Instructions on how long to charge a car battery with a charger

Author temass

Date
Jul 18, 2017
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In the warm season, the car engine can be started using a battery whose charge is only half full, but as for sub-zero temperatures, the battery capacity becomes half as much. The starting current when starting the engine becomes greater due to the fact that the lubricant inside has slightly thickened, and if you do not charge the battery in time, the car may not start. Therefore, before the arrival of negative temperatures in autumn and winter, it is necessary to charge the battery so that its charge is 100%.

• How does the battery work?
• How does a battery work?
• Maintenance-free battery
• Serviced battery
• How to properly charge a 60Ah battery at home
• How to fully charge a car battery without a charger
• Voltage charger

Many motorists often ask the question: how long to charge a 60A/h car battery? We will now try to figure this out.

Content:

1. How long does it take to charge a car battery?
2. Charging time calculation
3. Battery preparation and necessary safety precautions
4. Charging time depending on battery differences

• Maintenance free view
• Type served

• Charging the battery at constant current
• Constant voltage charging
• Fast charging
• How to “light up” a car
• Booster application
• Specifics of booster use
• Using a wall charger
• How to use the memory

Every car needs a battery.
It ensures the operation of the main components of the electronic system. Over time, the battery discharges and requires recharging. A charger is used for this. The basic charging rules consist of:

• Checking the actual charge level.
• Preparing the device.
• Compliance with charging stages and duration.
• Compliance with safety regulations.

How and for how long to charge a car battery with direct current

There are two ways to charge a battery: constant current and constant voltage (meaning the value of the electrical quantity remains unchanged). The first method is the most widespread.

A prepared car battery is started for charging when the temperature of the electrolyte in it is not higher than 35 o C. For a new and heavily discharged battery, the charging current is first set to 10% of the battery capacity (for 60 Ah - 6 A). If the charger does not automatically maintain the current value, then this is done manually using a rheostat or a special switch. The car battery is charged before the start of gas evolution in its banks - this will correspond to the voltage at the battery output contacts reaching 14.4 V (that is, 2.4 V on each section). After which the current is reduced by 2 times for a new battery, and 2–3 times for a used one. Next, the battery is charged with a reduced current until all its banks produce abundant gas. This two-stage method allows you to speed up the charging process and reduce the intensity of gas formation, which destroys the electrodes (plates) of the battery.

How long does it take to charge a car battery?

A car battery is considered fully charged if the electrolyte begins to boil. On average, the battery takes about 9 hours to charge. However, this is considered an approximate value. As a rule, the charging time for a car varies and it depends on the current battery charge.

Experts do not recommend heavy overcharging, since scale appears on the lead plate, after which the battery can no longer be restored. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to periodically measure the electrolyte density, especially in winter. In summer, recharging is carried out when the battery capacity is 50%; in winter, this value is 25%.

After charging is completed, the battery should be washed and dried, as acid or dirt sometimes drips onto the case. These defects must be corrected quickly, otherwise they can cause the car battery to discharge because the housing allows voltage to pass through. In this case, the battery must be washed with soda solution. Do this carefully so that water does not get into the battery jars.

As you can see, this process is not difficult, you just need to follow safety rules, then the device will serve for a long time and smoothly.

Preparing a car battery for the charging process

Any car battery (either purchased or removed from the car) must be prepared for charging. Electrolyte of the required density is poured into the new one to the specified level.

The battery removed from the car is prepared as follows. First you need to thoroughly clean its output contacts from dirt and oxides. Then it is advisable to wipe the car battery with a soft, clean rag moistened in a solution of soda (preferably soda ash) or ammonia. This completes the preparation of a maintenance-free battery. If the battery is serviceable (with plugs on the cans for filling electrolyte), then the top cover along with the screwed-in plugs must be thoroughly cleaned - otherwise, when opening the cans or during charging, dirt may get into the electrolyte, which will lead to rapid failure of the battery. Only after this the plugs are removed. Then check the electrolyte level, as well as its density. If necessary, the level is adjusted to the required level. Add distilled water or electrolyte with such a density to obtain the desired density in the jars. After this operation, the plugs are left open so that the car battery can “breathe” while charging. If they are closed, the battery may be ruptured by gases that will be released during charging. In addition, it will be necessary to periodically monitor the temperature of the electrolyte to prevent it from overheating and boiling.

