How does a portable charger work?

I have just purchased a minn kota 30lb trolling motor and marine battery. The next step is purchasing a charger. The motor along with the battery will be set up in 12ft inflatable fishing raft. I was looking at the walmart website, and they have many marine battery chargers. I stumbled across a minn kota 5amp portable 12v marine battery charger. How does this work? do i charge the charger and then bring it on the boat and it will charge my battery without haaving to be plugged in? or does it have to be plugged into something? Also, can i plug it into the wall at home and use it as my primary battery charger as well, and then bring it on the boat with me? or is that not a good idea? Basically tell me how this little thing works, and if I were to buy it if it would also eliminate the need for a regular marine battery charger.How does a portable charger work?
My simple answer would be to stay away from it. For your boat and trolling motor, you won't get any use out of a portable or on board charger. Just get you a normal deep cycle battery charger and charge your battery the night before headed out to fish. With a good battery and charger, you shouldn't run into any low battery problems, as long as you charged it fully the night before. Be sure that you get a charger which has different charging settings. Most will have something like a 10 amp charge along with a 2 amp charge. The 2 amp charge is what you need to use when charging your battery for a long period of time, like all night for example. It is a slower but more thorough charge. The 10 amp is a quicker charge but not quite as thorough. 10 amp comes in handy when you are forced to charge your battery for a shorter length of time. If you wake up one day and decide you're going to go fishing in a few hours, charge it with the 10 amp setting.



The portable and on board chargers are best suited for normal boats with outboards on them. Many boats like this have 3 or 4 batteries, which are big and bulky. Therefore, people don't want to haul these things in and out of their boats when not necessary.How does a portable charger work?
Have a' 11' inflatable (Intex Seahawk 500) sporting a' Motor Guide 30lb., thrust and all I do is make sure the battery is at full charge usin' a conventional battery charger before headin' out (charge the battery the night before at 2amps). Also, I'll take along a' "don't leave home without it" goodie ie., battery meter (link) which helps me stay on top of the charge. Your biggest concern is a GOOD Marine type battery. Realize that I didn't help out with the portable but, think I'd take the advice Josh (thumbs) gave ya' and shy away from it %26lt;);-3



Minn Kota battery meter:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templa鈥?/a>



Note: Don't know the size of the portable charger but, keep in mind that them inflatables are limited in room and with the battery sittin' inside along with the portable your goin' to cut down the space in it even more. Might not sound like much but, I can tell ya' personally one wants as much room as they can get in em'. Just food for thought...