How to Charge a Car Battery

Car batteries always seem to die at the most inconvenient times. Normally your battery should be kept fully charged by your alternator, but if the car is not running your alternator cannot charge your battery. There are several other ways to charge your now-dead battery.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• In-car battery charger

Jumper Cables

1. Bring a second vehicle with a charged battery alongside your own car.

2. Attach jumper cables from the other cars battery to your own.

3. Have the driver of the working car start it and let it run, with the cables attached to your car, for five minutes.

4. Attempt to start your car. If it does not start wait another minute and if it still is not starting you have a problem other than your battery.

5. Disconnect the jumper cables from both cars removing the positive (red) connections first.

Home Charging Systems

6. Pull an extension cord out (if necessary) to your car and plug it into your home car battery charger.

7. Connect the charger's cables to your car's battery terminals.

8. Plug the extension cord into an outlet and let the battery charge.

9. Start your car.

10. Unplug your battery charger, then remove the cables from your cars battery and put the charger away.

In Car Chargers

11. Hook the charger's connection into your cigarette lighter inside your car.

12. Wait just a few minutes for the car to charge.

13. Turn on your car and be on your way.

Tips & Warnings

• Always start by connecting the negative (black) to the negative terminal on the battery, then connect the positive connection whether you are jumping or using a charger.
• When connecting anything to your battery, you may not get a good connection due to corrosion on the terminals. If this happens, simply scrape the connector on your terminal rubbing off the corrosion, then reconnect the cables.
• Charging a car battery produces hydrogen gas. Be sure to ventilate the area and avoid sparks as this could cause an explosion.
• Do not charge a leaky battery, as this can result in an explosion at worst and it will not hold the charge at best.
• When jumping your car battery you could be shocked. Be careful to avoid touching the wires yourself or touching them together shorting out your battery.
• Be certain not to reverse the cables between cars (positive on one to the negative on the other) as this can damage both vehicles and their batteries.

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[ezrider3]

on 2/28/2008 When I plug my charger into an always hot cigarette lighter socket I don't get anything (voltage)at the battery. I have a 1989 Chevy Pickup. Should this work through the cigarette lighter socket? I want to use a solar panel because this truck sets a lot.

Why don't I get any voltage from the charger at the battery? I tested the charger and it is working fine. I disconnected the hot lead at the battery to test it and there's nothing on the battery positive lead.
Can anyone help?
Thanks