Now you can connect a charger (charger) to the car battery terminals. In this case, it is imperative to observe the polarity (do not confuse the “minus” and “plus”) and the following sequence: first we connect the “crocodile” wires of the charger to the terminals and only then connect its power cord to the mains and turn on the charger. After charging is complete, we do everything the other way around: first turn off the charger, and then disconnect it from the car battery. This is necessary to avoid an explosion or ignition of the oxygen-hydrogen mixture from sparks generated when connecting and disconnecting the “crocodiles”. All chemical reactions in an electrolyte solution are accompanied by the release of hydrogen, the battery banks are open, and oxygen is present in the air.

Charging time calculation

To find out how long it takes to charge a car battery, you need to use a simple formula:

Т=C/I+10%

• T – charging time,
• C – battery capacity,
• I – charger power,
• 10% – loss of energy as heat.

So, how long does it take for batteries 55, 60, 75 - 100 Ah?

Guys, as you understand, everything is quite individual, which device you use. You also need to understand whether the discharge is complete or not.

If you exaggerate and imagine the complete discharge of any of the batteries. THAT:

In the case of a current of 10% of the nominal value - 10 hours until fully charged.

In the case of “regulated” voltage – 4 – 5 hours, up to 90 – 95% (which is quite enough) and again 8 – 10 hours until fully charged.

As you understand this, with a maximum discharge, if you have a partial discharge, then the time is much adjusted.

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Determining the battery charging time is an indispensable factor in correctly charging the battery. If the procedure is terminated prematurely, the battery will not be recharged, which may adversely affect its operation. When recharging, processes of electrolyte boiling away and destruction of the plates are possible.

Battery preparation and necessary safety precautions

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW! After the current charge level has been established, we begin refilling the battery in compliance with all the rules. Each action should be performed carefully and carefully.

The main stages of preparing a car battery:

1. First of all, you need to remove the terminals by disconnecting the power from the on-board network. Disconnect the battery and place it in place for charging.
2. Clean the terminals from dirt, lubricant and oxidation. This will improve contact during refueling and operation.
3. The battery casing needs to be wiped down to reduce its thermal load. To do this, use a dry soft cloth soaked in a solution of ammonia and soda (in a 1:1 ratio).
4. Then carefully unscrew the lids of the battery cans or disconnect the plug. This step is important because if the lid is closed, electrolyte vapor can escape and dangerous pressure can form inside the battery.
5. Check how much electrolyte is in the jar. If it is not enough, fill each jar with distilled water until the inner plates are completely covered.
6. Before recharging, visually inspect the surface of the equipment case. Make sure it is intact. If there are irregularities or mechanical damage, do not repair or charge it. In this situation, contact a specialized organization for servicing such automobile accessories.

Preparatory stage before charging the battery

To perform battery charging work, you first need to decide on a location. Work can be carried out ONLY in a ventilated area. In addition, there must be no sources of ignition at the work site.

These precautions are related to safety precautions. The fact is that when the battery is removed, a gas that is harmful to human health and has flammable properties is released. If charging is carried out at home, you must have a charger.

It can be bought at any store related to the sale of automobile accessories and spare parts. After this preparatory process, you can carry out the planned work.

It is not recommended to charge the battery if:

• a crack was found on the battery;
• mechanical damage to the battery;
• dirt on the terminals.

You can charge the battery only in one case. If dirt has been removed from the battery. Before fully charging, the battery must be completely discharged by connecting a light bulb or other source of electrical current consumption to it.

Charging time depending on battery differences

There are two types of batteries: maintenance-free and maintenance-free (or low-maintenance). Such batteries contain acid and it is not recommended for the average user to work with such a device. Chemical liquid dripping onto clothing can burn it. If acid drips onto the skin, immediately wash the affected area with cold running water. Experts do not recommend using or charging a faulty battery unless the user has specific knowledge and extensive experience. It’s better to help and tell you how to charge the battery at home yourself and in what situations you shouldn’t do this.

