Frequent short trips with constant cycles of starting and stopping the car's engine make it very difficult for a charged battery to work, especially in winter, when the stove, headlights, various kinds of heating are working most of the time: windows, mirrors, seats, steering wheel, etc. All this is because the latter are very gluttonous and discharge it greatly, while the generator simply does not have time to charge the battery, and the starter that starts the engine puts the last point, especially if it is used too often and leaves almost no chances for such a discharged battery to survive in such a small private world of voracious consumers. We are exaggerating this, of course! Nevertheless, in winter (but also in summer too) there is a great risk that one day the battery simply will not have enough strength to once again power the starter, the most voracious to electricity element of the car, and the car will not start, as a result of which you will have to. " light a cigarette. "
But such cases can be avoided if you have a special battery charger - a relatively cheap but very useful accessory that allows you to replenish what the battery did not get from the generator - to charge it. But how does the charger charge the battery?
This is what a typical battery charger looks like.
It's actually very simple - it uses electricity from an outlet to charge the battery using the positive and negative leads that connect to the corresponding terminals of the battery, charging it. The average car battery has a capacity of about 48 amperes per hour (Ah), which means that a fully charged battery provides 1 ampere of current for 48 hours, 2 amperes for 24 hours, 8 amperes for 6 hours, and so on. And work charger consists in transferring these amperes to the battery for storage, so that it subsequently gives them to the components of our car.
Typically, the charger charges the battery at 2 amperes, respectively, the same battery is charged for 24 hours to get fed up with the 48 amps it needs to fully charge the battery. But there is also a wide range of chargers with different adjustable charge rates on the market - from 2 to 10 amps. The higher the charge, the faster the battery will charge. Fast charging, however, is most often undesirable, as it can simply burn the battery plates (you know what those plates are if you read).
The loads that are imposed on the battery can be determined by the amount of current used in the various electrical components of the car: for example, headlights with dipped beam on consume an average of 8 to 10 amperes, and heating rear window about the same.
In theory, a fully charged battery, without taking current from the generator, should crank the starter for about 10 minutes, ensure that the headlights work for eight hours, and the rear window is heated for 12 hours. However, as the battery is discharged, this time drops significantly.
The average household battery charger includes a transformer and rectifier that allows 220 volts to be changed alternating current from a 12 Volt DC outlet, and also allows the mains to provide charging at a rate determined by the state of the battery. In the case when the battery is still quite new, the charger can increase the amperage up to 3-6 amperes, and, thus, such a battery will charge much faster. But the battery, which has worked out, simply will not hold a charge at all and therefore will not even accept charging from the charger.
So, how to charge the battery - instructions in order
First of all, the battery must be removed from the car by disconnecting 2 wires with negative and positive charges from the corresponding battery terminals (you can charge the battery directly on the spot under the hood, the main thing is to disconnect the car wires from the terminals, otherwise you can lose the generator). Make sure that all electrical devices in the car are turned off (including the ignition key turned to the "Off" position when no lights on the dashboard are on and the radio is not working) - otherwise, when removing and then connecting the charged battery to the wires power supply to the vehicle, the contact point will generate strong sparks.
After removal, strip the contacts of the battery terminals and wires for better contact.
Connecting the charger
Before charging the battery, always check the electrolyte level using the special measuring window on the battery. Add electrolyte if necessary and clean and wipe the battery terminals.
It is advisable, in addition to the charger itself, to also have such a device as a hydrometer - a special, uncomplicated device for measuring the density of an electrolyte. This way you can tell when the battery is charged (the electrolyte will stop changing (increasing) its density), although most likely your charger will tell you when the battery is fully charged.
Most batteries have special ventilation holes with covers that cover them just for the charging process. It is advisable to remove these covers before charging.
Place a clip (or any other method of attaching the charger wire to the battery terminals) of the positive (+) wire from the charger - it is usually colored red - on the positive terminal of the battery - this is usually noticeably larger than the negative one. Connect the negative wire to the negative terminal in the same way.
