How To Charge a Car Battery

Ⓒ Provided by The Drive

By Kevin Williams, The Drive

To the uninformed, a car battery might seem like a mystery box full of magic spells that can only be serviced by the wizard at the car dealership, but that’s hogwash. These little cubes are pretty simple devices that only require a few components to operate.

Car batteries aren’t that much different from the battery in a cell phone or any other electronic device. Typically, the vehicle’s charging system will keep the battery topped up, but sometimes, there will be situations where it’ll need to be recharged outside of the vehicle. Never fret, recharging a battery isn’t much harder than plugging in a cell phone. Don’t bother paying somebody else to do easy jobs, just follow the step-by-step information below and do it at home.

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Battery Safety

Car batteries are boxes filled with acid and electricity, both things that can maim you, so let’s take some caution before trying to charge one. We recommend removing the battery from the vehicle, as overcharging or other charging issues could cause catastrophic battery damage. When removing the battery to recharge, take care to avoid bodily injury. Lift with your legs, not your back. Furthermore, you’ll want to protect yourself with the following items:

• Long-sleeve shirt and pants, preferably Safety glasses

• Nitrile gloves

Ⓒ Provided by The Drive

Everything You’ll Need To Recharge Your Battery

Everyone’s garage is different, but recharging a battery is simple. These are the basic tools you’ll need.

• Car battery charger

• Socket set or crescent wrench, optional. 

Set up your tools before you begin the job and take your time. Buying a battery charger now is a lot easier than calling a taxi cab to buy an expensive version of the same thing at a local parts store.

Read More: What to Do When Your Car Won’t Start

Here’s How To Charge a Car’s Battery

Follow this step-by-step guide and you should have a fresh battery soon.

• Pop the hood (or trunk) and follow the steps to remove the battery from the vehicle.

• Place the battery in a secure, dry location.

• Plug in your battery charger and tuck the cords out of the way if possible.

• Connect the battery charger’s leads to the battery. Remember, positive (+) first, then negative (-).

• Turn the battery charger on, and select the battery type. Typically, most vehicles will use the standard or STD setting.

• Select the charging mode. Most battery chargers have a charge and maintain or quick charge features. Select the desired mode and walk away.

• Most battery chargers have a volt meter or a charging percentage meter. When the battery reaches 100 percent, charging is complete. Remove the charging leads and then unplug the battery charger.

• Reinstall the battery in the vehicle and close the hood.

• After recharging a battery, it’s always a good idea to run the car outside or drive it around for a while to further establish the charge.

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