What is the difference between serviced batteries and unserviced ones, how many amperes are needed for charging. There are serviceable batteries that have direct access to the banks, where you can control the level, density and shade of the electrolyte. This helps to properly maintain and repair the battery.

On the case of a maintenance-free battery, the cover is hermetically sealed and there are no holes in it. There is no access to the inside of the cans. Some have a charge indicator, which allows you to see whether the battery is dead or in good condition. Maintenance-free are so called because it is impossible to perform any actions with them, except to put them on recharge.

One of the characteristics of a maintenance-free battery is that water does not evaporate from it, even when recharging, as it enters the filtration system of the valve mechanism of the top cover. And when the water in the battery cools, it condenses back into the jars. But the plates can be destroyed when recharging frequently or for a long time, which renders the battery unusable, and accordingly the color of the electrolyte becomes purple. In this case, the battery ceases to hold a charge and transmit the declared amperage, and therefore must be disposed of.

If we compare the two types of devices, the maintenance-free design will last longer. It must be said that a professional motorist’s new battery will last longer, but such drivers are few and far between now. And in the automotive market at the moment there are about 70% of unmaintained types. If we talk about the shelf life of the battery, then choose better proven well-known manufacturers who provide a guarantee. They will cost more, but will work for about 7 years for sure.

Maintenance free view

The principle of charging a maintenance-free battery is that we take 10% of the total capacity. If we take 60 Ah, then the maximum permissible current is 6 A. But it is better to charge with a gentle current, that is, 3 A. It will take longer to charge, but will retain the properties of the plates and will be less susceptible to destruction. It is better to charge with automatic chargers that produce a pulse current from small to large, which does not lead to a strong accumulation of gases and destroys the sulfation of the plates.

The only inconvenience is that you need to know exactly how discharged the device is and how long you need to charge a 60 Ah car battery. To do this, you need to calculate its capacity.

It's easy to do. It is known that 100% charge is a voltage of 12.7 Volts. Accordingly, the density of the electrolyte will be 1.27. Density is measured with a hydrometer. And the voltage in a discharged battery is 11.7 Volts, its density is 1.1. The discharge can be even greater and equal to 10 Volts, but this is strictly not recommended.

If you count, the difference will be 1 V, that is, 12.7 - 11.7. We divide the resulting value by 10 and get 0.10 V, this is 10% of the charge.

Next 0.1 x 5 = 0.5 and add 11.7 = 12.2 V. In this case, the discharge will be 50%.

It is also known that the capacity of a car battery is 55 – 60 – 75 and so on Ampere hours. In other words, he can give this value in 1 hour. If the discharge is 50% on a 60 Ah battery, then 30 of the capacity is consumed accordingly.

In order to replenish half, it is necessary to apply current to the battery. If you apply 30 A or 25 Amps, it can kill the device. It is recommended to supply only 10%, which is 6 Amperes. Since it is necessary to make up half, we divide 30 by 6, which equals 5 hours. As a result, the charge will last 5 hours.

Thus, the main thing is to determine the upper and lower values ​​of the discharge level and then you can properly charge the maintenance-free battery.

Type served

The charging process for a maintenance-free and maintenance-free car battery is different. For proper operation, you need to connect the charger to both terminals. Then you need to recharge the car battery with a charger. Plug it in so that no sparks are generated. Using the current regulator, set the current required for recharging.

The normal current value is considered to be 1/10 of the structure’s capacity. If the user has a 60 ampere hour product, then the current is 6 amperes. If 100 a/h, then accordingly – 10 Amperes.

During charging of the type being serviced, the plugs must be unscrewed, since the battery will charge and the voltage will increase. At the same time, a boiling process takes place inside the structure. As a result, an accumulation of gases is formed, steam can be visually observed, due to which the product ignites. In this regard, you need to recharge the battery in a well-ventilated room. At the same time, you must not smoke or set anything on fire to prevent the formation of sparks and smoke. If the plugs are not removed when voltage increases and gas is generated, the bypass valves will not function and an explosion will occur.