Connect the charger to the mains and turn it on. The indicator or sensor (ammeter) will show that the battery is currently being charged. The sensor may show a high charging rate at first, but it should gradually drop in the process as the battery is being charged. If your charger does not automatically change the current strength, then you need to set it manually - its maximum value should be 10% of its nominal capacity, and the optimal value for charging should be 5% - so, with a battery capacity of 60 Ah, the current strength is / y should be set to 3 Amperes when charging, and if this value is set to exceed 6 Amperes, it is more likely to damage the battery. Remember that the lower the amperage, the longer the battery will charge, but the longer it will last with periodic charge-discharge cycles.
A discharged battery is a situation that can happen to any driver. It is quite possible to fix the problem on your own.
But in this case, the motorist will face a lot of questions: "Where to start?", "How to properly charge?", "What needs to be done for this?" To correctly carry out this technical procedure, you should adhere to the step-by-step passage of several important steps:
- Step 1 - Checking the battery charging.
- Step 2 - Choosing a charging method.
- Step 3 - Charge the battery.
How to check the charge in the battery
There are several options for checking the suitability of a battery. This can be done with a multimeter, load plug, or hydrometer. The last one to measure the density of the electrolyte, necessarily in all banks. The difference in density in the cans (from 0.1 g / cc) indicates a malfunction and requires additional verification.
With a fully charged battery, the density is 1.28 g / cc. If the battery is 50% charged, the density will be 1.2 g / cc. If the density index is less than 1.1 g / cc, the battery is considered to be completely discharged. In this case, it becomes necessary to recharge one of the three existing methods described below. Each of the methods has its own conditions of conduct, on which the effectiveness depends.
Using constant voltage
The proposed method is the most reliable and gentle, representing a direct dependence of the level of power of the battery charge on the value of the charging voltage. You do not need to control the process: as soon as charging is completed (at 14.4 V), the indicator will light up.
Example. Charging is carried out within a day. With the voltage set on the charger at 14.4 V, the 12 V battery will be recharged by 75-80%. If the charger delivers 15 V, then the charging will be 85-90%. When issuing a charger of 16.3-16.4 Volts and an increased initial current strength during the day, you can achieve 100% battery charging. But charging can give out a current of 50 A, in this regard, all chargers are equipped with circuits that limit and maintain the charging current within 20-25 A.
DC use
This method requires constant monitoring and care. It is important that the current level is adjusted throughout the entire procedure. To charge a 60 A battery, you need to recharge for 20 hours with a current of 6 A. After 20 hours, the current is reduced to 3 A. Once a voltage of 15 V is reached, the permissible current should not be higher than 1.5 A. The final stage characterized by increased boiling of cans and the release of a large amount of toxic gas, which is a disadvantage of using this method.
Example. There is a 12-volt battery with a capacity of 60 A. To charge it, you need to use a current of 6 A. To make a high-quality charge, you need to check the charging current every 2 hours, adjusting it if necessary. The electrolyte will begin to boil while charging. The next step is to reduce gas evolution so that the liquid does not evaporate and continue charging the battery. For this purpose, we reduce the current strength by half. We set the charge current to 3 A and charge the car battery to a voltage of 14.4 V. After reaching the voltage at the terminals of 15 V, we again reduce the charging current by half. As a result, the charge current must correspond to 1.5 A.
Combined method
A significant portion of today's car battery chargers are based on this method. Initially, the battery is charged direct current, subsequently - constant voltage. These devices are automatic and do not require human intervention. Full charging is completed by automatic shutdown.
Recharging the battery may not only be necessary for used batteries. This process is also needed for the commissioning of new batteries.
Why charge a new car battery
Initial 100% charge car battery may be lost due to long-term storage in warehouse shelves, in a store or during transportation. Therefore, it is often necessary to recharge even a new battery.
Attention! The new battery is charged at the minimum current value!
Fast car battery charging
Express charging should not be carried away often. It should be remembered that this type of recharging has a negative effect on the battery.
Express charging without removing the battery from the car:
- Battery terminals are removed;
- Clean the battery terminals;
- Connect the charger strictly observing the polarity;
- The current is set to the maximum level (20 min);
- Connecting car battery terminals.
If the battery is more than 50% discharged, the quick charge method will not work. Provided time permits, it is more advisable to carry out a deep charge.
Instructions for fully charging a car battery
- Remove the battery terminals;
- Clean the battery terminals;
- Connecting the charger;
- Setting the current to the minimum level;
- Charging (10 hours);
- A pointer indicator or display indicates when a full charge is complete;
- Installing and connecting the battery to the vehicle.
