How to properly recharge the battery charger. How to charge a car battery with a charger? Is it possible to charge the battery without disconnecting from the car's on-board network

To date, scientists have not yet come up with an eternal source of electrical energy for a car. Accordingly, any development of a battery requires attention from the motorist. Often drivers are interested in the question of how to properly charge the car battery. This problem usually pops up when the power source has been installed on the vehicle for a long time. One not very fine day, the engine fails to start. Then the driver has to make a decision on battery maintenance.

Theoretical aspects and problems

The car battery is designed to start the power unit and for the operation of the electrical on-board network in the event of a generator failure. Lead-acid batteries with a voltage of 12 V have found the greatest distribution in passenger vehicles. The life of such batteries today has increased to 5-7 years thanks to new materials and modern manufacturing technologies.

When the car does not start due to a dead battery, there are several options to "revive" the engine.

1. The car can be started from a tugboat by turning on the gear. However, for cars with automatic transmission, this method is not suitable.
2. You can start the engine with the help of a “cigarette lighter wire” if you can find a donor of automotive electricity nearby. In this case, a prerequisite should be approximately the same battery capacity for both machines.
3. The longest way to “revive” the motor will be to charge the car battery with a special device powered by a 220 V network.

For recharging the battery to give the desired effect, you must fulfill a few simple conditions:

• the battery should be checked for mechanical damage;
• it is better to remove the battery from the car;
• to determine the degree of charge, it is better to stock up on a load plug, tester or hydrometer;
• to clean the terminals, you will need sandpaper or a file.

Causes of Battery Discharge

The battery can work for a long time without recharging. In this case, the motorist must know the reasons for the loss of battery capacity.

• Long-term parking of the car negatively affects the life of the battery. Removing the negative terminal will help extend the life of the current source somewhat.
• An old battery with a rapid discharge is unlikely to be reanimated. You will have to choose a new battery.
• A faulty on-board network of a car contributes to accelerated discharge even with the ignition off.
• A low level of electrolyte in the banks leads to permanent loss of battery capacity.

Preparatory stage

It is best to remove the battery from the vehicle before charging. This is done in order to prevent unpleasant consequences in the event of electrolyte splashing or battery short circuit. To remove the battery, perform the following steps.

1. First of all, all devices in the car should be turned off, and it is better to remove the ignition key from the lock.
2. With the help of an open-end or socket wrench, fasteners on the terminals are released. First, the negative wire is removed, and then the positive terminal is dismantled.
3. Often, the battery is attached to the body with a strap. It can be located both on top, and on the side or below. The fastening must be loosened or completely removed.

Now the motorist should find a place where the battery can be put on charge. Mandatory requirements for workplace equipment will be the following conditions:

• ventilated room;
• the presence of an electrical outlet 220 V;
• a flat and solid surface for installing the battery;
• no source of open fire near the battery;
• ensuring the safety of devices from children and animals.

Now you should inspect the battery. At the same time, special attention is paid not only to the integrity of the can, but also to the purity of the conclusions, the presence of traffic jams, and the determination of the battery capacity. To ensure good contact, the battery leads are cleaned with sandpaper or a file. If there are plugs, they should be unscrewed to allow the escaping gases to escape. At the same stage, it is required to check the electrolyte level. If there is a lack of liquid in the battery, only distilled water is added.

Chargers today come in a variety of forms. The main requirements for the device are sufficient power, the presence of an ammeter and an adjustment toggle switch. For beginners, it is better to read the instructions for using the existing charger.

Battery Charging Technology

When servicing the battery, the motorist should not rush. It is important to consistently and accurately follow the next technological chain.

1. The main point of connecting the charger to the battery will be polarity. It is better to once again check the correctness of the connection than to disable the battery.
2. After that, the battery charger is plugged into the outlet and the optimal current strength is set. It should be 10% of the battery capacity. So when recharging a 50 A / h battery, you should set the current to 5 A.
3. If the recommendation for setting the current strength is followed, then it is easy to calculate how much to charge the car battery. Without taking into account the loss of electricity, it will take 10 hours to fully restore the battery capacity.
4. You can monitor the battery status in the following ways:
   • using a voltmeter;
   • using a hydrometer.

A fully restored battery should show a voltage of 12 V to 16 V, and the density of the electrolyte will fall within 1.29-1.31 kg / l.

After recharging the battery, turn off the device, and then remove the charger terminals and install the battery in place.

