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How to charge a car battery without a charger

How to charge a car battery

How to charge a car battery without a charger

Perhaps, almost every driver has faced a hopeless situation when his car stalled due to the fact that the battery was completely drained. This story can be heard especially often in winter, when cold and severe frost sets in.

At such moments, the performance of the battery deteriorates; it holds a charge very poorly and at the same time gives a lot to maintain the life of the entire car. Also, if your car has been sitting in the cold for five days or more, when you try to start it, this will not happen, because the battery is completely discharged.

Not only in winter, but also in summer, this problem happens quite often, so there immediately arises an urgent need to know how to charge a car battery.

This operation is quite simple, but you need to know a few nuances. The process of replenishing the battery with energy is carried out by the charger. And to get to the main question, you need to understand what types of chargers there are and what types of batteries they are suitable for.

Types of batteries and their applications

All batteries have approximately identical design. All of them consist of negative and positive electrodes, which are metal plates, as well as electrolytes, which are presented in the form of a solution of water with an alkali or acid. The solution differs depending on the type and type of battery.

Today there are three main types of batteries that are most often found in practice:

  • acidic;
  • alkaline;
  • helium

Each type is different depending on its electrolyte.

If we talk about the most common option, these are acid batteries. This type has plates made of lead alloys as electrodes. This material has very good energy capacity, thanks to which it can produce high-value current in a fairly short period of time.

Helium batteries are considered the youngest. They appeared relatively recently and have already found their application. However, due to technical parameters, they are rarely used. In fact, they are very similar to acidic ones, the difference is that the electrolyte is not a liquid solution, but a jelly-like mass.

Alkaline battery models are also not very common, although they appeared quite a long time ago. In their design they use plates made of nickel, as well as cadmium or iron. Their disadvantage over acid ones is that they have low current. This is the reason why passenger cars are more willing to use acid battery models.

It is also worth noting that batteries differ not only in type, but also in type.

There are only two main types:

  • serviced;
  • unattended.

This difference is due to the fact that some battery models require periodic topping up of water. For example, in acid batteries, reactions occur due to which a certain part of the water evaporates.

In this regard, the need for maintenance arises. The driver needs to regularly check the presence of water in the battery, and if it is not enough, add the required amount.

Moreover, it is important that the water is distilled!

With unattended ones everything is simple. During the reaction, the water does not evaporate, so there is no need to add anything.

Types of chargers. How to charge your battery?

A charger, or charger, is in fact a device that converts electrical energy. All models operate on the same principle, an alternating voltage of 220 V is converted into a constant voltage of 14-15 V. This voltage is required for the battery. If you were wondering what voltage you need to charge your car battery, this will help you.

Preparatory stage before charging

Another important point to remember before you start charging your battery is preparation. This is important because it can affect the charging process and its speed. You need to make sure in advance that the battery is really empty, that is, there is no charge left in it and it is completely discharged.

In most cases, it needs to be removed from the car. Why do this? The reason for such actions may be that the battery case may be damaged, and the electrolyte may leak out, which causes the battery to malfunction. In this case, the device must be replaced with a new model.

It is not necessary to remove the battery from the car; you can always charge the battery without removing it from the car.

Removing the battery is also important to clean it. Dust or dirt may settle on it, which can cause the ventilation plugs on the battery cover to become clogged. They must be cleaned to allow evaporation to occur.

To understand that the battery is low, you need to look at the indicator. Modern cars have them and show a certain color when the battery has energy or not. What color a charged or discharged color should show depends on the make and model of the battery itself. Color may vary, so please read the instructions carefully and research your model.

There is also another way to check the battery charge. This is done using a terminal and a tester. We connect, and if the voltage is below the nominal voltage, this indicates that the battery is empty.

Charging the car battery

After all the steps have been completed and we have made sure that the battery is empty, we can proceed to the charging itself.

How should you charge a car battery, and how many hours will it take? The most important thing you need to know is that charging the battery at home is not recommended! Why is that? This is due to the evaporation that is formed during the electrolyte reaction.