How to determine the charge level

Before connecting the battery to the charger, you should make sure that the battery really needs to be charged. You can do this in five ways:

1. Measure the voltage at the terminals. To do this, use a device that has a DC voltage measurement mode. This can be either an electronic multimeter or a pointer tester. If the reading is 12.7 V, there is nothing to worry about, but its decrease to the level of 12.1-12.5 V is an alarm bell about the need for recharging. 11.7 V on the device notifies the car owner that his power source is in a deep “knockout”, that is, it is completely discharged.

Multimeter

1. Measure the density of the electrolyte. This method can only be used if the battery is serviceable, which means there is access to jars of electrolyte. Density is determined using a special device called a hydrometer. A charged battery has a density of at least 1.27 g/cm³. If the density is 12.2 g/cm³, then the battery is already 30% discharged.

Hydrometer

1. Determine the battery charge using the indicator found in the housing of many power supplies. If it is painted green, then charging is not required; gray or white indicate the need to recharge the battery. The window, painted black, signals that the battery needs to be fully charged.

Battery charge indicator

1. Using a charger, if it has a digital display. It is enough to connect it to the terminals and press a special button on the device body.

1. Use a battery load fork. This method is rather professional, since not every car enthusiast has this device. Its components are: a multimeter, a load resistor and, in fact, a plug. When the latter is connected to the terminals, the operation of the starter is simulated. The device will show to what level the battery voltage drops when the engine starts. If it is 9 V, then charging is required, and if it is 10 V, everything is normal.

Load fork

The latter option is recommended to be used only on a warm battery (20-25 degrees). Otherwise, the battery can be severely drained.

Charging the battery at constant current

To successfully and efficiently recharge the battery with direct current, you need to connect it to a charger that will produce a maximum of 16.5 V. The current strength during a 10-hour charge will be 1/10 Cp (Cp is the nominal capacity of the battery).

The advantage of DC charging is the speed of charging the battery, which is not always a quality process. Because the lead plates of the battery are made of lead, and if the battery is not new, then they are covered with sulfation. To charge the battery efficiently and completely to 100%, you need to hang a 3-20 W light bulb in parallel on the negative and positive terminals, which will activate the plates, heat them up faster and remove some of the sulfation.

The disadvantages of this charging method are:

• The current needs to be stabilized.
• Large accumulation of gases.
• Temperature increase.

In order to reduce these negative effects, use a 2-stage charging mode. In 1-stage mode, charging is carried out with a current of 0.1 Cp until the battery reaches a voltage of 14.4 Volts. After this, they charge with a current reduced by a couple of times.

How to charge a battery without charging

If there is not enough charge and you cannot charge it normally, then a problem arises. How to charge a battery without charging? You can use your neighbor's car to light up. There is another option to start the engine with a pushrod, and then the generator will start to charge your battery. But always, if the charge of your battery has dropped to zero, you need to charge it with a mains charger and check your generator.

Constant voltage charging

In this way, the car battery is charged to 95% of its nominal capacity and lasts longer. The disadvantage of this method is the significant warming up of the device due to the increased current in the initial charging. The voltage of the source to which the battery is connected will be constant. Depending on the voltage value, the current reaches its maximum strength, then decreases to zero as charging progresses. As a rule, the source voltage is from 14.6 to 15 Volts.

Immediately after plugging into the outlet, the charging current is set in accordance with the following factors:

• Output voltage of the power supply.
• Battery charge level.
• Electrolyte temperature.

According to all these parameters, at the initial moment, the charge reaches 100% of its capacity. For a new but discharged battery, such high current values ​​will not cause harm. Despite the high current at the beginning of charging, the duration of the charging process is equal to the duration of charging at a constant current. This is due to the fact that the final stage takes place at low current values.

This charging method allows you to quickly charge the battery to 100% condition. The reported energy at the beginning of the charging process is spent almost entirely on the entire charging process. Thus, it restores the active mass on the battery plate. In this case, no gases are formed. Accordingly, charging at a constant voltage will help speed up charging.

This process is used even when restoring maintenance-free devices, since it is impossible to establish and control the density of the electrolyte in them.

