how long to charge a car battery

If the car is on, attaching the clamps of the charger could cause serious issues, including shocks and other injuries. Volts without amps can’t create a magnetic field. The typical car battery has a capacity of close to 48 amp hours. A 6 amp charger can charge a 50% discharged small car battery (200-315 CCA or RC 40-60) in about 4 to 5 hours, a mid-sized battery (315-550 CCA or RC 60-85) in 5 to 6 hours, or a large car battery (550-1,000 CCA or RC 85-190) in 6 to 12 hours. Right after jump starting a car, a battery may show 12-volts. This is mostly a question that focuses on charge time, because determining how long to charge a battery is important so that you can schedule tasks in line with when the task finishes. Yet one of the most common questions is that, what charger should one use when charging a car battery, 2 amp or 10 amp?.

There are a number of factors that can affect your car battery… Your vehicle’s alternator can keep a healthy battery charged, but it was never designed to completely recharge a dead car battery … And finally, if your battery or alternator is causing the flat battery, then jump starting and driving your car won’t charge it. The jump starting procedure might put enough power into the battery to get the show on the road, but the engine will shut down after a few miles when the battery is empty, tow truck time. When the charge given by the battery exceeds that which the alternator returns, there is a slow drain that eventually results in a weakened or dead battery. The only way to charge your car battery while your car is off is via a trickle charger or other car battery charger. Once it can’t be recharged, it’s dead. A 12 volt / 10 amp 3-stage automatic charger is the best charger for most automotive batteries. However, there should be no problem using a NICd battery to start or charge a car as long as you can generate the cranking amperage to do so. How long to Charge a Car Battery at 6 Amps. An average car battery has a capacity of around 48 amp hours which means that, fully charged, it delivers 1 amp for 48 hours, 2 amps for 24 hours, 8 amps for 6 hours and so on. Length Of Time Using 40 amps . It slowly adds the charge to the battery and does not allow for the normal depletion of charge that batteries commonly have. Double these times if the battery is fully discharged. Ensure that the vehicle is turned off and that the keys are not in the ignition. The amount of time it takes to charge a 12-volt car battery depends on the amount of amps you are using to recharge your battery. 0 0. To determine how long (in hours) you will need to charge your battery, divided 36 by 10 = 3.6 or 3.6 hours to recharge your battery. I start with the assumption that the alternator is working correctly and that the battery is not defective. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to nearly a day to fully charge the battery. As long as the engine is on, the alternator will keep on charging the battery. Charging a car battery is usually simple, but there may be times when you don't have access to the necessary materials or don't feel comfortable attempting to recharge it on your own. Forty amps will charge your car battery quickly, even within a few minutes of starting the process. At least 30 minutes of driving will help charge the battery back to a safe level for your next start. If you're intent on recharging your battery, you're going to need a battery … A 12 volt / 10 amp 3-stage automatic charger is the best charger for most automotive batteries. read more. The main factor is the cranking amps generated, and it may take these batteries longer to charge than using another car battery or a battery charger. Source: carsdirect.com. I start with the assumption that the alternator is working correctly and that the battery is not defective. A basic charger usually charges at around 2 amps - and so needs 24 hours to deliver the 48 amps needed to fully charge a flat, 48 amp hour battery. This is especially important when charging a battery that’s still connected. The alternator, on the other hand, is driven by the engine in your car. If you charge your battery at a 10-amp rate and you need to replace 36 amp-hours in the battery. for simplicity I assume 100% efficiency in all systems, and that the stated abilities of the battery and alternator are also 100% correct.