Basic battery parameters

The duration of the flawless operation of the power source is also affected by the correct choice of battery when buying. Here are a few parameters that a motorist needs to pay attention to in a store or car market.

1. One of the important indicators is the dimensions of the battery. In no case should you purchase larger batteries. They cannot be securely fastened to the body.
2. The battery electrodes must exactly match the location of the electrical wire terminals.
3. The date of manufacture of the battery also directly affects the duration of the device. Long-term standing of the battery in a warehouse or in a store without recharging negatively affects the durability of the power source.
4. The capacity of the purchased model must exactly match the passport data of the car.
5. It is better to buy a battery at specialized outlets, where the seller can check the health of the car's wiring and issue a warranty card.

The battery does not require large financial costs for maintenance from the car owner. It is enough to periodically inspect the condition of the terminals, clean the plaque that has appeared, check the reliability of the fastening in order to keep the battery working for a long time. And regular recharging of the current source (1 time in 3-6 months) with a stationary charger will allow you to start the engine in any weather.

As you know, with an inoperative battery, it will not be possible to start the engine, so car owners periodically have to carry out the process of charging the battery. It is the correct charging procedure that largely determines the performance of the device. How to charge the battery on any car using a charger, why the battery is discharged - you will find the answers to these questions below.

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The process of charging the battery with a charger

First, let's look at how to properly charge a car battery using a charger. Today, the Russian market offers motorists a huge range of battery chargers - from inexpensive Chinese-made devices to expensive chargers from well-known brands. To choose the right memory, read the materials on our website in more detail, we have already written an article on this issue.

The first thing to consider is the charging circuit, since some chargers operate with a constant current value, others with a constant voltage. In fact, this means that any memory with direct current allows 100%. But there is a possibility of overheating of the electrolyte, respectively, reducing the life of the battery.

If we talk about memory with a constant voltage, then they will not overheat the electrolyte. But the machines will also not be able to fully charge the battery, since at the end of the procedure the current will begin to fall. But this is not a reason to despair, because there are also combined cycle chargers that first charge the battery, after which they stabilize the voltage level. The whole procedure is carried out automatically and does not require the actions of a motorist, but such memory devices are considered the most expensive in practice. When choosing the current level of the charger, keep in mind that this indicator should be 10% of the total capacity of the battery, if the capacity indicator is 60 Ah, then the current should be 6 A (the author of the video is VseInstrumenti).

So, having decided on the choice of a charger for the battery of the car, you can proceed directly to the charging procedure, which is generally quite simple. If your garage has an outlet, then the battery can not even be removed from the vehicle, the most important thing in this case is to disconnect both wires from the device, both plus and minus. In the event that the car battery has to be removed in any case, then sometimes this can cause certain problems, in particular, with mounting the device. When dismantling the battery, try to avoid contact with your clothes, in some cases the acid can burn through your clothes. Naturally, it is correct to carry out any work on installing and removing batteries with gloves.

In order not to harm the vehicle battery, make sure that it is at room temperature before charging. Of course, this does not mean that the device must be placed in boiling water, otherwise the temperature difference can lead to shedding of the active mass of the plates. Also, our motorists often make mistakes when trying to dismantle the battery while the car's engine is running. As a result, voltage drops that begin to occur in the process will contribute to the breakdown of various electrical devices of the car. If you need to wipe the battery, then use a rag treated with ammonia for such purposes, while at the same time making sure that various debris does not get inside on the electrolyte.

In the event that the car battery is removed, it is almost ready for charging, but if your battery is serviceable, then you will need to perform a few more steps. In particular, when charging the battery with a special device, you need to properly dismantle the top roof and unscrew the plugs, sometimes they are closed with a sticker. This is done so that during the charging process the battery can breathe and, when fully charged, does not boil or explode from gas pressure. It is also desirable to diagnose the level of the working fluid in the battery plates - if it is lower than what it should be, distillate should be added to the flasks. There are usually MIN and MAX marks on the side of the battery.

If you do not add distillate in time, part of the battery capacity may be permanently lost, and sometimes the battery fails altogether. So, after preparation, you can proceed directly to the charge - install the wires with clamps from the charger to the terminals of your car battery, while the plus is connected to the plus, the minus to the minus. Of course, when connecting the wires, you need to make sure that the network cable from the charger is not connected to the network. The same applies to the shutdown procedure - first, the charging device is disconnected from the network, and then dismantled.