Attention! The charging time can be adjusted: increase and decrease. This will depend on a number of factors: the type of charger and battery, the depth of discharge, room temperature and many other points.
There are times when the battery has completely sat down, and you need to go urgently. What can be done? Among motorists, assistance through lighting from a work car has become very widespread. But it is very important to know how this is done correctly.
How to properly light a dead battery
- We park a running car in an accessible proximity to ours, excluding the possibility of electrical contact between cars.
- We tighten it up hand brake and turn off all electrical appliances.
- We connect the positive poles with a wire rechargeable batteries.
- With a separate wire, we connect the minus of the working car to any unpainted part of the car being lit. In no case do we attach a minus to a discharged battery - the assistant's battery may suffer.
- We check that the wires lie safely, without touching the moving parts.
- Trying to start a car with a dead battery. If it does not start, then you can turn off a little on the donor, thereby increasing the current supply to the dead battery. If the result is positive, we disconnect the wires.
In order for the lighting procedure to be successful, you should use a few tips:
- The lower the temperature, the more difficult it is to light a cigarette and start the car.
- Do not touch the wires, otherwise you may get burned.
- Lighting is carried out only with full confidence that a dead battery is in good order. If damaged, there is a risk of explosion.
- It is not recommended to light SUVs from small cars: such actions will simply destroy the batteries of the latter. Yes, and navryatli a weak battery will start a powerful car.
- Special wires are purchased for lighting. They should be thick, flexible, with ribbed clamps at the end. The use of wires with different wraps or homemade terminals is excluded.
Attention! The process of "lighting" is not officially allowed by battery manufacturers! In this regard, it should be remembered: in the event of a battery breakdown, there is a risk of being left without insurance compensation. In addition, the car can be removed from the warranty service.
The battery must be charged in accordance with basic safety precautions, as the battery contains acid.
Battery Charging Safety
- It is recommended to wear goggles and rubber gloves when servicing batteries.
- When charging the battery, it is strictly forbidden to use open fire, faulty electrical devices (to avoid short circuits) and smoke. It should be remembered: the procedure is associated with the release of hydrogen, which, mixing with oxygen, forms a flammable mixture.
- Work should be carried out in rooms with good ventilation, preferably outside the home. When charging the battery, poisonous substances are released, which accumulate in the walls of the room.
- In the room where work is carried out on charging the car battery, automatic machines and ouzo should be installed to turn off the current in case of short circuits.
- It is advisable to carry out the procedure in rooms where there is access to clean water. This is necessary in case of damage to the skin surfaces and organs of vision with acid for the purpose of washing them. Water will be required (along with a fire extinguisher) in cases of fire.
Using these simple instructions and tips in practice, any motorist will be able, in the event of unforeseen circumstances, to bring it into working order with his own hand and keep it in excellent technical condition battery of his swallow.
It is carried out using one of two types of chargers, which can provide constant current or constant voltage during the process. Both methods are equivalent in terms of impact on battery life. Before a leaking battery, it is necessary to remove from it both terminals (plus) connected to the vehicle's on-board system.
Constant current charging
To "calculate" the required charging current to restore the battery, you need to divide the capacity of your battery, expressed in ampere-hours, by 10. For example, if the battery is 60 A / h, then the charging current on the device must be set equal to 6 A. The main disadvantage such devices - the need for hourly monitoring of the current strength and a fairly strong release of gases near the end of the recovery process.
To reduce gassing, it is recommended to use a step reduction in amperage. When the voltage reaches 14.4 V, you need to reduce the current to 3 amperes (when charging a battery with a capacity of 60 A / h). If you have to charge the battery of the latest releases (they do not have holes for filling with distilled water), then it is advisable to make another decrease in the value of the charging current to 1.5 A (when the voltage rises to 15 V). The battery can be considered fully recovered if the voltage remains unchanged for at least an hour (16.3-16.4 V).
