Jul 05, 2021 Pageview:804
A car battery runs out of power from time to time. When it happens, you will need a good car battery charger. This device is designed to give your vehicle a boost and get it started. You also require the knowledge of how does a car battery charger work? This article seeks to answer that question, so here we go.
How does a portable car battery charger work?
A portable car battery charger is a device that allows you to charge your vehicle's battery from inside the car. You just connect it using the leads and leave it on for hours, without getting out of your seat. It's also worth noting that these chargers can be used to charge other electric devices such as phones or tablets.
To understand how a portable car battery charger works, one must first understand how car batteries work. A car battery is actually a container for a certain amount of sulfuric acid and water. This combination is capable to produce chemical energy, which can then power your engine as well as other devices installed on the vehicle.
When it's turned off, the electric potential in the battery remains unchanged. However, when you start your car and use any electrical component (like lights or radio), you drain some voltage from it and draw about 20Amps (for example). In order to recharge itself after using this stored energy, your car battery requires a few hours of rest before being able to function again – exactly like phones do after we use them throughout the day.
The charger's job is to boost the voltage of your car battery for it to be able to handle these charging actions. It is a simple device but it can cost any place between $30 – $500 depending on its capacity and brand name.
Portable car battery chargers are quite easy to use. You usually need to plug it into your car's cigarette lighter socket (or 12-volt power port in some cases) and then attach the red clamp of the charger on to the positive terminal of a battery and the black terminal to negative.
Next, start your engine and put it into neutral or park position for about 10 minutes while waiting for an audible beep from your charger, which means that it is ready to charge. If you don't hear any beeping sounds after switching on your vehicle, unplug and re-plug until there are beeps, because this indicates that you have a faulty product. After that, switch off the engine, remove your charger clips and use jumper cables instead – connecting them directly to both posts at once – and start the car, but be sure to switch off once your vehicle is running.
The next step would be charging at an empty battery using a constant voltage charger which is able to deliver DC current at an appropriate rate of amperage for the system it's charging. It does this by increasing or decreasing its voltage output in response to input from its sensor (a temperature-resister). A temperature resister allows you to charge a battery throughout its whole process – not overcharging it, nor undercharging. This way, you may extend the life of your recharger since there will be less wear and tear on its electronic parts which are prone to damage by overexertion.
How long does it take to charge a car battery with a charger?
The charge-time is determined in most part by the amount of current that the charger produces. The more amps, the faster the charge! Usually it takes around 12 hours to fully charge a car battery using a 10 amp charger.
Also, it depends on the type of car charge you are using. Rapid chargers operate around 10 amps, while the trickle charge of a car battery lasts for up to 24 hours.
When buying a car battery charger, it's important to consider how strong it is. Although bigger chargers cost more, they usually have a longer charge time as well, making them ideal for people who need to leave their car on for several days while it charges.
How do you use a car battery charger?
The first step in using a car battery charger is to find the right charger for your car. Most cars use lead acid batteries, which are the most common type of battery on the market. However, some vehicles may require a gel or AGM (absorbed glass mat) battery charger instead. If you're not sure whether to get one of those special chargers, check your owner's manual for details about what kind of charger is needed for your car.
Depending on the size and model of the charger you bought, you'll need to connect it to either the cigarette lighter socket inside your vehicle (using an adapter if necessary), or directly in line with your battery via terminals, clamps or cables that come with the device.
Your next step is to figure out how long you want to leave it charging and set the charger accordingly. The device should come with an internal timer that you can set to turn on and off at certain times, or you can use the manual switch on the unit to turn it off when needed.
It's important to note here that your car battery shouldn't be charged for more than 12 hours at a time. So, if you're charging in preparation for an upcoming trip, make sure not to leave it plugged in for longer than that.
The best way to avoid this problem is by bringing along a digital voltmeter which will allow you to view the specific voltage of your current charge before deciding whether or not it's enough, and also how much more charging time is required before your battery is up to full capacity.
In general, charging a car battery involves the following steps:
Determine the car battery voltage.
Find a suitable place to charge the battery.
Connect and disconnect cables to/from the battery as needed (with automatic charger).
Make sure that all connections are tight and clean. It's also important to check for any signs of corrosion or oxidation on the metal connectors, which can impede charging.? Clean off dirt or rust from terminals and surrounding areas if found using wire brushes, sandpaper, emery cloths etc.
Have your voltmeter on hand in order to monitor when the current has reached your desired amount; this is usually somewhere around 12 volts but it may vary depending on climate conditions – extreme heat increases electrical resistance, decreasing efficiency while reducing voltage while extreme cold will have an opposite effect.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to use a car battery charger, get one today and add it to your toolkit.?Please leave us a comment with any questions or feedback you may have; we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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