There is no need to panic if, during charging, the working electrolyte begins to make uncharacteristic strange sounds resembling boiling, this is quite normal. It is only necessary to ensure that the battery does not overheat in the process, and if this happens, then the charger must be disconnected and the battery allowed to cool, after which the procedure can be resumed (the author of the video is sxemotehnika.ru).

How long does it take to charge?

In order for all actions to be performed correctly, it is important not to overexpose the car battery when connected to the network. Nevertheless, it is impossible to answer the question - how much to properly charge the battery, to a greater extent it all depends on how much the device is discharged. The best option for resolving the issue in this case would be to focus on installed directly in the battery. Or the indicator can be located on the memory itself. In practice, there may be two indicators in a car battery - green indicates the charge of the element, red indicates its discharge. Of course, there may be other options, their meaning is usually indicated on the label.

Directly on the charging itself for the car battery, diode bulbs can also be located that light up in the appropriate color or go out when fully charged. So before using the memory, it would be advisable to read the instructions. However, almost any charger is equipped with an ammeter - this level monitoring option is the most relevant, the more discharged the battery, the greater the charge current. In the event that the arrow drops to zero or is close to this value, it will indicate that the battery is fully charged. This parameter is irrelevant for devices with direct current.

It should also be noted that you can simply calculate the required charging time using the usual formula - divided by the current and multiplied by 1.2. It should be borne in mind that this formula will be relevant only for direct current. If charging operates on the principle of maintaining voltage, then it will not be possible to correctly calculate the exact time. Remember that a new battery must always be recharged before use, since before buying it, it could lie for more than one month in the store, respectively, lose its charge. In this case, to restore it, it will be correct to recharge the battery for 1-2 hours.

Where to charge?

Many motorists do not pay attention to this nuance and in vain, since in practice it is better not to charge the battery in a room or room where there is no ventilation or which is not ventilated. The bottom line is that during charging, a car battery can emit various harmful substances, such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, arsine and other toxic elements. Their concentration in any case is harmful to the human body - inhalation can contribute to headaches, coughing and other signs of deterioration in well-being. Moreover, all these elements that are released from the battery will eventually settle on household items and will affect a person for a very long time. So in any case, the most appropriate place to charge the battery will be either the street or a well-ventilated room (the author of the video is Banner-akb).

Reasons for battery discharge

The battery itself is always discharged. This is facilitated by various devices, for example, an anti-theft system, an immobilizer and others. Most often, the discharge of the component occurs at sub-zero temperatures in winter. If it is cold outside, the self-discharge current in the device will always increase, respectively, the charge will begin to decrease. If it happened that the battery was discharged in the cold, then before charging, as we said earlier, the battery must be warmed up to room temperature.

The following are factors contributing to discharge:

1. Bad anti-theft system. Since the alarm always works after a person turns it on to guard the car, even a small discharge, but the battery cannot be avoided. It is most likely that the battery will drain more when using satellite signaling. Naturally, this is not a reason to refuse signaling, because this is the only way you can protect your vehicle during your absence. It must be remembered that when installing an anti-theft system with many functions that are activated when it is turned on, you should take care in advance how to develop a charging system.
2. Acoustic system. Naturally, if the vehicle is equipped with a powerful subwoofer, amplifier and audio system, then this is good. But since these elements are initially current consumers for the battery, you need to understand that they cause a discharge. In particular, if you are using low-quality or non-original acoustics.
3. Failures in the operation of electrical appliances and electrical components. In the event that the spark distributors, all kinds of blocks, the coil or the starter itself do not function correctly in the vehicle, this in any case contributes to the discharge of the battery. Since all of the listed components interact with each other in any case, a breakdown or malfunction of one will sooner or later affect the functioning of the others. So, if you have fixed problems in the operation of any nodes, you should promptly resolve them.
4. Generator failure. As for the generator, this component is the main element of any electrical circuit in a car. If the battery is not functioning properly, it can drain much faster than usual. In practice, the main cause of generator failure is the failure of the regulator relay. If it happens that the generator itself is intermittent or completely out of order, then as a result you will have to change the device to a new one. Changing the generator is not a problem, but the cost of resolving the issue can be quite high. It is more problematic to identify a breakdown of the device, since in certain cases even a new generator breaks down quickly enough. The reason for the incorrect operation of the generator may be a poorly stretched strap, if this is the case, then the device will not be able to function at full strength.