If you do not want to harm the health of yourself and your loved ones, do exercises in the garage or in an open room, or even better in the fresh air.

First you need to connect the charger to the battery itself, and only then to the network itself. The same sequence can and should be used when you want to charge the battery from another car. This is a safer way. This is to ensure that the charger is installed correctly, otherwise the charger may be damaged.

There are two main methods for this process:

  • with a constant voltage value of 14-16 V. The current strength may vary. Usually at the beginning of the process it is large and can reach 30A, but later it gradually decreases;
  • with constant current. In this case, the voltage changes. This method requires experience and certain knowledge from a person, and therefore is more complex, so preference is given to the first option.

To charge with constant voltage, you need to set the current to 10% of the energy capacity of the battery itself. Over time, it will gradually drop to a minimum value.

Many people are interested in how long to charge a car battery. The main signal that the work is completed and that the battery is fully charged will be a drop in voltage and the ammeter needle to level “0”.

How quickly does the battery refill? The entire charge can take from 10 to 15 hours, depending on the age and quality of the battery.

The indicator will also indicate in its color that the charge has been fully restored and the device is ready for use.

How long should the battery last?

Your battery will last a long time if you care for it and handle it correctly. As a rule, the manufacturer gives a 2-year warranty, and it also depends on the brand and model of the battery.

Moreover, it can last 3 or 4 years without problems. If you take care of it, add electrolyte in a timely manner, clean it from dirt and charge it correctly, then it can last much longer.

It all depends on the quality of the device itself and the quality of your care for it.

Source: https://1000sovetov.ru/article_kak-zaryadit-akkumulyator-avtomobilya

How to properly charge a car battery with a charger?

A car battery provides power to the elements of the car. While it is moving, it is charged using a generator. However, he will not be able to fully replenish energy. Therefore, battery maintenance is necessary periodically. To do this, you should know how to properly charge a car battery with a charger at home.

Selecting a charger

The determining parameters are the characteristics of the battery - voltage (6, 12 or 4 V), battery type (flooded, dry-charged, gel and lead-acid). Based on the latest quality, it is recommended to choose universal models suitable for all types of batteries. Additionally, the nominal capacity indicator - Ah - is taken into account.

Based on functionality, memory devices are divided into two classes:

  • Chargers. Designed only to restore battery functionality; it is possible to maintain the current charge at the required level.
  • Starting chargers. To start the vehicle systems, a significant current charge is required. If the battery has not yet been charged by this time, the starting charger can replace it at this stage.

For beginners, it is recommended to buy simple charger models, without additional functions for adjusting parameters. If the car enthusiast has a lot of experience, he will need a professional charger with an indication and the ability to adjust current and voltage. Any model must have the option of protection against overheating and incorrect connection.

How often should you charge your battery?

The frequency at which the battery is charged determines its service life. Ideally, it should be connected to the charger no more than once a year. But in fact it depends on many external factors. If the frequency is incorrectly selected and there is no control over the current state of the battery, the opposite effect will be observed - a rapid decrease in capacity.

Facts affecting the frequency of battery charging:

  • Temperature outside. It does not affect if the indicator is more than +5C. As soon as a decrease occurs, the battery capacity may drop by 1.5-2 times.
  • Possible malfunctions of the power plant. These include problems with compression and incorrect functioning of fuel equipment.
  • Frequency of full battery load when the engine is off.

The minimum battery charge to start the power plant is individual. But usually it should not be less than 12.3 Volts. If this value is less, the charge will not be enough and you will need to connect to the charger. On average, 70-75% of the maximum charge is sufficient for normal battery operation. It is recommended to restore it to 100% once a year, before the start of the winter period.

Car battery charging methods

There are two main ways to charge a battery - by changing the constant current or voltage. The choice depends on the functionality of the charger, the need to control the process, its speed and degree of charging.

Read also:  Replacing the power steering pump with your own hands

Before you begin, you must meet the following conditions:

  • Preliminary check of the actual battery capacity.
  • The correct polarity of the terminals is “plus” to “plus”, as well as “minus”. Otherwise, there will be a reverse process - discharge.
  • The minimum cross-section of the wire core is 1 mm2. When braided, the diameter should be about 1.3 mm.
  • Cleaning the surface of the battery from acid residues and dirt.
  • Unscrew the plugs of the holes intended for pouring acid.
  • Checking the electrolyte level. If it is not enough, distilled water is added.

