Simple at first glance, the procedure for charging a car battery is actually not as primitive as it seems. Damage from not right action when charging the battery, it can amount to thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands of rubles (meaning cases of short circuit with subsequent ignition). And it's not the worst if you can't start frosty morning, it happens in the process of charging, the battery explodes, spreading everything nearby in the engine compartment.
You can read below about how to charge your car battery and get the most out of it, or watch a video with a simplified way to charge a battery:
It will not come as a revelation to anyone that in the conditions of the Russian climate, batteries (batteries) work far from being in the design mode. For those who are not fresh, I note that the batteries fail not only due to not recharging, but also due to overcharging. I will explain to beginners - such malfunctions of the generator are possible when it gives an increased current and recharges the battery. Or just don't experienced car enthusiast charges the battery with his own hands in excess of the norm.
A low state of charge (the battery is not fully charged) in a cold climate is main reason sulfation of the plates, and in severe cases can even lead to a change in polarity individual elements AB (individual cans).
A high degree of charge (the battery is overcharged) in a warm climate causes the destruction of the lattice of plus plates and intensive shedding of the active mass from them.
All this leads to battery failures and a reduction in its service life.
Therefore, in order for the battery to work normally for the prescribed period (from 5 to 11 years), it is necessary to perform certain control preventive operations.
Firstly, four to five times a year, during the period of operation, control the battery charging voltage on the car, check the electrolyte level and density, and also keep the battery itself and its terminals clean (to avoid increased self-discharge). It should also occasionally produce control cycles charge-discharge, which will determine the degree of sulfation of the working plates and delay the process of their further sulfation.
Secondly, during a period of prolonged inactivity or storage of batteries, their periodic discharge / charging is especially necessary. It is better to store the battery in a cool place, this will extend its life. This is explained simply - the rate of a chemical reaction is the higher, the higher the temperature (in an acid battery, even during the idle period, chemical reactions occur).
To fulfill these conditions, at least a minimum inventory is required:
Charging the battery on the car
(how to charge a maintenance-free battery in a car)
many owners modern cars I'm wondering if it's possible to charge maintenance-free battery without removing it from the vehicle (without disconnecting it from onboard network)?
The presence of this issue is associated with an abundance of control and additional electronics. When the battery is removed, the information from the memory of the operative memory of the engine control unit is erased, the climate control settings, radio settings, etc. are lost. Some advanced Acustic systems after a power failure, the control / operating program must be reinstalled! (My friend once paid 2t.r. for installing an "OS" on Karazeria after removing the battery for recharging, and in addition, he went for 2 months without music).
In connection with the foregoing, it is perhaps important to charge a maintenance-free battery directly on the car. Only in this case, you should follow a few recommendations:
1) The car must be in a warm garage, if possible dry;
2) Before starting charging, you should wait a few hours to warm up the battery to room temperature (if the car was in the cold before that);
3) In the process of preparing for charging and during it, the ignition and all additional electrical devices connected in addition to the ignition must be turned off, or put into sleep mode;
4) Immediately before charging (perhaps in any case of charging), it is necessary to remove the parameters from the battery: the density of the electrolyte in banks (if possible), the transparency of the electrolyte, the voltage on the battery marks. And based on them, imagine in advance what kind of charging the battery needs (full or partial);
5) The process of charging a battery in a car is similar to charging removed battery, with the only difference that in the immediate vicinity of the battery there are conductive elements of the car. Therefore, care must be taken. If, for example, out of habit, you close the hood and short the charger terminals with it, it will be very unpleasant (and possibly expensive). For the same reason, you should connect the charger to the battery terminals in a state disconnected from the network and at the maximum reduced current. Then connect the charger to the network and gradually increase the current of the battery charge. In a word, it is necessary to reduce power surges as much as possible when charging the battery in a car. Of course, it must be provided stably good contact battery charger.
But let's start studying the process of charging a car battery directly:
Battery charging methods:
Each method has its positive and negative sides:
Charging a battery with constant current
The battery is charged at a constant value charging current equal to:
I = Q/10 - for acid batteries,
I = Q/4 - for alkaline batteries, where Q is the nameplate capacity of the battery (A * h), I is the average charging current, A.
