Charging an electric bike or a 12 volt deep cycle marine battery


In terms of charging with the power box 50, it is designed to charge a deep cycle or marine battery directly with the cable included, It is regulated to 14 volts, 3 amps. Correct for this purpose. Lithium is becoming more popular.


Lithium usually charges at a slightly higher voltage. 14.4 volts. 


The many solar generator or power generators on the market of many brand names are not generators of course but lithium batteries and an inverter in a box. They typically can be charged in one of three ways. ac adapter, solar panel or cap port. You simply need to plug the 12 volt cable that comes with these into the power box 50 to charge it from the power box 50. Many people are discovering this. they are getting these generators for emergencies, when the power is out. When the power is out the ac adapter does not work and usually the solar panel will not since it doe into work at night or cloudy skies which is usually when you lose power. The car port from your car is also problematic as if you do it with the car off you kill your car battery. If you turn your car on as some recommend you have to run your car for hours draining your cars gas which may not be replaceable in an emergency since gas is pumped from the ground with electricity. 


As to directly charging a lithium battery as I said they usually charge as a slightly higher voltage. We have had customers try this and said it works fine with 14 not 14.4 volts. It should work fine when the lithium is low but as the lithium battery gets full the lower voltage with slow the charging rate. Since the point of charging the battery is when it is low not when approaching full this should not be a big problem. Alternately you can use the power box to charge a power generator of small 12 volt battery with an inverter and plug the lithium battery into the inverter or power generator ac output but I think direct connect should work well enough as customers have told us it does.

Sincerely

Ken