After this, you can begin the charging process. It is recommended to do this in a room with room temperature and good ventilation. As the charge increases, electrolyte vapors will be released.

DC current regulation

The essence of this method is to control the current value by adjusting it depending on the current battery charge. For novice motorists it is difficult, since changes in the indicator depend on the actual condition of the battery. It is recommended to use if it is possible to constantly monitor the process.

It is best to consider the essence of this method using the example of a battery, the capacity of which is 60A*h. Recommended course of action.

  1. Set the current value to 6A, from a ratio of 0.1 to the rated capacity.

  2. After the release of electrolyte gases begins, it is necessary to reduce the indicator by half. If the battery charge is 14.4 V, the current should be 3 A.

  3. As soon as the charge indicator reaches 15 V, the current decreases to 1.5 A.

In this way, you can charge the battery to a level from 70% to 100%. In the latter case, it is necessary to monitor the battery charge level and current strength. If the first remains unchanged for two hours, this is a sign of full charge.

DC Voltage Change

The best way if it is not possible to constantly monitor the process. It must be taken into account that the battery charge value in this case is proportional to the applied voltage. To preliminary calculate the time, it is necessary to divide the supplied voltage by 1.11.

Let's consider this process using the example of a standard 12 V battery, depending on the required degree of charge for a duration of 24 hours:

  • 75-80%. In this case, the supplied voltage should be 14.4 V;
  • 85-90%. The optimal value is 15 V;
  • 100%. The voltage parameter must be at least 16.3 V.

Using this scheme, you can calculate the charging conditions for any type of battery. The process is completed after the voltage at the battery terminals and the supply voltage are the same. After this you can turn off the memory.

Important - the charging current value should not exceed 25 A. For this, the charger must be equipped with a circuit that limits this parameter. It is present in all factory models, but if a homemade device is used, this point needs to be tracked.

Checking the battery charge level

In addition to the parameter values ​​on the charger and battery terminals, it is recommended to additionally monitor the density of the electrolyte. This is done using a special device - a hydrometer.

For a standard battery, the following values ​​of electrolyte density are accepted depending on the state of charge:

  • 100% - 1.28 g/m3;
  • 75% - 1.25g/m3;
  • 50% - 1.20 g/m3.

It is important to check this indicator in all banks. If for some reason a short circuit occurs in one of them, the value of the electrolyte density will be significantly less than the others. It is also necessary to take into account the error of the hydrometer, the degree of its suitability for verification, and the range of measured values. Additionally, this device can be used to monitor the condition of the coolant.

Alternative methods

A proven method for restoring battery performance without using a special device is “lighting” from another battery. It is important that they have the same current values. Otherwise, the fuses or part of the vehicle's electrical wiring will fail.

This can be done using the following algorithm.

  1. Direct connection to the battery of another car, observing the polarity, as when using a charger.

  2. After starting the engine, you must wait 3-5 minutes and only after that you can disconnect the terminals. First from the “donor”, ​​and then from the battery of your car.
  3. The trip lasts 20-30 minutes.

    The best charging will occur when upshifts or downshifts are activated. The recommended crankshaft speed is from 2900 to 3200.

This method will be effective if the battery charge level is not lower than critical. Otherwise, starting the engine and on-board systems will be impossible.

It is also not recommended to use homemade chargers made from household charging blocks from a laptop or mobile phone. It is almost impossible to control the main current and voltage values ​​during the charging process. This can lead to negative consequences. It is best to purchase a cheap but reliable factory charger model.

Source: http://myfords.ru/kak-pravilno-zaryazhat-akkumulyator-avtomobilya-zaryadnym-ustrojstvom

Rules and expert advice on how to charge your car battery yourself

Home » Battery » Rules and expert advice on how to charge your car battery yourself

Dead battery icon on the dashboard

How long does it take to charge the battery and how to properly charge the device? First of all, we recommend that you find out what functions the charged device performs.