1. To prevent accelerated discharge, the battery must be used correctly. Before turning off the engine, turn off all lights and music, as well as other current consumers. Let the engine run for a few more minutes to recharge the battery.
2. To do everything right, do not try to recharge the battery, this will not lead to anything good.
3. Use only well-built memory from reliable manufacturers. Today you can make memory devices on your own, you can use them only if you are sure of their performance.
4. Plus always connects to plus, minus to minus.
5. The battery should always be recharged in a ventilated room or garage.
6. First, the charger cables are connected to the battery and only then the charging is connected to the network.

Video "What nuances to consider when charging a battery?"

All the details about charging a car battery are shown in the video (the author of the video is SAOS + about everything in the world).

Anyone who has ever driven a car knows that a car cannot run without a battery. This element is the most important part when starting the engine and takes on a rather large load. In addition, it, like any other battery, tends to sit down, so it needs periodic charging. Today you will learn how to properly charge a car battery.

Probably everyone knows such an electric machine as a generator.. The generator is on every car, and generates energy for consumers and, along with this, charges the battery. It is driven from the crankshaft of the engine using a belt drive and, after starting the engine, instantly takes on the entire load of consumers. Of course, in order to charge the battery in this way, a certain time is needed, and in the city rhythm, which is characterized by frequent stops, this time is not enough, moreover, after each start, energy is consumed again. A full charge of a car battery is provided only after a run of 100 kilometers without stopping, which does not always happen.

Well, the main device is considered to be a conventional rectifier, which is connected to a 220 volt network and, through a special transformer, charges the battery with a voltage of 12 volts. Such a charger has a cord (plug) and two "crocodile", the contacts of which are connected to the terminals.

Sometimes devices are equipped with a built-in measuring device to control the charging current. Many of them do not have such a device. They are usually used to provide a short charge to start the engine quickly.

It is best to buy among devices one that provides a good battery charge of 100%. But before using it, you need to know how to properly charge the car battery with a charger.

Battery Charging Methods

After you figured out what is charging. It's time to learn how to properly charge the battery. To do this, you need a discharged battery, optionally removed from the car, a garage or any other warm room equipped with a charging rectifier.

There are two ways to charge. They involve the use of the same rectifier, designed specifically for converting voltage to DC, but have different times.

• The first way is to charge the battery that has not been removed from the car. They are used when time is limited, but you still need to charge it.
• The second is a high-quality 80-100% charge replenishment, performed when there is nowhere to rush.

If you decide to use the first method, then it is enough to fit the car as close to the outlet as possible. Most often, such a place is only in the garage. The terminals are removed and the rectifier is connected. The charging current is set to the maximum level, after which the device is connected to the network. For a single launch, 15 minutes is enough. However, it should be remembered that the motor must run for some time, so that in the future there will be energy for the second start, because then it will be impossible to charge the car battery.

Now let's move on to a more responsible way of charging, which involves 80-100% recovery of electrical energy. To do this, the battery must be brought into a warm room, wiped with a dry cloth from dirt and moisture and unscrew the caps of the cans, if it is serviced. Next, it must be carefully examined. Sometimes the cause of a poor charge is damage to the case, through which the electrolyte simply flows out. If the fears are confirmed, it makes no sense to charge such a battery.

You also need to make sure that it is really discharged. Indeed, often, such a phenomenon as the lack of a starter response implies a malfunction of the latter, so before you charge the battery, make sure that it is really discharged. To do this, inspect the car battery from above and pay attention to its indicator. If it is red, then the battery charge is low. In addition, there is a more precise method
which involves the use of a voltmeter. Just lean the probes of the device against the battery terminals and determine the voltage from the numbers on the screen. It should be at least 12-13 volts. This method applies to batteries where there is no charge indicator.

Once you're sure it's really low, check the electrolyte level. If it is insufficient, then it must be topped up. Doing it yourself in the absence of the necessary skills is highly discouraged, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the battery forever.

Attention! Never turn the battery upside down in order to drain the electrolyte that needs to be replaced. The sediment remaining at the bottom of the battery will fall on the plates, which will quickly put an end to the energy source.

