The method of charging depends on the type of battery. In old cars, mainly of domestic and Soviet production, batteries of the serviced type are installed. Outwardly, they differ in filling holes, which are closed with plugs. In such batteries, the electrolyte boils away, so you need to monitor its level and periodically top up. New cars are produced with maintenance-free type batteries - there are no filling holes on their covers and it says “Do not open”.
How to charge the battery at home
For self-charging, you need a starting-charger. What is mandatory for him: matching the capacity and type of your battery. What is very desirable: ammeter, choice of output voltage (12 or 24 volts), protection function against short circuit, overcharge and polarity reversal.
Car battery charging rules:
- Place it on a flat surface in a room that can be ventilated. This is important for maintenance-type charging: during charging, substances harmful to health may be released from the electrolyte. Before the charging process, such batteries must be prepared by unscrewing the plugs from the battery cans and placing them on the filling holes. This will prevent the active release of toxins.
- Set up the starter-charger. It is intended not only for charging batteries, but also for starting a car engine, therefore the "Start - Charge" toggle switch should be switched to the "Charge" position. Then select the voltage of your battery - 12 V or 24 V (indicated on the sticker on the top panel of the device). The "Less - More" toggle switch (for imported devices - Min and Max), which is responsible for the charging current and, accordingly, the battery charge time, set to the "Less" (Min) position.
- Connect the starter-charger to the battery. Connect the red wire of the device to the positive terminal of the battery, and the black wire to the negative terminal. Then connect the car battery charger to a household power outlet.
Important! Connect the charger to the mains only after connecting its wires to the battery terminals.
- Monitor the charge level. An ammeter built into the starting-charger allows you to monitor the level of the battery charging current - the closer the arrow is to zero, the higher the charge.
- Switch off the battery charger. Most modern chargers are equipped with a self-shutdown function when the battery is fully charged. If yours doesn't have one, measure the battery charge level with a voltmeter. When the charge is full, disconnect the starting-charger from the mains, and then disconnect its wires from the battery terminals.
How much to charge the battery
Charging a car battery is a lengthy process. On average, it will take 11-12 hours to fully charge a 12V battery. If you need to speed up the process, switch the "Less - More" toggle switch on the charger to the "More" position. In this case, the strength of the charging current will increase, making it possible to shorten the time and increase the depth of battery charging. But even in this case, we recommend starting charging in the evening, so that in the morning your car will be in service again.