A charged machine battery allows you to perform the following functions:

  • starting the engine;
  • power supply to all electrical equipment when the ignition is on, but the engine is not running;
  • The battery is also an additional power source that allows you to power devices under high load on the generator unit.

This device powers all the components of the on-board network that are included in its circuit.

When the generator is running, the battery is recharged, but if the load on the device was very high, then it is not a fact that the generator unit will be able to completely restore it.

If you want to know how to properly charge a car battery, then first of all you need to familiarize yourself with the technical features of the device, which may differ depending on its type.

Using a Multimeter to Determine Charge

Types of batteries

The design of almost all batteries is identical. Important elements of such structures are plates that act as electrodes. Between these components the working substance, the electrolyte, is poured.

Due to the reactions of chemical elements that take place in the solution, electrical energy is released. There are two groups of batteries - serviceable and non-serviceable.

In the former, you can add distillate when the solution boils, but in unattended ones this cannot be done.

The following types of batteries can be found on sale:

  1. Antimony. Such devices are equipped with lead plastics, to which antimony is added to increase their strength. In this case, maintenance involves not only charging the car battery, but also adding electrolyte to the system, as the substance evaporates.
  2. Low antimony. In this case, lead plates are mounted in protective containers, which ensures minimal boiling of the electrolyte. But in practice, the charge of this type of battery decreases much faster, and it can be restored just as quickly.
  3. Hybrid devices. Devices of this type are equipped with plates made of various materials. The positive plate is low-antimony elements, and the minus plate is lead-calcium. This type of device is more resistant to boiling over, and charging such batteries usually takes less time.
  4. Calcium is one of the most popular and widespread options among our compatriots; in this case, calcium plates are used in the design. One of the key advantages of these devices is considered to be a slight boiling off of the liquid, which practically does not have to be added. The battery of this type of car needs to be charged much less frequently, since such batteries are almost never discharged. One of the disadvantages is the difficulty of charging to fully restore it; after several cycles the device cannot be restored.
  5. Another type is helium and AGM devices; they are produced using similar technology. Instead of the usual liquid, a thickened electrolyte is used, as a result of which the likelihood of its leakage is reduced to almost zero. In addition, such structures are more resistant to vibrations and shocks; the disadvantages include less efficient operation at subzero temperatures.
  6. Alkaline batteries. Such devices can operate normally for a long time even with frequent recharging, voltage surges, and subzero temperatures. They practically do not discharge, and even if they do discharge, they can remain in this state for quite a long time.

Connecting the engine ignition terminals

Types of chargers for charging the battery

If you want to understand exactly how long to charge the battery and at what ampere current to do it, you also need to familiarize yourself with the types of chargers.

Such devices can be divided into several types:

  1. Pre-launch devices. Devices of this type are used to renew the capacity of a discharged device. The charging process itself can be carried out directly on the car, without removing the battery.
  2. Charging and starting devices. Unlike those described above, they are equipped with wires with a large cross-section. With the help of such devices, the battery can be charged automatically. This is very useful, since the device itself will calculate the number of amperes for normal renewal.

Detailed charging instructions

Proper charging largely determines the battery life. When the machine is used constantly, the battery charge should be normal. But if the car is idle for a long time, then in any case you need to know how to charge the device and how long it will take. Detailed charging instructions are presented below (the author of the video is the Science Vetal channel).

What do you need to consider?

Before you charge your car battery, you should understand that volts and amperes are not the same thing, the parameters are different.

The voltage at the battery contacts is measured in volts, and amperes determine the current:

  1. The current indicator, in accordance with the norm, should be 10% of the installed energy capacity of the battery. For example, if the device capacity is 70 amperes per hour, then the current value should be no more than 7 amperes.
  2. The voltage parameter at the contacts of the charger should be 10% higher than the total voltage value on the charged device. As you know, on average this figure should be about 12.6 volts, which means that the device must be charged with a voltage equal to the sum of 12.6 volts and 1.26 V, that is, 13.86 V will be required for charging.