If you urgently need to go, but the battery is dead

In order to start a car with a completely dead battery, just connect the charger for 10-15 minutes. In this case, you can set the current value to more than 10% of the capacity, for example, 10 A.

Modern automatic “chargers” can be used as starting devices to make it easier to start the engine. To do this, you need to connect it to the battery, set the maximum amperage, wait 10-15 minutes, and then, without turning it off, start the car engine. After the engine has started, the driver needs to drive at least 10 km so that the generator can at least slightly recharge the battery for the subsequent successful start of the engine.

If you don’t have a charger at hand, you can simply “light it” from another car using wires. In this case, after connecting the “crocodiles”, you need to wait a little so that the dead car battery absorbs some energy. Otherwise, when you try to turn on the starter, almost all the current will be spent on charging the dead battery, and you will not be able to start the engine.

Fast charging

The benefit of “lighting up” the car will be if other devices in the ignition circuit work flawlessly. When the equipment is discharged, it makes sense to ask your neighbor in the parking lot to provide a service. It is necessary to resort to an emergency method of starting a modern car, through another car, in the most extreme cases, because CAN systems are sensitive to voltage surges.

Current fluctuations in the vehicle's electrical circuit lead to errors in the controller's memory and other failures in the auto electrical system. Despite the technological modernization of ignition systems, this method should be used in exceptional cases. The best solution to avoid getting into such situations is to maintain the battery in good technical condition.

Reasons for battery drain

Branded memory for the car

It is necessary to charge the battery according to the period of time, so that the charged device does not fail prematurely. Battery charging time is determined by several factors, which we will discuss later. First, let's figure out why the battery is discharged. The battery discharge begins from the moment the driver turns on the ignition, without starting the engine. After starting the internal combustion engine, the battery will feed the generator unit, replenishing its charge.

In what other situations is it important to use a charger:

1. Batteries always drain in the cold. At low temperatures, the self-discharge current increases.
2. If your car has a bad alarm system. In general, the use of an anti-theft system does not particularly affect the discharge of the battery, however, there is still a small discharge. And if you use satellite signaling, the discharge will be even faster. So if you install a “sophisticated” alarm system with great functionality on your car, you need to take care of installing a more powerful battery.
3. The use of low-quality acoustics that consume a lot of voltage. This is especially true for car owners who are music lovers, who install amplifiers, subwoofers and other “stuff” in their cars to obtain high-quality sound.
4. Electrical equipment is not working correctly. If the starter, distributor, coil, and various blocks are not functioning correctly in the car, then this could also be the reason. All these components are interconnected, so failure of one of them will lead to incorrect operation of others.
5. Incorrect operation of the generator unit. If the alternator is not working properly, the battery may discharge much faster. There can be many reasons why a unit may not work correctly, usually all of them are caused by the failure of certain structural elements. For example, a breakdown of the diode bridge or wear of the brushes. Also, the unit may not replenish the battery charge well if the belt is loose.
6. The most common reason for our compatriots is violation of the rules for using a 55, 60, 70 Ah device. A striking example is that before parking the car, the driver drives with the heater, headlights, and other consumers on, while the music is playing at full volume. If there are many energy consumers, then the generator will not be able to power them all - then the battery helps it with this. When approaching a parking spot, the driver simply turns off the engine, automatically turning off all consumers. The charge that the battery spent to power them will not have time to be restored. Therefore, before turning off the engine, it is recommended to turn off all consumers for a few minutes and drive the car with the heater and acoustics turned off; if possible, you should also turn off the optics.

How to “light up” a car

To start a car with a discharged battery, you will need a set of wires with a cross-section of at least 10 mm² and clamps in satisfactory condition. Next steps:

1. The second car is arriving.
2. The engine of the auxiliary vehicle must not be turned off.
3. The positive terminals are connected by a cable.
4. First, the plus battery of the neighbor's car is connected, then in another car.
5. Then work is carried out with the negative terminals according to the above diagram.

A simple method allows you to quickly charge an electric current source.

IMPORTANT! To eliminate the risk of short circuit, the sequence of actions described must be followed.

