Car Battery Chargers
So have you got a car battery charger? Think that you'll never get a flat battery? Well considering the low cost of car battery chargers these days is it really worth taking the risk.
Ignoring the age of battery (car batteries last 3 to 5 years on average and get to a point that they will no longer hold a charge), your car battery can steadily lose power just through daily use.
This is especially true in the winter and summer months. In the winter, you are more likely to be using your headlights and heater, which are a major drain on the battery. In the summer, you are more likely to have your air conditioning full on, which is a heavy battery drain.
Here's a quick guide on how to use a car battery charger safely.
- You will need:
- Some Rags
- Battery terminal grease.
- Distilled water.
- A small wire brush.
- Pliers, adjustable wrench or similar.
- Screw drivers.
(The last two will be dependent on the type of battery connections you have).
To start off, carefully remove the battery cables. Wipe the battery and the terminals clean, and then with the wire brush gently clean off any corrosion. The cleaner the terminals, the more efficiently the battery passes current to your car.
Once everything is clean, follow the instruction on your battery charger. With the battery cables disconnected you can either choose to charge the battery in the car, or take it indoors. If you do take it indoors, keep the room well ventilated. Charging batteries give off a gas which is not particularly healthy.
Your charger will have two leads with large "crocodile clips" which connect to your battery terminals. The important thing to note here, is that you must connect the positive (+) to positive (+) and negative (-) to negative (-). These will be very clearly marked on both the battery and charger.
These are also colour coded, with positive being red, and negative being black. It is also recommended that you loosen the refiller caps on your battery to allow any gases produced by the recharging to escape. While you are doing that, you should check that there is enough fluid in your battery. There will be a mark on the side of the battery to show the maximum level. If it is below that, top up with the distilled water.
Once everything is connected up, turn on the power to your car battery charger. You will have been given an instruction leaflet with your battery charger, which will advise you how long to charge your battery for. Once the gauge shows that your battery is fully charged, turn it off at the mains, and disconnect everything. Remember to push down the refill caps firmly.
Reconnecting the cables. Before reconnecting the cables, give everything a wipe of battery terminal grease. This will stop corrosion and allow the battery to receive and give out a full charge.
Hopefully, you shouldn't have to charge your battery more than once or twice a year. But if you have to do it more often, take it as a sign that your battery is starting to fail and get a replacement.
For more articles on car batteries, maintenance, car battery chargers, check the top of this page.