Pay attention to battery expiration date. If he came out, then it is useless to charge such a battery. This is especially true for maintenance-free units, which are designed for short-term operation, compared to their advanced counterparts.
Next, you need to connect the charger first to the battery, then to the 220 volt network. Pay attention to the correct connection! The "+" wire is usually red, connected to the "+" terminal of the battery. The "-" wire, usually black, is connected to the "-" terminal of the battery. After charging, switch off in reverse order. The fact is that in the process of charging, hydrogen will be released from the cans of the battery. If you suddenly disconnect the “crocodile” of the charger from the battery terminal, then the resulting spark

may cause fire.

In the process of charging, you should take into account some features that should not be neglected:

1. The most important quantity is the current. It should not exceed 10% of the nominal capacity of the battery itself. That is, if the battery capacity on your car is 60 Ah, then the value of the charging current should not exceed 6 Amperes. In the process, this parameter is gradually reduced by the device automatically. The completion of the process will indicate a current equal to zero. There is another method, when the current remains unchanged, and the voltage changes, but it is too complicated, so we will consider only the simplest methods.
2. The same applies to such a quantity as voltage.. To correctly select the desired charging voltage, you must add + 10% of this voltage to a fully charged battery. Thus, if it is 12.7 volts when the battery is properly and fully charged, then it should be 13.97 volts at the charger terminals.
3. If you are fast charging, then the current strength should be from 25 to 30 A. It should be immediately noted that this mode is dangerous for the battery and significantly reduces its service life. The most correct charge is full.
4. Owners of gel batteries should be especially careful. During charging, do not allow the voltage to rise to the maximum allowable marks of 14.2 volts. This value is critical and can permanently “kill” even a new battery.
5. Depending on the capacity of your car's battery and the capacity of your charger, the charging process may take different times. In general, these figures converge in 10-15 hours. However, this time is only necessary for fully discharged batteries. Many car owners simply recharge the battery by leaving it overnight.
6. An important phenomenon during charging is the evolution of hydrogen, which is accompanied by the boiling of the electrolyte. Therefore, it is strongly not recommended to charge the battery in a residential area.. The best place for this is considered to be the garage where the car is. However, this rule can be neglected if the battery is in a remote room, and there is no other place to restore its energy.

Once the process is complete, check the voltage at the terminals with a voltmeter. If this value is at the nominal level, then the battery is considered charged. This can be indicated by the indicator, which will turn green.

Each of us, motorists, at least once in our lives found ourselves (or will still find ourselves) in a situation where a dead battery does not allow us to start the engine. This phenomenon is especially frequent for the winter period, since at low temperatures the battery does not hold a charge well. And if the car has stood in severe frost for more than a week, problems with the battery are almost guaranteed, up to a complete discharge.

What to do in such a situation? Of course, can be "lit" from the battery of another car, and this will help if there is a long trip ahead, but it will be completely useless if there are only a couple of kilometers to go. The battery just won't charge. In this case, it is best to charge the battery with an external device. We know and will tell you how to do it correctly and safely.

The principle of operation of a car battery

car battery- a small container with an electrolyte containing sulfuric acid, into which metal plates are lowered. The principle of operation of rechargeable batteries is based on chemical reactions between lead and lead dioxide in a sulfuric acid environment, as a result of which electricity is generated.

During the discharge of the battery (at the moments of energy consumption), lead dioxide reduction reactions occur on the cathode plate (point 5 in the diagram) and lead oxidation on the anode plate (point 4 in the diagram). During the reverse reaction, namely when the battery is charging, mirror-reverse reactions occur on its plates, to which, at the final stage, an electrolytic reaction of water (electrolysis) is added, which in turn is accompanied by a significant release of oxygen at the anode and hydrogen at the cathode.

In simple terms, when the battery is discharged, sulfuric acid is actively consumed, resulting in the formation of water. With the formation of water, the overall density of the electrolyte decreases. When charging the battery, everything happens in the reverse order. Water is "used" to create sulfuric acid, respectively, the overall density of the electrolyte increases.

Thus, during the operation of the battery, during those periods when its energy is consumed, the reagents in the battery capacity (electrolyte and lead platinum) interacting with each other “generate” electricity. When creating an electric charge, sulfuric acid, which is part of the electrolyte, is consumed and water is formed. Water "dilutes" the electrolyte, its density decreases, and the generation of electric charge decreases. At this point, the battery must be charged.

As a result of charging the battery (the moment of charge accumulation), the previous density of the electrolyte is restored, the level of sulfuric acid in it rises, and the water level decreases. The battery is ready for use again. But nothing lasts forever in this world, and since these basic reactions are accompanied by a number of other processes (for example, sulfation and the destruction of metal plates), the battery loses its properties over time. The potential for storing electrical energy is reduced and the battery has to be replaced with a new one.