Charging with constant voltage supply
A heavily discharged battery has little resistance, so when connected to a charger, the current can fly up to 40 A. To prevent this from happening and the device does not break down, the maximum current is limited to 20-25 A. The state of charge of the battery and the duration of the recovery process are related to voltage supplied to the battery:
- 14.4 V: charge the battery by 70-80%;
- 15 V: 80-90%;
- 16.4 V: 100%, subject to the charging period (at least 20 hours, but not more than 24 hours).
During charging, the voltage at the terminals approaches the value issued by the device, respectively, the current value drops and at the end of the process reaches zero. At this point, we can assume that the battery is fully charged. Usually, the end of charging is indicated by a green indicator available in some devices. It should be borne in mind that currently sold devices most often have a maximum output voltage of 14.4 V. Therefore, to be sure that the battery is fully restored, you need to leave it to charge for a day.
New car owners don't care about battery power. Of course, if the equipment is operated in accordance with the instructions. But after 3-5 years, the battery wears out and can fail at the most inopportune moment.
Or you've been listening to music in the garage for too long with the engine turned off. Or maybe they left the headlights on for the night. There are enough reasons for an unplanned battery discharge.
And it is far from always possible to "light up" from another car, and restore performance from a standard generator. To do this, you will have to drive to high revs several hundred kilometers.
There is no need to despair. You can always charge the car battery with a charger, even if the voltage level has dropped below a critical one. Therefore, such a device should be in the arsenal of a motorist.
How to properly recharge the battery?
There is no universal answer to this question. General rule following: long-term charging with a lower current is more beneficial for the battery than boost charging with a high current. However, such a regime is not always possible. Sometimes it is necessary to urgently restore working capacity before leaving.
How long does it take to charge the car battery so as not to overcharge? Details in this video
Yes and standard system recharging is far from perfect: even with normal operation of the voltage regulator, the duration of the trip is different. As a result, the battery on the operated car is charged in jerks, haphazardly.
There are several ways to charge autonomously
Optimal charge current
Should not exceed 10% of the battery capacity. That is, if you have a 60CT battery (60Ah capacity), the correct charge current should not exceed 6A. With this current, you charge the battery if there is a lot of recovery time.
Important! Allowance must be made when charging maintenance-free batteries. Since the electrolyte vapor outlet valve is too small, the current should be reduced to 5% of the capacity. Otherwise, in case of boiling, the battery may crack.
Express method
If you need to quickly charge the battery with the charger (urgent departure), you can quickly restore the capacity sufficient to start the engine.
In this case, the charge current is 25-40% of the capacity. You will inform the battery of the required charge in 30-50 minutes. But this method actually kills the battery plates. Therefore, it can be used only in exceptional cases.
Important! With an accelerated charge with high currents, the plugs of the battery cells must be unscrewed. It is dangerous to charge maintenance-free sealed batteries in this way.
Minimum current
Just enough to overcome the internal resistance of the battery. With this current, you can charge the battery for several days, or maintain the charge level during storage.
Important! With any charging method, it is unsafe to leave the battery unmonitored. Even if you have a smart charger, the automation can fail.
How to determine the charge capacity? By voltage at the contacts of the battery.
table Battery EMF in volts at a temperature:
+20 ... + 25 ° С -5 ... + 5 ° С -10 ...- 15 ° С Battery charge level,% 12,70 – 12,90 12,80 – 13,00 12,90 – 13,10 100 12,55 – 12,65 12,65 – 12,75 12,75 – 12,85 75 12,20 – 12,30 12,30 – 12,40 12,40 – 12,50 60 12,00 – 12,10 12,10 – 12,20 12,20 – 12,30 25 11,70 – 12,00 11,80 – 12,00 11,90 – 12,10 no charge
EMF is measured without load on the battery contacts. Be sure to consider the temperature. The readings in the table may differ slightly, this is not important. By determining the percentage of discharge, you can correctly calculate the charging time and current.
For example, a 60 Ah battery. At a temperature of + 5 ° C, the EMF at the contacts is 12.4 volts. This means the battery has lost 50% of its capacity. With a charge current of 6A, it will take 5 hours to charge.
Set the value of the current on the device and note the time. At the end of the calculated set of capacity, measure again. Just let the battery cool down a little to determine the exact value of the EMF.
The electrolyte heats up when charged, and with a thermometer you measure the temperature of the surrounding air.
