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Charging your car battery is usually the first job you should perform if your car won’t crank when turning the key. You can easily do it from home, so don’t worry about calling a professional. Battery chargers are pretty simple devices that don’t take much time or skill 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, because charging a car battery isn’t much harder than plugging in a cell phone. In terms of skill required, this is easy and it takes less than five minutes to connect the charger. How long it takes to charge will depend on the type of smart charger you use, but it’s best to leave it charging overnight. Keep in mind that 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.
To remove your battery you’ll want to have a socket set or crescent wrench close by. When it comes time to charge your battery, you can’t go wrong with a Noco Genius10. In case your battery is damaged and/or leaking, you should protect yourself with the following items: a long-sleeved shirt, safety glasses, and nitrile gloves.
How To Charge a Car Battery, Step by Step
Step 1: Remove The Battery
Firstly, you’ll need to pop the hood and remove the battery. So follow each step of our battery removal guide, and then come back to this guide and complete the charging process.
Step 2: Secure Battery
Place the battery in a secure, dry location.
Step 3: Plug In Charger
Plug in your smart charger and tuck the cords neatly out of your way.
Step 4: Connect Charger
Connect the smart charger’s leads to the battery. Remember to connect positive (+) first, then negative (-).
Step 5: Select Battery Type
Turn the smart charger on and select your battery type. Typically, most vehicles will use the standard or STD setting.
Step 6: Select Charging Mode
Select the charging mode. Most battery chargers have charge, maintenance, and quick charge features. Select the desired mode and leave the charger to do its job.
Step 7: Charge and Disconnect
Most battery chargers have a charge level indicator. When the battery is fully charged, you can remove the charging leads. This time, you remove the negative (-) first, then the positive (+). After this, you can unplug the charger.
Step 8: Reinstall Battery
Now, you can reinstall the battery and close the hood.
Step 9: Go for a Drive
After recharging a battery, it’s always a good idea to go for a drive for around 30 minutes to further establish the charge. Congratulations, you’re fully charged!
Final Tips for Charging a Car Battery
A simple rule is to trickle charge the battery overnight, then reassess. If the battery doesn’t seem to charge or hold a charge, test it to see if it needs replacing.
Video
If you don’t feel like reading, check out this easy video to learn more about charging a car battery. It’s from the crew at eHowAuto who make this type of content for all types of maintenance jobs and repairs.