After 10-15 minutes of “lighting up” the wires can be disconnected. You cannot start a faulty vehicle during emergency charging. The main load, in a short period of time, falls on the generator. Additional power take-off will lead to failure of the attachment element. Many drivers are quick to argue that the device is in no danger in this case. The integrity of the generator depends on the cable cross-section and resistance. If the veins are thin, it may work without incident, but it is not recommended to take risks.

In vehicles with diesel or fuel-injection internal combustion engines, starting the power plant in the emergency vehicle should be performed with the engine of the second vehicle running. The glow plugs (in a diesel engine) will have time to warm up, and the fuel pump will start, creating the necessary pressure (in the injector). If the attempt to start the motor is successful, the terminals can be disconnected. The steps are performed in the reverse order of connection.

Now the question concerns the short battery charging time.

Let's agree right away. We are talking about short-term recharging, but not about a full cycle. Let's look at an example workflow. The battery does not have enough power to start the power unit. You need a donor who can help you. When the assistant car operates at medium speeds and not at idle, its charge is 30 amperes.

By transmitting to your car, you receive assistance from it at 0.5 amperes/charge every 60 seconds. To calculate, you need to use the formula where: 1/60*30= 0.5 ampere/hour. Let's move on. The starting current is approximately 200 amperes, therefore, in 60 seconds of assistance, your car can affect the starter for only 9 seconds.

Unfortunately, this time is not enough to start the engine. The required working charging time should be 10 – 15 minutes. It should be taken into account that for complete confidence some more time is needed. To do this, turn off all unnecessary power sources and drive around the city for a short time.

And remember that when asking the question how long it will take to charge car battery , you can answer: 10 – 12 hours is quite enough. In this case, the current density should be 0.1 of the battery capacity. Speaking about full charging, let's say that in winter, according to the hydrometer, the figure ranges from -1.27-1.28, In summer, it is -1.26.

Specifics of booster use

The devices are manufactured in two versions:

• Connection to the cigarette lighter. The main advantage is its small size. The downside is low efficiency. If the desired “socket” is connected to the battery simultaneously with turning the ignition key, which creates additional load, the booster will begin to discharge.
• Using terminals. In this case, the battery can be charged without activating the ignition function.

Recommendations on how to charge a dead current source in a car using a booster are virtually the same, as in the example of “lighting up” using another car.

The nuances of charging A K B 60 Ah with direct current

Look at the pictures for the nuances of battery charging.

Connection

It all starts very simply - we connect the negative side of the charger to the negative side of the battery. We do the same with the “pluses”. Many people use this option, since the amperage supplied to the battery is a very important parameter. It is prohibited to exceed or underestimate it. If it is underestimated, the battery will take a very long time to charge. And this is extremely inconvenient for the motorist.

Using a wall charger

In a critical situation, a motorist can use the charger as a donor current source to charge a car battery. The key condition for completing the work is that the charger should not have non-switchable automation. Otherwise, the device will not be able to recharge a dead battery.

With any type of battery, the maximum current is supplied. This is safe because the battery is discharged and the recharging process, which negatively affects the functionality of the car battery, will not have time to occur. At the output of the charger, the voltage will be approximately 14-15 Volts, which is slightly higher than usual values, but is not dangerous for electronic systems.

What determines the charging time?

The duration of battery charging depends on many factors. The main ones are:

1. Battery discharge level;
2. Charging current.

Let's look at the main characteristics of batteries.

Voltage.

The voltage value always differs from that indicated on the marking. So, for a 12-volt battery, the nominal potential difference is 12.6 V and changes downward when discharged. The limit value is considered to be 10.6 V (with no load on the terminals). When it drops to this level, it is said to be completely discharged.

Capacity.

This parameter is measured in amp hours and shows the amount of current that the battery can support for a certain time. The marking used is the value at which it is completely discharged within a 20-hour period. Those. A battery with a capacity of 60Ah can support 3A with a 20-hour discharge. In this case, the voltage at the terminals will drop from the nominal (12.6V) to the limit voltage (10.5-10.6V).

In maintenance-free batteries, voltage is the only indicator that allows you to judge the degree of discharge. In serviced ones, accuracy is increased by measuring the density of the electrolyte.