Battery maintenance

The service life and health of the battery largely depend on timely maintenance and proper care of it. The battery must be kept clean, as contamination of its surface leads to increased self-discharge. During maintenance, wipe the surface of the battery with a 10% solution of ammonia or soda ash, and then wipe it with a clean, dry rag.

During charging, as a result of a chemical reaction, gases are released, which significantly increase the pressure inside the batteries. Therefore, the ventilation holes in the plugs must be periodically cleaned with a thin wire. Considering that explosive gas (a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen) is formed during battery operation, it is impossible to inspect the battery with an open fire. It is necessary to periodically check the electrolyte level and its density, and if necessary, perform a complete check of the battery, as described above, in order to more accurately determine its condition and suitability for further use.

For long-term storage, the battery must be removed from the car, fully charged and stored in a charged state in a dry place at a temperature not higher than 00C and not lower than minus 3000C, bearing in mind that the lower the electrolyte temperature, the lower the self-discharge. Every 3 months, the battery charge should be monitored by electrolyte density and, if necessary, recharged.

When storing the battery directly on the car, disconnect the wires from the terminal pins (if there is no special switch). It must be remembered that the freezing point of an electrolyte with a density of 1.1 g/cm3 is minus 70 degrees, a density of 1.22 g/cm3 is minus 370 degrees, and a density of 1.31 g/cm3 is minus 660 degrees. Freezing of the electrolyte leads to the destruction and warpage of the plates, the appearance of cracks in the tank and the failure of the batteries.

If there is a white or greenish coating on the battery terminals and wire terminals, it is necessary to remove the terminals and remove the coating with a damp cloth, clean the contacts to a metallic sheen with a metal brush or sandpaper, and after installing the terminals, apply a thin layer of VTV-1 grease or other acid-resistant grease to their surfaces .

How is the battery charged?

Especially strongly the question of charging the battery arises in the winter - cold weather adversely affects the battery, which is why so many motorists are faced with the inability to start the car in the morning or after a long downtime. With proper maintenance and timely care of the battery, these problems can be avoided, as well as extend the life of the device. And so, how to properly charge a car battery?

It is advisable to remove the battery before charging, but in an emergency this is not necessary. Remember that you need to charge the battery either in a well-ventilated area (balcony, in extreme cases - open windows), or in a garage away from flammable objects, or in the fresh air. When charging, the battery gives off an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, so during the process, protect devices from the possibility of sparks. When charging without removing it from the car on the battery, disconnect all electrical cables.

To prepare the battery, it is necessary to clean the terminals of dirt and grease, if you lubricated them during operation. To properly charge a battery, it must first be fully discharged. To do this, you can connect external lights to the battery and leave it for several hours.

Check electrolyte density. This can be done with a special device. It's called Ariometer. Ideally, the density should be 1.25-1.27 g / cm3 at a temperature of +25, and the density in the battery banks should not differ by more than 0.01 g / cm3. The electrolyte must completely cover the lead plates that conduct current, so if necessary, it can be topped up or diluted with distilled water to the required density.

From all cans, you need to remove the covers and connect the terminals of the charger to the battery terminals - plus to plus, minus to minus. First, you always need to connect the plus, and only after that the minus, and the charger must be connected to the network after the connection has been made. Set the current on the charger. The current should be exactly one tenth of the capacity of your battery, for example, if the capacity is 65 Ah, the current should be no more than 6.5A on the charger. When the battery is deeply discharged, these figures should be reduced to 1.5A - 2A.

Make sure that the ammeter needle moves to zero and that the temperature of the electrolyte does not rise. For example, if the electrolyte is heated to +40°C, reduce the amount of current supplied by half. And if the battery voltage and electrolyte density do not change within two hours, your battery is properly charged. Charging the battery on average takes 10-12 hours, but if you put it on a full night, it won't get any worse.

These are the basic principles of battery charging. In the summer, the electrolyte boils off faster and the plates exposed to the open air are prone to destruction, so periodically checking the level and density of the electrolyte should become a good habit for you. And, of course, try not to use the battery when the engine is off - this contributes to its rapid discharge.

How long does it take to charge a battery?

Very often, when charging a battery, motorists have a question - how long does it take to fully charge a car battery? In order to answer this question, you need to decide which method you will charge: direct current or constant voltage.