Acid batteries are especially sensitive to deviations from nominal charging parameters. Found that charging is excessive high current leads to deformation of the plates and even to their destruction. The charging current recommended in the operating instructions for the battery ensures the optimal flow of electrochemical processes in the battery and its normal operation for a long time.
The degree of charge of the battery can be controlled by the values of the electrolyte density and voltage (for acid batteries) and voltage only (for alkaline batteries). More details here..
The end of charging an acid battery is characterized by the establishment of a voltage on one cell of the battery, equal to 2.5-2.6 V.
Acid batteries are sensitive to undercharging and overcharging, so you should finish charging in a timely manner.
Alkaline ABs are less critical to modes. For them, the end of charging is characterized by the establishment on one element constant voltage 1.6-1.7 V.
Below we will consider charging acid batteries, since they are more common and more critical to operating and charging modes.
To maintain a constant current throughout the charging process, a regulating device is needed.
In addition, it is necessary to periodically measure the density and temperature of the electrolyte, as well as the battery voltage, in order to determine the end of the charge in time. If within 2 hours the density of the electrolyte and the voltage of the battery remain constant, and rapid gas evolution is noticeable during charging, the battery is fully charged.
The disadvantage of this method is the need for constant (every 1.5-2 hours) monitoring and regulation of the charging current, as well as abundant gas evolution at the end of the charge.
To reduce gas emission and increase the degree of battery charge, it is advisable to step down the current strength as the charging voltage increases. When the voltage reaches 14.4 V, the charging current is halved (2.75 amperes for a 55 Ah battery) and at this current the charge is continued until gas evolution begins. When charging batteries latest generation, which do not have holes for adding water, it is advisable to double the current when increasing the charging voltage to 15 V.
As mentioned above, the battery is considered fully charged when the current and voltage during charging remain unchanged for 1-2 hours.
When charging modern maintenance-free batteries, this state occurs at a voltage of 16.3-16.4 V, depending on the composition of the lattice alloys and the purity of the electrolyte.
Usually new, given in working condition the battery is charged from 3 to 8 hours. To prevent an explosion of gases released at the end of the charge, you must not bring an open flame to the battery or turn off the charger by disconnecting the wires under load, you should not use load fork or a probe. If the temperature of the electrolyte rises above + 45 °C during charging, stop charging and let the electrolyte cool down to +30 °C.
If at the end of the charge the density of the electrolyte turns out to be less or more than the required one, it is necessary to select a part of the electrolyte with a rubber pear and add the same amount to the battery in the first case of concentrated electrolyte with a density of 1.40 g / cm, and in the second - distilled water. Then continue charging for half an hour and check the density of the electrolyte again. Sometimes it may take several adjustments before the electrolyte density returns to normal. However, in most cases this procedure not required.
As you can see, when charging by the constant current method, everything is done slowly, the battery is charged for quite a long time and must be constantly under control.
When charging direct current first of all, the surface of the electrode is saturated, and this prevents the development of the process in depth.
But there are times when it is very necessary to go, and the battery cannot start the engine. For car owners with manual box the way out is obvious - to start what is called "from the pusher". But the owners of cars with automatic transmission must either “light up” at the donor car, or quickly recharge their battery. Well, the charging method will be called “accelerated” or “forced”.
Accelerated, or forced, battery charge.
Accelerated, or forced, battery charge serves the only purpose - to bring the discharged battery to a working state in the shortest possible time, which is achieved using high charging currents.
The method is similar to the previous one, with the only difference being that the charging current exceeds 10% of the battery capacity. As a rule, it is taken according to the maximum current supplied by the charger (meaning the widely used this moment car chargers) which is actually quite small and rarely exceeds 10-15A. However, a current equal to Q should not be exceeded. Before charging, the battery should be allowed to warm up to room temperature (in practice, as a rule, a forced charge is used in winter to start a frozen car), and during charging, if the electrolyte temperature rises above + 45 ° C, stop charging and let the electrolyte cool down to +30 °C.
