’s the difference?

Amps are the unit of measure for the amount of current that is flowing through a circuit. Volts are the unit of measure for the electrical force that actually moves electron flow in a circuit. Here’s a good analogy to help distinguish the two:

Compare an electric circuit to a river. Volts would represent how much water is in the river. Amps represent how fast the river is flowing. Minn Kota’s chargers are designed for 12V, 24V, 36V or 48V trolling systems, with total outputs ranging from 6 amps to 40 amps.

Automatic Temperature Compensation — Why is it important?

The temperature of a battery affects its ability to take a charge. All lead acid batteries need to be pushed to their “gassing threshold” in order to become fully charged. However, the gassing threshold changes with the temperature: it is higher in colder temperatures and lower in hotter temperatures.

A charger that does not have automatic temperature compensation can cause boiling of batteries at high temperatures, or under charging of batteries at low temperatures. It is also possible for thermal runaway to occur at higher temperatures.

Minn Kota® chargers utilize automatic temperature compensation to measure the temperature of the battery, and then adjust the output voltage to assure 1) that the battery is fully charged by reaching and maintaining the gassing threshold while 2) protecting the battery from “boiling” due to overcharging at high temperatures.

What is multi-stage charging…and why do I need it?

Select Minn Kota® chargers offer multi-charging capabilities (bulk, absorption and maintenance/float) to properly charge and maintain batteries. By properly and automatically controlling the current and voltage during the charge cycle, Minn Kota chargers recharge faster while preventing overcharging (which can damage and shorten battery life). With Minn Kota’s multi-stage charging you get back on the water faster and extend the life of your batteries.

Bulk — provides high amps at low voltages until the battery reaches ~75% charge.

Absorption — when the battery reaches 75% charge, the current begins to taper down until the battery voltage reaches 14.6V.

Maintenance (or Float) — when the battery reaches full charge, charge output is dropped to 13.2V - 13.4V (.1A - .3A).

What makes a durable, reliable charger?