Features of DC charging

In order for the battery to take the necessary charge, it must be charged for 10-12 hours with a current equal to 5% -10% of the battery capacity. For example, if you charge a battery with a capacity of 60 A / h with an electrolyte density of 1.23, you need to charge it with a current of no more than 6 A for 10 hours. As the charge current decreases, the charge time increases. At the same time, a small current for the battery is considered more useful.

Features of constant voltage charging

Constant voltage takes longer to charge a battery than constant current. It is worth considering that most modern automatic chargers automatically turn off at the end of the charging process, which usually lasts 12-24 hours, so you do not need to control this. It is also worth noting that this method charges the battery only by 80-90%, while the method described above is able to charge the battery by 100%. In the same way, the battery is charged from the generator during the operation of the car.

What are chargers?

Chargers can be classified according to several criteria. Depending on the method used for charging, chargers are:

- such that they charge from direct current;

Those that produce charging from a constant voltage;

Those that produce charging by a combined method.

Charging from direct current must be carried out at a charge current of 1/10 of the battery capacity. Such charging is able to fully charge the battery, but the process will require control, because during it the electrolyte heats up and can boil, which causes a short circuit and fire in the battery. Such charging should not last more than one day. Constant voltage charging is much safer, but it cannot provide a full battery charge.

Therefore, in modern chargers, a combined charge method is used. With this method, charging is first carried out from direct current, and then it switches to charging from constant voltage in order to prevent overheating of the electrolyte. Depending on the features of work and design, chargers for car batteries are divided into two types:

transformer

Devices in which a transformer is connected together with the rectifier. Such devices are reliable and efficient, but very bulky (they have large overall dimensions and noticeable weight).

Pulse

The main element of such devices is a voltage converter operating at high frequencies. This is the same transformer, but much smaller and lighter than transformer chargers. It is for this reason that this type of charger has become very popular among motorists recently. In addition, most processes are automated for pulse devices, which greatly simplifies their management. Depending on the purpose, chargers are of two types:

Charging and starting

Charge the car battery from the available current source.

Charging launchers

They are able not only to charge the battery from the mains, but also to start the engine when it is discharged. These devices are more versatile and can deliver 100 volts or more if you need to quickly charge the battery without an additional source of electrical current.

There is also a separate class of chargers - solar chargers. They make it possible to charge the battery without being connected to the network. Charging takes place with the help of a solar battery pack, which accumulates energy from the sun. And the device itself is connected to the cigarette lighter or to the battery terminals. Such devices are very convenient to use if the battery is dead and there is no power supply nearby.

If you ask a similar question to anyone who has at least some idea about a car and a battery, you can get the most detailed advice. For some reason, many believe that this question is so trifling that it is even a shame not to know. However, statistics show that more than half of the batteries do not withstand the service life declared by the Manufacturer and they have to be replaced prematurely with new ones.

And the main reason is improper charging during the operational period. Let's figure out how to still charge the battery, and do it CORRECTLY.

Let's clarify one point right away. It is believed that if the car's generator runs smoothly, and the car is used regularly, then this is quite enough to maintain the proper battery charge level. This opinion is fundamentally wrong, and here's why. According to its technical characteristics, the generator is not able to provide 100% charging, that is, the battery will be partially charged all the time, which significantly reduces its service life.

Remove battery from car

Often, motorists neglect this and charge the battery without removing it from the car. But in vain, and here's why.

Firstly, the battery needs a systematic inspection, and from all sides, and not just from above. Electrolyte splashing is possible (corrosion of the “landing” socket frame will appear), a crack in the case (the result of constant vibration and unreliable fixation at the location).

Secondly, the product must be cleaned of dirt and dust. The fact is that the “plaque” formed on the case, between the terminals, is conductive, which means that the degree of self-discharge of the battery increases, which negatively affects its service life.

Therefore, before putting the battery on charge, it should be serviced. Accumulated dirt, in which acid is present, is good to collect with a swab dipped in a weak soda solution. If foaming occurs, this indicates that not all acid has been removed from the surface of the housing.

By the way, the terminals also need periodic maintenance, since lead oxidizes, and therefore more current is required when starting the engine, which leads to increased battery discharge.

If, nevertheless, the battery is charged at the installation site, then suitable (network) wires must be removed from its terminals.

