5 Ways to Properly Charge Your Car Battery Yourself
The car battery is a crucial part that every vehicle must have. Like other important components, the battery also requires intensive maintenance to keep the car's performance stable. One of the maintenance practices often used to keep the battery in good condition is charging. So, how do you properly charge a car battery?
If you don't know yet, you can check out the post below!
How to Properly Charge a Car Battery
Actually, charging a wet or dry car battery is very easy to do. You can do it yourself at home without needing to ask for help from a workshop mechanic.
So, how do you do it? How long does it take to charge a car battery, and how do you know when the battery is fully charged? Curious? Read on below.
1. Remove the Battery from the Car
The correct way to charge a car battery is to remove the car battery by taking it out of the car. Always be cautious when removing the battery from cars that require an ECU reset.
A wrong step can cause damage that reduces the car's performance. You need to know that the purpose of removing the battery is to ensure safety during the charging process.
When charging a car battery, the boiling battery fluid will create bubbles that can enter the battery's ventilation holes. This battery fluid can be very dangerous for the car's body and can even cause itching when it comes into contact with skin.
Therefore, remove the car battery before charging it to maintain safety during the application.
Read also: Easy Tips to Repair a Damaged Wet Battery
2. Open the Battery Cap Carefully
After successfully removing the car battery, the next step is to open the battery ventilation cap. The purpose is to check the water level before charging.
If the battery fluid volume is low, you can add it with distilled water or blue bottle battery water. Add water until it reaches 1/3 of the height of the fluid.
In other words, do not fill the battery fluid to the full line of the water level. This is because charging the battery will cause the elements inside the battery to expand, which can affect the volume of the battery fluid.
Next, open the battery fluid ventilation cap. The purpose is to allow the pressurized gas that appears during charging to reduce the risk of explosion.
3. Connect the Battery Charger Cables
After opening the ventilation and adding water, the next step is to connect the charger cables. As a suggestion, the correct way to charge a car battery is to connect the cables in order.
Start with the positive cable first, then connect the negative cable. Ensure the cable positions are correct and the clamps are secure.
4. Turn on the Charger and Set the Correct Position
The next step in charging the battery after the charger cables are connected is to turn on the charger. Then, set the charger switches to the correct position.
For your information, there are usually 3 switches for charging the battery. The first is the charging current switch, the voltage adjustment switch, and the charging time adjustment switch.
Read also: Five Types of Car Batteries You Must Know
5. Wait Until the Battery Charging Process is Complete
If you feel the switch position is correct and you have turned it on, now you just need to wait until the charging process is complete. You should know that the charging process time can vary, depending on the battery capacity of the car.
You just need to wait for the car battery charging process while occasionally monitoring it. The main purpose of charging the battery is to restore its condition to the original standard. This is also done to ensure the car's performance remains optimal.
The charging method explained in this review is in accordance with the correct automotive standards. So, you don't need to worry if you want to charge the battery in your car.
If you have difficulty in maintaining the car battery, you can visit a professional technician at the nearest Daihatsu workshop or dealer.