If there is an urgent need, you can charge the battery with a higher current - 20 A, but you need to take into account that this will lead to more accelerated wear..

If you are using a gel battery, then the voltage level at the charger terminals should be no more than 14.2 volts.

So before you charge the battery, you need to know exactly what type of device it is and accurately determine all the parameters in advance.

Preparatory work

If you do not know how to properly charge a car battery, we first recommend that you read the service book on using the charger.

You need to make sure that the battery is completely discharged, the time will depend on this.

Disconnect the device from the on-board network and remove it from the car, carefully inspect the device for cracks or damage (the author of the video is the Alex@dran channel).

If there are signs of damage on the case, then there is a possibility that the reason for the device’s discharge lies precisely in this. Part of the electrolyte may come out of the crack; accordingly, the process of capacity restoration will no longer occur in the structure. No matter how much you charge a cracked device, you will not be able to restore its functionality.

If there is a light indicator on the device body, it can indicate how discharged the device is.

For example, green indicates a full charge, yellow indicates an average charge, and red indicates that the device needs to be charged as quickly as possible.

If there is no such indicator on the case, then you can use a multimeter, which should be connected to the plus and minus terminals. If, as a result of the test, you notice that the voltage at the outputs is lower, then the battery capacity must be replenished.

Also, before starting the process, you need to find out exactly how much electrolyte is in the system and whether it needs to be added. If you see that the liquid is transparent and its level is normal, then you can begin the process.

If the electrolyte level is too low, this indicates the need to add distilled water to the jars.

You should also check the ventilation hole on the lid - if it is clogged, it should be cleaned.

Photo gallery “Getting ready to charge”

1. Removing the battery from the car2. Damage to the device body3. Measuring the density of a substance with a hydrometer

Charging process

So, how to properly charge a car battery? To recharge the device, first of all, its contacts should be connected to the charger probes, while observing the polarity. In particular, the “+” and “-” outputs are respectively connected to the positive and negative probes.

The charging process can be performed using two methods:

  1. Constant voltage method. We charge the device with a current that should be 10% of the installed capacity, we wrote about this above. Gradually the current value will drop. The charge is controlled by the arrow on the charger scale - when it approaches zero, the device will be fully charged. On average, this task takes between 8 and 13 hours to complete.
  2. The direct current method is more complex.
    If you do not know how to properly charge the battery using this method, then first you should set the current strength, which will be equal to 10% of the battery capacity. The device will be recharged until the voltage rises to 14 volts. Next, the current value should be reduced by 50%, so the device will be recharged until the voltage reaches 15 volts. Then the current is reduced by another 50%. When you notice that the voltage on the battery remains unchanged for 1 hour, you can consider that it has been charged successfully.

Video “How to increase the density of the electrolyte in a battery?”

You can find out information on how to increase the density of the battery's working substance with your own hands in the video below.

 Loading...Do you still have questions? Specialists and readers of the AVTOKLEMA website will help you ask a question

Source: https://avtoklema.com/akkymylyator/zarjadka-akkumuljatora-avtomobilja-469/

How to charge a car battery with a charger

The car battery may be discharged at the most inopportune moment, in which case the car cannot be started from the starter.

There are several ways to start a car with a dead battery, but the safest and most reliable of them is recharging using a special device.

How to charge a car battery with a charger, why discharge occurs, what other ways are there to revive the battery - we will consider all these questions in this article.

Why does the battery run out?

Frequently, motorists are faced with the problem of trying to start the engine in the parking lot in the morning, but the starter barely turns, or no movement occurs at all, since the battery is completely dead. There are several reasons for battery failure:

  • During the parking period, energy consumers (dimensions, radio, etc.) were left on, which contributed to the discharge of the battery;
  • there is a leak in the electrical circuit - even if consumers are completely disconnected, electricity is still consumed;
  • the battery has exhausted its resource, it is already old, the plates in the battery banks have begun to crumble;
  • The generator is insufficiently charged; it does not produce the required current.

