Can you overcharge a gps battery with a home charger if the system is not turned on?

Yes you can overcharge a battery, it all depends on the charger your using. Most chargers are single stage chargers. Most scooters come with a single stage charger. My scooter has a built in single stage charger What this type of charger does is output a constant 24v @ 4amps.The problem is batteries amperage requirements decrease as the battery charges. An overcharge will occur when the battery is charged. It requires very little amperage to maintain a charge on a fully charged battery. A single stage charger like mine will output 4amps regardless of the state of charge of the battery. Batteries bring charged with single stage chargers loose their electrolyte. What happens is overcharged batteries break down the electrolyte into oxygen and hydrogen. So overcharging will cause a battery to "boil-out" its electrolyte. Batteries don't work without electrolyte. In the old days there were only single stage chargers. That was the state of the art back then. So to cope with the constant overcharging batteries had refill ports where you could replenish the electrolyte using distilled water.

Scooter batteries are far and away different from the lead acid of the 1970's. Scooter batteries are sealed, they are deep cycle, they use a glass mat soaked in gelled electrolyte. These glass mat batteries optimize the electrolyte used so they can use allot less of it. These newer batteries have a lot more power in a lot smaller package but they have a draw back, they must be charged properly. You can absolutely can not charge these batteries with a single stage charger. Actually you can charge with this device but you will loosed electrolyte each time you charge.

I use a three stage charger 24v @ 5amp. This charger s different from a single stage. Its what they term a "smart charger" it monitors the state of charge of the battery. As the battery charges it turns down the amperage. When the battery is fully charged the amperage is turned low enough were the charge is maintained. The entire charging process is designed to preserve electrolyte. In short this type charger will not overcharge the battery.

Click here to see the charger i currently use.
http://www.amazon.com/Sealed-Battery-Charger-3-Stage-Fan-Cooled/dp/B0051WHAU0

Over charging could be the result of several things including:

Faulty Voltage Regulator
1. A car's battery will overcharge if the voltage regulator isn't working correctly. A voltage regulator is usually part of the alternator, and is used to keep a steady flow of voltage to the battery. If the voltage regulator is defective, it will send either too little or too much charge to the battery. If it sends too much, the car battery will overcharge. The voltage regulator is easily replaceable at an easily affordable price, sometimes for as little as twenty dollars, as of 2009.
Faulty Alternator
2. Sometimes the alternator itself can be at fault. The alternator is the device that converts the mechanical power of the engine into electrical power to charge the battery. When an alternator breaks, it usually stops creating electricity for the battery, which will then eventually die. However, if the wrong alternator is placed in the car, or if the alternator is running at the wrong pace, it will create too much energy for the car battery, causing it to overcharge. The alternator is another easily replaced part.
Incorrect Charger Use
3. If a battery charger is used to charge your battery outside of your car, improper use of the charger can result in overcharging. If a battery is placed on the charger too long, it can result in overcharging, and a significant decrease in your battery's lifespan and efficiency. This is why it is important to read about your specific battery and understand how long it needs to charge to be effective. Too much charge will lead to problems.
Faulty Battery Chargers
4. Sometimes chargers can be faulty. Their settings may be wired incorrectly, or the charges labeled incorrectly. As a result, your battery may be getting overcharged, even if you are carefully monitoring your charging. This is a problem that is hard to avoid, as manufacturing mistakes can happen anywhere, anytime without warning. It is a good idea to test your charger regularly to see if it is running correctly.
Heat
5. Extreme heat in the summer can also have an adverse effect on the car battery. If the battery has been previously overcharged, extreme heat can increase the problems caused by overcharging, and exacerbate any other problems with the battery. This problem can be hard to avoid if you live in a warm climate. The only real way to ensure safety against this problem is to avoid overcharge in the first place.

GPS SYSTEMS HAVE A TENDENCY TO LOSE CONNECTIVITY TO SATILLITES BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER, CLOUD COVER, TUNNEL ENTRANCE, BAD OR NO POWER, BATTERY LIFE HAS BEEN EXPENDED, HAZARD OF ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE TO GPS SYSTEMS, AND IMPROPER VEHICLE MOUNTING AND HAND HELD POSITION. FREE SOLUTIONS 1. ALWAYS PLACE YOUR GPS DEVICE IN THE UPPERMOST PORTION OF YOUR VEHICLE SO THAT THE GPS SIGNAL MAY EASILY LOCATE YOUR DEVICE EVEN WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD 2. KEEP YOUR BATTERY CHARGED ONLY WHEN IT NEEDS IT MOST AND AVOID CHARGING OFTEN 3. IF YOU OVERCHARGE YOUR GPS DEVICE, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE BATTERY LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN EAT AWAY AT YOUR CLOTHING, DESTROY YOUR DEVICE IN SECONDS, AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR VEHICLE SEATS 4. YOUR GPS DEVICE HAS A TENDENCY TO FREEZE BECAUSE OF THE SIM AND MEMORY CHIPS LOCATED WITHIN IT 5. YOU CAN FIX THE FREEZING PROBLEM BY REMOVING THE SIM CHIP AND MEMORY CHIP AND RESTARTING YOUR SYSTEM 6. OTHER FREEZE PROBLEMS OCCUR BECAUSE THE DEVICE IS COLD WHEN IT IS KEPT IN THE VEHICLE AND CHIP CREEK OCCURS WHERE THE DEVICES MICROCHIPS BECOME LOOSE AND TIGHTEND BECAUSE OF WARM AND COLDER AIR FLUCTUATIONS. IT IS BEST TO KEEP THE DEVICE IN A PURSE OR ON A TABLE WHERE IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO CONSTANT TEMP. CHANGE 7. PREVENTION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IS BEST SOLVED BY: interference from devices located nearby, and even a radio turned on and located really close to your unit. This is normally known as electromagnetic interference to electronics and is very common

Hello,

I advice you get another GPS, though, the phone charger might charge your GPS but it might just be epileptic charging because the rating on the GPS charger and your phone charger might not be the same, this way, you are partially rendering the life span and efficiency of the battery of your GPS down, and might lead to the damage og the battery.

I strongly advice you get another charger for the Gps.

Take care.

There is nothing in the manual about overcharging, or a warning no to leave the unit plugged in.

Most vehicle lighters do not have power when the car is off.

Some have tow ports, a lighter and a power port.

Check your port, if the lighter does not work when the vehicle is off then you don't have to worry.

You can also contact there support dept at there website.

This means that the internal battery of the gps system is completely dead and can not hold a charge. All you will need to do is replace the battery and it should work like new. The battery is fairly cheap to buy and replace.

It is entirely possible you need a new battery. Use and abuse shortens the battery life. Starting the engine while GPS connected or overcharging on AC or PC.

If it fails to acquire on full charge or replaced battery then it has a damaged chip from the usage i stated above. Not warrantble either.

YES the battery is sogged AC by passes low voltage circuit.9 battery) Get a new battery fitted and all should work again for you

you should purchase a mobile v3 car charger for the phone and do not use the other one you have

Yes. But a proper charger will not do that.