How do I Use a 12V Charger?
Batteries that are improperly maintained or nearing the end of their life expectancy may cease to work properly and fail to start the vehicle's engine. Vehicle batteries that are unused for long periods of time can also lose charge. In these cases, the vehicle's battery will need to be recharged. A 12-volt battery charger is often used to recharge or jump-start batteries and is generally simple to use. Investing in a 12-volt battery charger for your vehicle can make the difference between being stuck if your battery dies and having the solution at hand for a dead battery.
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Instructions
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Park the vehicle on a flat surface. Turn off the vehicle with the ignition switch, as well as any accessories in the vehicle.
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Put on your rubber gloves and safety goggles for protection. Open the vehicle's hood and remove the plastic shields covering the battery.
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3
Use a battery terminal cleaning tool, such as a wire brush, to clean the battery posts or terminals. Unplug the battery charger if it is plugged into an electrical outlet and ensure that it is turned off before usage.
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4
Attach the battery charger's positive clip, which is generally the red one, to the positive battery post. Connect the negative clip, which is generally the black clip, to a heavy gauge metal part of the vehicle's frame or engine block.
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Adjust the settings on the battery charger by checking that the variable voltage setting is at 12 volts. Amp settings can be adjusted to the amount desired. A lower amp setting will require more time to charge the battery, while a higher amp setting with require less time. The general amp settings include 2, 6, 12 or 30 amps.
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Plug the charger into an electrical outlet. Turn the charger on by pressing the switch on the charger.
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Allow enough time for the battery to charge. The amount of time required for the battery to fully charge will depend on the settings of the battery charger.
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Check on the battery charger to determine whether the charging cycle is complete. The charger indicator light will tell you when the battery is finished charging.
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Turn the battery charger off by pressing the switch on the charger and unplug the battery charger from the electrical outlet. Remove the negative clip attached to the car's frame before removing the charger's positive clip connected to the battery.
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Tips & Warnings
Use an extension cord if the cord from the battery charger is too short to reach an electrical outlet.
If the battery has been removed from the vehicle, attach the negative clip to the negative post on the battery.
Do not attach the battery charger's negative clip to the vehicle's fuel line or any part of the carburetor.
References
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