If the battery has exhausted its service life, it needs to be replaced, but until a new battery is purchased, you still need to start the engine, and this is where the charger comes to the rescue. A “charger” is necessary for a car owner in any case, and every self-respecting motorist has a similar device in stock.

Types of chargers

All chargers produced by industry are powered from a 220-volt household network; they reduce the voltage to 12 volts, which is necessary to recharge a car battery. There are charging and charging-starting devices; they differ in power and their purpose.

Chargers (chargers) serve only to charge the battery; they have no other purpose. Using a charging and starting device (CPU), you can start the engine with a completely discharged battery; the power of such a “charger” is enough to crank the starter.

When choosing a charger, you should remember that devices are produced by industry, designed for different voltages - 6/ 12/ 24/ 48 Volt. “Chargers” can also be different in design - pulse and transformer.

Transformer chargers are rare these days, and although they are more reliable, they themselves are quite cumbersome. There is another type of charging - solar-powered; these devices do not need to be plugged into the mains; they are powered by sunlight.

The disadvantage of such structures is their high cost.

ZPUs are characterized by high power; they mainly operate on an alternating voltage of two hundred and twenty volts. But there are also models of “chargers” with built-in batteries; a significant disadvantage of such devices is that they themselves have to be recharged periodically.

The high power of the ZPU allows you to crank the engine starter even at sub-zero temperatures, so that the circuit does not burn out from overload; it is equipped with special protection. Some designs of modern chargers provide a Boost mode, which ensures fast battery recharging.

But you should resort to this mode only in case of emergency; with a high charging current, the battery quickly fails.

There are various brands of chargers; the market offers a wide selection of Russian and foreign-made products.

Orion chargers are quite popular; the company's products are presented in a wide range.

The price of a charger can vary greatly; it depends on the power of the device and its functionality. Among the most famous manufacturers of car “chargers” it should be noted:

  • DHC (Taiwan);
  • Bosch;
  • Intertool;
  • Berkut Smart Power (China);
  • "SOROKIN" (Russia).

The most popular among users are the Orion PW700, Bosch C3, and Berkut Smart Power SP-8N chargers; the last device listed above takes an honorable first place in many ratings of car chargers.

How to properly charge a car battery with a charger

A car battery can be recharged directly on the car; to do this, you need to install the power supply wires of the charger on the battery terminals. It is better to turn off the power supply to the car’s on-board network by removing the negative or positive wire - this will charge the battery faster. When connecting the charger wires to the battery, it is important not to reverse the polarity:

  • We connect the positive wire of the “charger” to the positive on the battery;
  • We connect the negative wire of the charger to the negative terminal of the battery.

You can also remove the battery from the car and charge it in any place where there is a voltage of 220 Volts, for example, at home. The charger has an ammeter to control charging; almost all devices are equipped with a current regulator. Before you start charging the battery, you must:

  • clean the battery case of dirt and dust, including in the area of ​​the battery plugs - getting dirt into the electrolyte is extremely undesirable;
  • inspect the battery to see if there are any electrolyte leaks or cracks in the housing;
  • unscrew all the plugs in the cans (if provided);
  • Check the electrolyte level in the banks and top up if necessary.

The amount of charging current supplied to the battery determines how quickly the battery can be charged. For example, you can set the charging current to only 0.6 Amperes, but in this case you will have to wait a long time for the battery to be restored to functionality.

You can also apply a higher starting current (5-6 Amperes), then the battery will charge quickly, but this method has its big disadvantage - the battery will boil.

It is more advisable to immediately supply more current, and gradually reduce it as the battery is restored.

It is not necessary to charge the battery completely, you can charge half or even a quarter. It should also be taken into account that the maximum charging current should not exceed ten percent of the total battery capacity; for example, if the battery is 55-amp, then it cannot be charged with a current of 6 amperes or more.

Charging without a charger

You can start an engine with a dead battery in different ways:

  • from the pusher;
  • using a tug;
  • by “lighting” from another battery.

But there are “folk” methods of recharging, and in some situations they help out. One of the homemade memory circuits consists of the following elements:

  • household electrical cable with a plug for a 220 Volt network;
  • diode;
  • an ordinary 60-watt household light bulb;
  • electrical wires.