Motorists can estimate how discharged the battery is according to the table.

Electrolyte density and other indicators correspond to normal conditions (temperature +25 degrees). Using a load fork, the voltage under load is measured (current load of 100 - 200 A).

Since adjacent values ​​in the table differ slightly, when taking measurements you should use instruments that provide sufficient accuracy (a professional hydrometer and a digital multimeter).

Based on the results, a decision is made on the need to charge the battery and the main parameters of the process.

How to use the memory

With an increase in key current indicators, we can conclude that battery charging has begun. The movement of ions between the plates intensified, lead sulfate began to dissolve. In this case, you need to remove the charger from the car battery and turn on the ignition by turning the key. The engine will start, and the element of the attachment - the generator - will begin to convert mechanical energy into electrical current.

Purchasing a charger for charging a car battery at home will allow the user to independently service their vehicle. To do this, you do not need to contact the service, which will significantly save the car owner’s time and money. Thanks to the charger, you can quickly charge a lead battery before a long trip to fully restore its life.

So, you know how long it takes to charge a car battery and how long the charge of different types of batteries lasts. Nowadays, manufacturers make modern batteries that are reliable, safe and durable, but always follow safety regulations and charge the battery correctly to prevent premature wear of the plates.

How and how many hours to charge a car battery with constant voltage

To charge the battery using this method, it is necessary that the charger stably maintains a voltage of 13.8–14.4 V. In this case, the amount of charging current is set automatically based on the condition of the battery (degree of discharge, electrolyte temperature, and so on). Practice has confirmed that at a constant voltage of the current source within the specified limits, a car battery can be charged in a state of any degree of discharge and it will be automatically charged without excessive gas evolution and without dangerous heating of the electrolyte. The maximum charging current, even with a completely discharged battery, does not exceed its rated capacity.

At a positive electrolyte temperature, the degree of battery charging in the first hour increases to 50–60% of its capacity, in the second – to 15–20%, in the third – to 6–8%. In 4–5 hours, the battery should be charged to 90–95% of its nominal capacity. However, in each individual case the time may be different. Charging the battery will be completed when the current drops to 0.2 A.

It is impossible to charge up to 100% with this method due to insufficient voltage, since to complete the charge, as indicated above (in the direct current method), you need to increase the voltage at the battery output contacts to 16.2 V.

Advantages of this method:

1. Provides faster charging.
2. Easy to carry out - no need to adjust the current during charging and you can charge the car battery on the car without removing it.

When used in a car, the battery is also charged at a constant voltage (from the generator). Therefore, in “field” conditions, when the battery is dead, you can try to charge it from the electrical network of another car, if its owner does not spare the generator and battery, the load on which will increase. However, this is a more gentle way to start up than “lighting up”. How long it will take for such a charge to be enough to start depends on the outside temperature and on how much you have already “tortured” your own battery.

During the operation of any car battery, it is important to know how long the battery needs to be charged. It is also important to remember that the battery must be well prepared and not started in a hurry to avoid unpleasant consequences. It is known that there are potentially dangerous chemicals inside any battery. Careless handling of them can have a sad effect on both the car and its owner. Therefore, when asked about how long to charge a battery, it should be noted that high-quality and complete charging and preparation for it require a certain amount of time.

FAQ

How long does it take to charge the battery to start the car?

To start the car and be able to drive in the summer, it is enough to charge the battery for 30 minutes with a current of 10% of the battery capacity

.
This time is enough for its voltage to rise to 11.8 Volts
and the engine can be started by the starter without external force. In winter, you will need to charge the battery for at least 1 hour to increase its voltage to 12V. Further charging of the battery will occur from the generator when the car is driven at speeds above 1500 rpm.

What determines the speed of battery charging?

Charging speed depends on current strength

. The rate of the chemical reaction will accelerate as the charge current increases. The higher the current from the charger goes to the battery, the faster it will charge, but the stronger and hotter it will be. It is strictly prohibited to charge maintenance-free batteries with high current.

How many amps should I use when charging the battery?