Remove corks from jars

The need for their maintenance should also not be forgotten. In the center of each there is a small through hole through which the products of gas formation, which occurs during operation, are removed. If it is clogged with dirt, then the accumulated gas can simply break the case.

In addition, you need to make sure that the electrolyte level is normal. If necessary, add water (distilled).

Connect charger terminals

Here you need to pay attention to the polarity. "Plus" is connected to the "+" of the battery, "negative" - ​​to the "-".

Charging process

This largely depends on the type of device. However, many motorists prefer to produce it manually. The current is set to the maximum (depending on the nominal capacity of the battery), and as the voltage decreases, it is added.

It should be noted right away that a lot depends on how the battery is operated, to what extent it is discharged, how often the owner puts it on charge from an external device. The "quality" of the car's generator also affects.

The most optimal is the mode of charging with small currents. More on this below. It remains to add that it is necessary to systematically control this process. Sometimes a motorist simply puts the battery on charge and leaves for several hours. This is fraught with the fact that the battery can be charged earlier (and the process of recharging will begin) or even “reset” the current to a minimum. Then you have to increase it and still wait for a full charge to occur.

With what we now know, we can answer some common questions that beginner motorists have.

How do you know the battery is fully charged?

The voltage at its terminals can be different (from 14.5 to 16.1 V). It depends on many components (electrolyte density, capacitance, and a number of others). The main criterion is the constancy of the output voltage at its terminals with the ongoing charging process for 1 hour. It is measured by any type of voltmeter, regardless of its accuracy class.

Is it possible to charge at a negative air temperature?

Yes, since an electrolyte with the proper density never freezes. Example - the car is operated not only in summer, but also in winter, and, nevertheless, recharging from the generator is not interrupted.

Do I need to disconnect the battery from the on-board network when charging from an external source?

Necessarily. Quite often, the battery is put on charge without removing it from the installation site. But here it must be taken into account that any electronic device can be connected to the network, even with the ignition off and the "ground". There are so many different features of engineering solutions in modern car models that it is impossible to foresee everything, especially since not all Manufacturers describe in detail such nuances in the documentation for a “car”. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and play it safe, otherwise a larger than expected “voltage” of the charger can damage something.

How often should the battery be recharged if it is removed from the car?

Many motorists do not operate their "iron horses" in the winter. A zealous owner removes the battery for this time and stores it separately, in a warm room. But any device, characterized by such a parameter as electric capacitance, gradually self-discharges.

Naturally, the electrolyte begins to react to low temperatures, and in a discharged state, in a cold room, the banks can simply freeze. Such a battery is no longer subject to recovery. By the way, that is why it is necessary to remove it for the winter and put it in “warmth”. Recommendations for the frequency of recharging vary. In order not to be mistaken, it should be done about once every 3 months (provided that the battery is stored at a positive temperature).

If the battery is not removed from the car, and it is not in use, then you need to charge it more often - once every 1.5 - 2 months. This is due to the fact that it is possible to increase the self-discharge current through the on-board network. And if the wires are removed from the terminals, but it is cold in the garage, then at least 1 time in 2 weeks. So more reliable.

What current to set and how long to charge?

There is such a criterion that is applicable to all types of batteries - the value of the charging current is 10% of the nominal capacity of the product. The most common batteries are 45 A / h (for passenger cars). Therefore, the optimal charge current is 4.5 A. If the discharge is complete, then at least 12 - 15 hours. In other cases - until fully charged. How to determine above.

Since it is impossible to determine the degree of rarefaction "by eye", then if the battery is not completely discharged, experts recommend using the "sparing" mode, that is, setting the current 2 times less than the calculated one (for example, instead of 4.5 A, set 2.5). Naturally, it will take more time to charge, but the service life of the product will also increase.

Sometimes, to reduce the charge time, motorists specifically give increased current. Yes, it will charge the battery faster. But at the same time, the fact that the chemical processes occurring in this case begin to proceed more intensively is not taken into account, and this entails an increase in the temperature of the electrolyte. Overheating the battery significantly reduces its shelf life.

Experienced motorists prefer such a “technology” - a current of about half an ampere, and let it “worth it”. Although longer, it is quite safe for the battery. In this case, charging is achieved 100 percent.

It remains to add that if you do not allow the systematic discharge of the battery to a critical minimum (10.5 V), then the product will reliably serve not only 5 guaranteed years, but even more. The normal density of the electrolyte within the normal range is 1.25 - 1.27; voltage at the terminals - depending on the type of battery.