Although boost charging is acceptable, try to avoid it, because its repetition significantly reduces battery life and therefore we will not talk about boost charging in the future. Because The main purpose of a boost charge is to start the engine as soon as possible; as a rule, the battery is not charged until full capacity is restored. For this reason, after solving problems of paramount importance, the battery should be recharged by any of the proposed methods of "delicate" charging. Do not rely on the fact that a running car will recharge the battery to normal. As already mentioned, during the operation of a serviceable car, the voltage in the on-board network is maintained at 13.9-14.4V, and for full charge The battery needs 16.3-16.4V. Chronic "undercharging" is extremely insidious. You operate the car as usual, do not notice anything suspicious. At the same time, a battery charged by 70-85% copes well with its main duties (with more or less serviceable engine). However, this reduces the battery life significantly and reserve capacity invariably falls. In the end, you will feel it after a short stop with electrical appliances (lights, radio, etc.) turned on, but it will be too late.
If the situation forces you to resort to a forced charge (you urgently need to start the car), for the greatest effectiveness of the measures taken, it is worth performing a series of actions:
1) unscrew and blow out the glow plugs with a carburetor cleaner, then blow them out and dry them on the radiator (in no case do not ignite expensive candles on gas - this can kill them).
2) cover the engine and put some kind of portable heater under it (adequately positioning it from the point of view of fire safety).
3) it doesn’t hurt to put a heater in the cabin as well - this can improve your mood in the future.
4) clean the battery stamps and reciprocal stamps on the car.
5) in the first attempt to start (seconds 10-20) keep the throttle fully open. Most engine management systems at this point include a purge mode in which the injectors are turned off. This will help you remove excess gasoline from the combustion chambers and increase your chances of a successful engine start.
Control-training cycle of accumulator batteries
The control and training cycle of batteries (abbreviated as CTC) is as follows. The battery is fully charged with direct current, then discharged with a 10-hour current to a voltage of 10.2 V and again given a full charge. This cycle allows you to evaluate the actual capacity and real capabilities of an "old" battery, and a series of cycles in some cases improves electrical performance somewhat if the battery is still suitable for further use.
You should not only carry out this operation unnecessarily, since each CTC takes a piece of battery life. The principle here is as follows: during its life, the battery can give a very certain amount of energy, and each full discharge corresponds to approximately 0.5-1.0% of this amount.
Battery charging at constant voltage
When charging by this method, the degree of charge of the battery at the end of the charge directly depends on the amount of charging voltage that the charger provides. So, for example, in 24 hours of continuous charging at a voltage of 14.4 V, a 12-volt battery will be charged by 75-85%, at a voltage of 15 V - by 85-90%, and at a voltage of 16 V - by 95-97%. You can fully charge the battery within 20-24 hours with a charger voltage of 16.3-16.4 V.
At the first moment of switching on, the charging current can reach large size, depending on the internal resistance (capacity) of the battery. Therefore, the charger is provided with circuit solutions that limit maximum current charge.
As the battery charges, the voltage at the battery terminals gradually approaches the voltage of the charger, and the charging current, respectively, decreases and approaches zero at the end of the charge (if the rectifier charging voltage is lower than the gas emission start voltage). This allows you to charge without human intervention in full automatic mode. Usually, the criterion for the end of the charge in such devices is the achievement of a voltage at the battery terminals when it is being charged, equal to 14.4 + 0.1 V. However, for a satisfactory (90-95%) charge of modern maintenance-free batteries with commercially available chargers having a maximum charging voltage 14.4h-14.5v, it will take more than a day.
Undoubtedly, this method is very convenient, since it is not necessary to regulate the charging current and monitor the state of the battery during charging, there is no gas release from the battery. But You can't fully charge the battery this way.. Therefore, using the method of charging the battery at a constant voltage in the main, try to periodically combine it with a full charge at a constant current.
Constant current and constant voltage charging methods are equivalent in terms of their effect on battery life. From the point of view of the depth and completeness of the charge, the first method is better. But this method takes more time and constant control for the charging process. Charging the battery at a constant voltage, although it does not provide a full charge of the battery, allows you to keep it in working condition. In this way, the battery is also charged on the car (13.9-14.4V).
Which method of charging a maintenance-free battery to use is, of course, a matter of taste, but it is better to take the time and charge the battery at a constant current or alternate these methods.
During operation, the plates of car batteries are gradually sulfated, which increasingly reduces the capacity of the battery. Most effective ways the fight against sulfation - alternate charge-discharge of the battery or passing through it the so-called "asymmetric" charging current.