Another way to determine the residual capacity of the battery is to measure the density of the electrolyte.
| Electrolyte density | Charge rate% | Freezing temperature ° С |
| 1,27 | 100 | -60 |
| 1,23 | 75 | -42 |
| 1,19 | 50 | -24 |
| 1,15 | 25 | -13 |
| 1.11 and below | -7 |
The value of the freezing temperature is no less important than the voltage at the battery contacts. As the discharge proceeds, the temperature of the transformation of the electrolyte into ice rises.
If a fully charged battery can withstand frost of -60 ° C, then with a charge of 25%, the electrolyte will freeze already at -15 ° C. A crack will form on the case and the electrolyte will enter the engine compartment.
It doesn't matter how the battery sat down: whether you forgot to pay off the dimensions, were too carried away by listening to music in the parking lot, or were leaving for the whole summer on vacation. To charge a battery, you need to have a basic understanding of the theory and follow a few simple rules.
A bit of theory
Most cars use lead acid batteries (WET). Their principle of operation is based on the chemical reaction of lead plates with an electrolyte, as a result of which electricity is generated. Over time, sulfation and destruction of the plates inevitably occur, as well as the boiling off of the electrolyte, which reduces the capacity of the battery. And the battery can be discharged at the most inopportune moment.
How to check the battery
akbinfo.ruThe easiest way is to use the built-in charge indicator, which is found on most batteries. This is the same "light bulb", which is not really a light bulb, but a green ball-float moving in a transparent bulb. With a sufficient level and density of the electrolyte, the ball rises and we see a green indicator. If the float is not visible, you need to check the electrolyte and recharge the battery.
Another option is a multimeter. With it, you can measure the voltage at the terminals and understand whether the battery is discharged or not. A fully charged battery should have 12.6 V or more. 12.42 V corresponds to 80% charge, 12.2 V to 60%, 11.9 V to 40%, 11.58 V to 20%, 10.5 V to 0%.
The most reliable way is to check with a load fork. It can show the voltage drop under load, that is, the real charge level and, accordingly, the capacity. Any auto electrician or store that sells batteries has such a device. And for this check, most likely, they will not even take money from you.
toyotaoforlando.com Having determined that the battery is really, you can start charging, but first you need to prepare.
- It is advisable to remove the battery from the car. If there is no time for this, disconnect it from on-board network by disconnecting the negative wire.
- After that, you need to clean the terminals from grease and oxide for good contact.
- It does not hurt to wipe the surface of the battery with a dry cloth, or better - soaked in a 10% solution of ammonia or soda ash.
- Also, do not forget to unscrew the plugs on each of the battery cans or remove the cap to ensure free release of electrolyte vapors and prevent excessive pressure inside.
- If the electrolyte level in any of the jars is insufficient, you need to top up with distilled water so that it completely covers the plates.
evilution.co.uk The principle of charging itself is simple: you just need to connect the wires from the charger to the battery terminals in accordance with the polarity and plug the plug into the outlet. However, first you need to decide on the charging method. There are two main methods: constant current charging and constant voltage charging.
The first is more effective, but it takes place in several stages and requires control. The second is simpler, however, it charges the battery only up to 80%.
There is also the so-called combined method, in which participation on the part of the car owner is minimized. The disadvantage of this method is the need for a special charger with a rather high cost.
DC charging
- We set the current at 10% of the nominal battery capacity and charge until the voltage at the battery terminals rises to 14.3-14.4 V. For example, a 60 Ah battery needs to be charged with a current of no more than 6 A.
- Next, we reduce the current by half (to 3 A) in order to reduce the boiling intensity, and continue charging.
- As soon as the voltage rises to 15 V, you need to reduce the current by half again and charge the battery until the voltage and current values stop changing.
Constant voltage charging
Everything is much simpler here. You just need to set the voltage in the range of 14.4-14.5 V and wait. Unlike the first method, with which you can fully charge the battery in a few hours (about 10), charging with constant voltage lasts about a day and allows you to replenish the battery capacity only up to 80%.
Precautionary measures
Since battery charging is a chemical process that produces an explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen, you need to be very careful and follow the rules:
- Charge the battery in a well ventilated area.
- Do not use open fire or carry out any work that generates sparks.
- If it is not possible to remove the battery from the car, disconnect the negative wire, or better both.