“Zero” is supplied directly, and the phase passes through the diode and the light bulb. The diode should be installed with the anode to the lamp, and the cathode to the battery being charged. The diode performs the function of a rectifier - it “cuts” the sine wave and passes only the plus to the battery.

When the circuit is plugged into a 220 V network, charging begins and the light bulb lights up at half intensity. If you measure the voltage in the area between the diode and the light bulb, the voltmeter should show slightly less than half the value that is available in the electrical network (95-100 Volts). On the battery itself, the voltage drops, and the voltmeter shows approximately 12.6 V.

With this scheme, the charging current is approximately 1.3 Amperes, which means that in 10 hours of recharging the battery will receive 13 Amps. If the lamp power is increased to 100 Watts, the charging current will also increase, to approximately 2 A. By changing the power of the lamp (the thickness of the filament), you can adjust the charging current.

But with such a scheme, you need to take into account that if the diode is weak, it may not withstand the current and burn out.

If there is no charger, and the battery needs to be restored to life, this method can be used, but you should be careful, since you have to work with a fairly high voltage. There is no galvanic isolation in the assembled circuit chain, so it is prohibited to touch the wires or battery terminals.

Charging using a laptop

If there is no charger available, you can charge the battery using a laptop. For this you will need:

  • multimeter;
  • wires;
  • laptop power supply;
  • wire stripping tool (scissors, knife);
  • 12 V lamp with socket (suitable for a car's front headlight).

The output voltage of a laptop charger usually is about 20 Volts, the charging current is around 4 A.

We configure the circuit as follows:

  • plug the charger into a 220 V socket;
  • Using a multimeter, we determine which contact on the power supply connector is positive and which is negative;
  • connect the wires to the connector: black to the minus, red to the plus, it’s easier to navigate by color;
  • We attach the red wire directly to the battery terminal, and connect the black wire to the negative terminal through a 12-volt light bulb.

To revive a completely dead battery, you will need to charge it in this way for approximately 6-9 hours. With the help of a more powerful car lamp, the battery is restored faster, but you cannot connect the wires without a lamp at all - the power supply may burn out.

Tips for charging your car battery

  1. Before charging the battery, you need to check the electrolyte level in the banks and, if necessary, add distilled water.
  2. The maximum charge current should in no case exceed 10% of the total battery capacity; it is better if this figure is no more than 5%.
  3. Many modern “chargers” have a Boost mode, but it is better not to use it - with fast charging, sulfation occurs in the battery banks, and the battery fails prematurely.

Source: https://avtobrands.ru/kak-zaryadit-akkumulyator-avtomobilya-zaryadnym-ustrojstvom/

How to charge a battery without a charger?

I’m sure, having some experience in driving a car, you are familiar with the problem of a completely dead battery. This problem is especially relevant in winter, when the temperature outside is very low. If the battery is completely drained, you will not be able to rev the starter. As practice shows, at such moments it is very difficult to ask for help.

And here it’s not at all a matter of people’s responsiveness. There may simply be no one nearby. Moreover, in such the most uncomfortable moments, the charger may be far from you. Today we will teach you how to emerge victorious from such an unpleasant situation.

After reading this article, you will be able to charge your battery without even having a charger at hand.

Battery charging methods

Of course, a dead battery is an unpleasant phenomenon. But you shouldn’t suffer and be disappointed in life. We need to look for a way out of the situation. I assure you, there are a lot of such exits. Here are some of them: You can charge a dead battery from another battery. To start the car, a charge of 12 volts will be sufficient.

Thus, you can recharge the battery from another battery, the voltage of which will be at least 14 Volts. With this charging method, you can definitely get a current of one ampere. To charge the battery in this way, a battery from a tool will be enough. For example, a screwdriver battery is perfect.

It is clear that this will not be enough to fully charge the battery. But it will be enough to start the car. You'll definitely be able to get home. Also, a laptop charger is perfect for recharging the battery. It contains direct current, with a force of at least 1 Ampere, and the output voltage is above 14 V.