Charging the battery with pulsed current
Under the impulse charge of the battery is meant the use of a current that changes its value or voltage periodically, at certain intervals of time. By the nature of these indicators impulse current divided into two varieties: pulsating and asymmetric (see explanations below).
Charging with pulsating current
Rice. 1.1. Charge with a pulsating current: Cz - the capacity communicated to the battery during the pulse time t.
A pulsating current is one in which the value varies from zero to the maximum value, while maintaining its polarity unchanged. An example of a ripple current characteristic is shown in fig. 1.1.
Charging with asymmetric current
Asymmetric, or reversible, current is determined by the presence of a reverse amplitude (see the example in Fig. 1.2), in other words, in each cycle it changes its polarity. However, the amount of electricity flowing with direct polarity is greater than with reverse polarity (the ratio of the charge and discharge components is 10:1, and the pulse duration is 1:2), which ensures the battery charge.
Rice. 1.2. Charging with asymmetric current: Cz - capacity imparted to the battery during the pulse time t3; Cp is the capacity removed from the battery during the pulse time tp.
This method allows not only to restore the performance of sulfated batteries, but also to carry out preventive treatment of serviceable ones.
Woodbridge battery charging (Amp hour rule)
In 1953, Woodbridge formed the so-called ampere-hour law, the value of the battery charging current (in amperes) should not exceed the amount of charge missing to full capacity (in ampere-hours).
Simple and very useful rule which I try to stick to.
You can read about known methods for restoring the capacity of batteries and how to make a charger yourself. on the second page of this article.
It doesn’t matter how the batteries died: did you forget to pay off the dimensions, got too carried away listening to music in the parking lot, or left for the whole summer on vacation. To charge the battery, you need to have an understanding of the theory and follow a few simple rules.
A bit of theory
Most cars use lead acid batteries(WET). Their principle of operation is based on the chemical reaction of lead plates with an electrolyte, as a result of which electricity is generated. Over time, sulfation and destruction of the plates inevitably occur, as well as the boiling of the electrolyte, which reduces the capacity of the battery. And the battery can be discharged at the most inopportune moment.
How to check the battery
akbinfo.ruThe easiest way is to use the built-in charge indicator, which is on most batteries. This is the same “light bulb”, which in reality is not a light bulb at all, but a green float ball moving in a transparent bulb. With a sufficient level and density of the electrolyte, the ball rises and we see green indicator. If the float is not visible, you need to check the electrolyte and recharge the battery.
Another option is a multimeter. With it, you can measure the voltage at the terminals and understand whether the battery is discharged or not. A fully charged battery should have 12.6V or more. A voltage of 12.42 V corresponds to 80% charge, 12.2 V - 60%, 11.9 V - 40%, 11.58 V - 20%, 10.5 V - 0%.
by the most in a reliable way is to check the load fork. It can show the voltage drop under load, that is, the real charge level and, accordingly, the capacity. Any auto electrician or a store that sells batteries has such a device. And most likely, they will not even take money from you for this check.
toyotaoforlando.com Having determined that the battery is really, you can start charging, but first you need to prepare.
- The battery should be removed from the car. If there is no time for this, disconnect it from the on-board network by disconnecting negative wire.
- After that, you need to clean the terminals of grease and oxide for good contact.
- It does not hurt to wipe the surface of the battery with a dry cloth, or better - moistened with a 10% solution ammonia or soda ash.
- Also, do not forget to unscrew the plugs on each of the battery cans or remove the cap to ensure the free exit of electrolyte vapors and prevent excess pressure inside.
- If the electrolyte level in any of the jars is insufficient, you need to add distilled water so that it completely covers the plates.
evolution.co.uk The very principle of charging is simple: you just need to connect the wires from the charger to the battery terminals in accordance with the polarity and plug the plug into the outlet. However, to begin with, it is worth deciding on the charging method. There are two main methods: constant current charging and constant voltage charging.
The first is more effective, but takes place in several stages and requires control. The second one is simpler, but it only charges the battery up to 80%.
There is also the so-called combined method, in which participation on the part of the car owner is minimized. The disadvantage of this method is the need for a special charger with a rather high cost.
