Generally it is noticed that while charging batteries people hardly pay any special attention toward the procedures. For them charging a battery is simply connecting any DC supply with matching voltage with the battery terminals.
I have seen motor garage mechanics charge all types of batteries with the same power supply source irrespective of the AH rating associated with the particular batteries.
That's gravely wrong! That's like giving the batteries a slow "death". Lead Acid batteries to a very extent are rugged and are capable of taking on the crude charging methods, however it's always recommended to charge even the LA batteries with a lot care. This "care" will not only increase the longevity but will also enhance the efficiency of the unit.
Ideally all batteries should be charged in a step wise manner, meaning the current should be reduced in steps as the voltage nears the "full charge" value.
For a typical Lead Acid battery or an SMF/VRL battery the above approach can be considered very healthy and a reliable method. In this post we are discussing one such automatic step battery charger circuit which can be effectively used for charging most of the rechargeable types of batteries.