How to Charge a Lead Acid Battery

The battery in your car is very likely a lead acid battery. This type of battery is very heavy, because, as the name suggests, the battery is constructed using plates of lead suspended in sulphuric acid. Lead acid batteries have been used in cars and trucks since a battery was first installed in a car in the early 1900s. This type of battery is a storage battery. That is, it cannot generate electricity and instead must be charged to store that energy for later use.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Battery charger

1. Remove any dirt or corrosion from around the caps on the top of the battery and remove the caps. If you cannot locate any caps, or cannot remove them by lifting them off, you have a maintenance-free battery.

2. Look in the holes where the caps were. The liquid level should be the same in all cells, and should completely cover the lead plates to a depth of at least 3/4 inch. Many batteries have a ring to fill to near the base of the hole.

3. Connect the red clamp from the battery charger to the positive battery terminal.

4. Connect the black clamp to the negative battery terminal.

5. Set the controls on the battery charger for 12 volts. If the charger is equipped with an amperage control, set it to the lowest amperage level. The battery will charge at a slow rate at this setting, which helps to minimize heat and distortion of the lead plates, leading to longer battery life.

6. Set the timer, if so equipped, to 12 hours for a 2-amp rate or 6 hours at a 10-amp rate, and turn the charger on.

7. Shut off the charger and remove it from the battery at the end of the set time. Check the battery with a voltage meter to ensure the battery is fully charged. Return to the charger if it is not yet fully charged.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear gloves and safety glasses when working with automotive batteries. Avoid spilling any battery liquid on your clothing, as the highly corrosive acid will quickly destroy cloth.

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