DC charging
- Set the current to 10% of rated capacity battery and charge until the voltage at the battery terminals rises to 14.3-14.4 V. For example, a battery with a capacity of 60 Ah needs to be charged with a current of no more than 6 A.
- Next, we reduce the current by half (up to 3 A) to reduce the intensity of boiling, and continue charging.
- As soon as the voltage rises to 15 V, you need to halve the current again and charge the battery until the voltage and current values stop changing.
Constant voltage charging
Everything is much simpler here. You just need to set the voltage in the range of 14.4-14.5 V and wait. Unlike the first method, with which you can fully charge the battery in a few hours (about 10), charging with a constant voltage lasts about a day and allows you to replenish the battery capacity only up to 80%.
Precautionary measures
Since battery charging is a chemical process that produces an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, you need to be very careful and follow the rules:
- Charge the battery in a well ventilated area.
- Do not use open flames and do not carry out any work that generates sparks.
- If it is not possible to remove the battery from the car, disconnect the negative wire, and preferably both.
In 1859, the first lead-acid battery was invented, which practically did not change in terms of the principle of operation. It allows you to develop electricity low current and voltage necessary for the operation of transport and various electrical appliances. An important feature is that it can be repeatedly charged in the event of a discharge. Therefore, craftsmen began to develop various battery charging methods which we will now discuss.
Charging batteries with special devices
Let's start with the simplest and modern way– use (memory). Charging with the help of such a device takes place in a fully automatic mode. It is enough to connect correctly (do not confuse the "+" and "-" on the wires and terminals, although many chargers have a reverse polarity protection function) and remove after the charging period.
The following methods of charging batteries are obsolete, but nonetheless used methods that also use chargers with manual adjustment current and voltage parameters. This is the charge:
- direct current
- At constant voltage
- Combined
The first of the above methods assumes that the charge of the battery (battery) will be carried out direct current, that is, during the charging process, it is necessary to monitor the current setpoint and correct it when a deviation occurs. An important condition for this method is that it is forbidden charge with current, the value of which more than 10% battery capacity, otherwise it may become unusable. To understand this better, consider an example:
There is a discharged battery with a capacity of 60 Ah (ampere*hour, Ah). In order to charge it using the direct current method, you need to take 10% of this value: 60 * 0.1 \u003d 6 A. It turns out that you need to set the value to 6 A on charger and periodically (once an hour) to control it. On average, charging in this way takes 12 hours. To make sure that the battery is fully charged, you need to wait on the charger indicator for an approximate value of 14 volts for a 12-volt battery or 26 V for a 24-volt battery.
The next way to charge the battery is the method constant voltage. The required voltage value is set, often 16 V for a 12-volt battery, and charged during the day. The less will be set voltage, the longer it takes to charge the battery. However, exhibit high value voltage is not recommended.
Combined method combines the previous two. First there is a charge with a constant current, then with a constant voltage.
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 is especially common for winter period because at low temperatures the battery does not hold a charge well. And if the car was parked severe frost 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 it will help if ahead long trip, but it will be completely useless if you only have to drive a couple of kilometers. 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 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
Battery life and health are highly dependent on timely service And proper care for her. The battery must be kept clean, as contamination of its surface leads to increased self-discharge. At maintenance it is necessary to 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, full check batteries as described above in order to more exact definition its condition and suitability for further operation.
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 battery charging arises in winter time – cold has a negative effect on battery , and therefore so many motorists are faced with the inability to start the car in the morning or after long downtime. At 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 car battery?
It is advisable to remove the battery before charging, but in emergency it's not obligatory. Remember that you need to charge the battery either in a well-ventilated area (balcony, in extreme cases - open windows), either in a garage away from flammable objects, or outdoors. 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 lighting fixtures and leave for a few 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 lead plates, conductive, 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 summer time the electrolyte boils away faster, and those on outdoors The plates are prone to breakage, so periodically checking the electrolyte level and density 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 short circuit and battery fire. 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 dimensions and noticeable weight).
Pulse
The main element of such devices is a voltage converter operating on 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 using the block solar battery that collects 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.