The nominal value of the charging current is 10% of its capacity

. Therefore, when charging the battery you need to set it to 4.5, 5.5, 6.0 or 7.0 amperes. Depending on what battery you had to work with. And to accurately calculate how many amperes you need to set on the charger, in your case, use a calculator by multiplying the battery capacity by 0.1.

How long does it take to charge a 60 amp battery?

To understand how much to charge a 60ah battery, you must first determine the degree of its rarefaction. The average charging time for a dead battery is from 10 to 12 hours

. If battery 60 is charged at 6 amperes, when it has only 11.7 V with an electrolyte density of 1.1 g/cm³, then it will restore its full capacity in 14 hours. The final time depends on the discharge level. The battery is considered fully charged when the voltmeter shows 12.73V at its terminals and the electrolyte is actively boiling.

How many amps should a charged battery show?

To check whether the battery is charged, do not check how many amps the multimeter shows, because a charged battery will no longer take any amps. The voltage is checked at the terminals, which should be at least 12.7V half an hour after charging and about 13.4V if checked immediately after disconnection. Therefore, how many amperes a charged battery should show is not a correct question. If the charger does not have indicator lights, but a built-in ammeter, then the question of how much ampere will be shown on the charger display (which charges with constant voltage) may arise, however, when fully charged, you will also see an arrow at zero (0.1 A). But if charging was carried out with direct current, then it is not the current that needs to be controlled, it will be the same as it was initially installed - look at the voltage. A charged acid battery connected to the device will show 14.4V. A calcium battery fully charged to 100% will produce 16.3V and the current will jump to 0.8A after it initially dropped to 0.4, which will indicate the start of electrolysis.

Security measures

The battery must undergo some preparatory procedures before charging. We recommend that the motorist take the following measures:

1. We clean the outer surface of dirt, condensation and possible oxides. A pre-prepared aqueous soda solution helps with this. We moisten a rag with liquid and wipe the battery disconnected from the on-board system and removed from the engine compartment.
2. For serviced models, it is necessary to check the electrolyte level. All plates inside the jars must be coated with an acid solution. If it is not enough, then you need to add distillate, otherwise the risk of the plates falling off during charging increases. When checking the density of the electrolyte (using a hydrometer), normal values ​​are in the range of 1.26–1.28 g/ml.
3. Carefully remove the caps from the jar lids using a Phillips screwdriver. We cover the resulting holes with them so that the acid does not splash out from inside, and the gases formed during charging freely leave the cavity without accumulating inside.

When, how and with what current to charge

As a rule, the degree of charge of a battery is judged by the density of its electrolyte. The density of a fully charged battery should be 1.26-1.28 g/cm³, the voltage should be at least 12.5 V. Everything will depend on what density of the electrolyte was originally installed in the new battery in your region of residence, it can be as high as 12.7 V so 12.9V. The lower the density, the more discharged it is. A decrease in density of 0.01 g/cm3 compared to the nominal value means that the battery has been discharged by approximately 6-8%. The degree of charge must be determined by the jar having the lowest density.

A lead-acid battery that is more than 50% discharged in summer, and even only more than 25% discharged in winter, needs to be removed and recharged. Also, additional charging is required for those batteries whose density in the banks differs by more than 0.02 g/cm³.

The optimal charging current for a battery is considered to be a current equal to 0.05 of its capacity ( equalizing charge ). So for a battery with a capacity of 55 Am/h this value is 2.75 A, and for 60 Ah it is already 3 amperes. The purpose of this method is to ensure complete restoration of the active masses in all battery plates.

Although they often use the so-called forced charge and take a different ratio - 10% of the capacity . That is, a standard 55Ah passenger car battery is charged with a current of 2.75-5.5A , and for a 60Ah battery the charging current is set in the range from 3A to 6A . But, you need to know that the lower the charging current, the deeper the charge, although it takes more time. The situation is exactly the same with the supplied voltage - the higher the faster , but it should not fall below 13.8 and exceed 14.5 V ). The charging voltage is raised to 16.0-16.5V only when charging a maintenance-free battery .

It should be noted that today there are several methods for recharging the battery:

• At constant current;
• At constant voltage;
• Combining in automatic mode (we will not consider it, since in this case a time calculator is not needed).

Stages of car battery discharge