These are ideal parameters for recharging the battery. The battery can also be recharged from an alternating current network. The main thing is that there is a voltage of 220 Volts.

But this is not enough; you must have a semiconductor diode and an incandescent lamp, which will be designed for 220 Volts, and its power must be at least 150 Watts.

There is another option for recharging the battery. It involves using the car's generator. But for this you will need to start the engine. To do this, we will need to “light” from another car. If you have a manual transmission, you can start the engine using a pushrod. You can find out how to do this correctly here.

Lighting procedure

We have already described in detail the process of lighting a cigarette and all the various subtleties of this procedure. For those who are not familiar with this phenomenon, we will briefly talk about such a process as “lighting up”. To perform this procedure, we will need two wires with “crocodiles”, the length of which will be at least one and a half meters. These wires must withstand a current of 200 Amps.

Next, you need to perform the following actions. Park the car from which we will light a cigarette in close proximity to our “dead” car. The distance should be such that the wires can reach from one battery to another. Now that the cars are facing each other, you can connect the wires to the batteries. This needs to be done in pairs.

To avoid short-circuiting of free terminals, you should connect the wires one at a time. Which wire comes first is absolutely unimportant. Personally, I like to start with the red wire. We install it on the positive terminals of the batteries. After this, using the blue wire, we connect the negative terminals or ground of the machine.

Now is the time to start the car with a charged battery. You need to wait a couple of minutes until the dead battery is slightly recharged and the cooled electrolyte heats up to the desired temperature. After 10 minutes, you can turn off the running car engine. It is necessary to stop the engine, since the current consumed by the starter is greater than that produced by the generator.

If the car engine runs in this mode for a long time, the generator may fail.

Now you can safely start your already “resurrected” car. The main thing after this is not to turn off the engine for half an hour. During this time, the battery will be able to recharge, and you can safely continue on your way.

Diode and lamp as a recharging method

We have already mentioned this method of recharging a car battery. If you have a diode and a lamp, a dead battery can be revived. This method is very useful and convenient.

Since all the necessary accessories can be at hand and you can start the engine even in remote areas. But, when performing this procedure, you must be extremely careful and protect yourself as much as possible.

There is a high chance of getting an electric shock. In order to assemble such a rescue structure, you need to do the following: We connect a lamp with characteristics of 220 Volts to 150 Volts in series with a semiconductor diode.

The main thing is to maintain consistency in polarity and never touch bare conductors. We charge the battery with the power supply from the laptop.

Using a laptop charger you can revive your car battery. I am sure that many drivers have a laptop with a charger in the car.

Most often, the power supply for a laptop has the following parameters: output voltage within 20 Volts, current strength up to approximately 4 Amps, and these devices are equipped with short circuit protection.

It is for this reason that, when trying to recharge a 12-volt car battery, you need to connect a headlight bulb in series with the battery, the power of which will be within 50 Watts.

Charging from the battery

Some drivers carry tools with them. You will be lucky if you have a screwdriver on hand whose battery is rated at 18 Volts. But the main thing is to follow certain rules so as not to damage the car battery. To do this, you will need to disconnect one of the power wires.

As in the previous version, to connect such a battery we will need to use a headlight lamp. Ballast resistance is always necessary when performing such battery charging. This charging option should only be used if the battery runs out due to exposure to low temperatures.

Determining possible battery discharge

As soon as the car battery runs out of charge, the automatic devices will turn off automatically. In order to determine the minimum charge available in a battery before recharging, you need to refer to its output voltage.

In order to measure this parameter, you do not need to connect the battery to the charger. Once you find out how much charge is left in the battery, it will become clear to you how long to leave it to charge. It is very important to calculate this parameter.

After all, overcharging, as well as undercharging, can negatively affect battery performance.

If the battery is not yet dead, but a light comes on on the control panel warning that the battery is about to run out of charge, you need to turn off all electronic devices in the car. Perhaps you have enough charge to get to the nearest car service center or to your home.

Source: http://mir-avto-moto.ru/avto-sovety/kak-zaryadit-akkumulyator-bez-zaryadnogo-ustrojstva/

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