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Car battery charging a motorist may need it in any season, but most often the need appears in the winter season. At first, the process seems mysterious, because some drivers do not know how to charge the battery, how long it takes, etc. In fact, charging the battery is quite simple procedure, which can be carried out directly on the car, in the garage or even at home. This article will answer all questions related to car battery charging.
Rechargeable battery
Charging time
Today, motorists use three ways to charge the battery:
- when applying direct voltage;
- on direct current;
- combined method, where the two previous methods are used.
We will go through each of these methods, but for now we are interested in, how long does it take to charge a car battery. Charging using constant voltage is most often used with batteries that are completely discharged. Here, the motorist faces the task of ensuring the invariance of the supplied voltage. You can track the indicators on the battery indicator. This method assumes that the battery will be on charge for about 15 hours. For a lead-antimony battery, it will take a day.
Recharging the car battery the second method should be carried out with a current whose indicator does not exceed 1/10 of the battery capacity. This limit applies to lead-antimony batteries. Calcium batteries, manufactured using hybrid technologies, are able to accept even higher current. Such car battery charging takes about 20 hours.
What is the combined charging method? It uses a modern charger that is fully automated. In this case, you need to remove the battery, clean it thoroughly and put it on charge. Usually the device copes in one night. But we don’t need to worry about the time, because the charger will turn itself off when fully charged.
Battery Charging Methods
We figured out which car battery charging time required for the first and second methods. In practice, there should be no difficulties, since the process is not much different from charging other electronics. The car battery is charged in a slightly different way, but the essence does not change.
You need to understand that battery charging is technological process, which also has its own requirements. When working with a battery, it is necessary to have protective equipment - rubber gloves that are immune to chemical liquids. In any case, we need a working charger.
Car battery charger
We must observe the following conditions while charging the battery:
- Before, how to charge a car battery, it must be completely cleaned, as well as visually inspect the ventilation holes.
- When choosing a method with direct current, you cannot charge the battery at home - only in a garage or box, while the room should be ventilated.
- Smoking or keeping an open fire near the battery is not allowed, regardless of the method chosen.
- Before installing the battery for charging, it is necessary to check the condition and level of the electrolyte.
Method One: Constant Voltage
The process is quite simple - the charger is connected to the battery. When using constant voltage, it is better to remove the battery. The level of charge depends only on the magnitude of the voltage. If you set 14.4 V, then in a day the 12-volt battery will be charged to about 85%. When exposed to 15 V, the charge will reach 90%. The ideal option is 16 V, with which the battery is charged up to 97%.
It is necessary to take into account the internal resistance and capacity of the battery. Depending on the ratio of these indicators, the current that passes through it at the beginning of charging can exceed 50A. To prevent the battery from burning out, all chargers have a limiter of 20-25A.
Method two: direct current
Before, how to charge a car battery using direct current, you need to check the charge level. It has already been said above that the current strength should be 1/10 of the battery capacity. For example, if the battery has a capacity of 60 A / h, then charging will require a current of 6 amperes. The only disadvantage of the direct current method is the need to check the amount of current supplied every hour and adjust it.
The regulation consists in a constant decrease in the current strength. For example, when the voltage reaches 14 V, the current will need to be halved. At 15 V we have to drop the power down to 1.5 Amps. You can determine that the battery is fully charged by the voltage of the charger, which does not change for two hours. Now we know how to charge a car battery, since the variable is in no way suitable for the battery in the car.
Method three: combined
This method is used in most modern chargers. It is the simplest and does not require control. At the beginning, charging is carried out using constant voltage, and at the end - with direct current. Often chargers are placed in luggage compartment. When dead car battery right on the road - this device will be very handy. In this case, they use express charging, which, although it charges the battery in 20 minutes, does serious damage to it.
Express charging takes place according to the following scheme:
- Remove the battery terminals and clean them thoroughly.
- We connect the terminals from the charger and do not forget about the polarity that must be observed.
- We set the current to the maximum value and set the timer for 20 minutes. If there is no timer on the charger, then you can always use your watch or phone.
- After express charging, we put the battery in place and start the engine.
Conclusion
Sometimes motorists ask themselves: « How long does a car battery last?. The time depends on the type of car, operating modes and battery type. At regular check and recharging the battery will last long enough, the main thing is not to forget about it.
