Whether to charge the car. Car battery charging: methods and rules. Reasons for the early discharge of the battery

During engine operation, the battery (), regardless of the type (serviceable or maintenance-free battery), is recharged from the car generator. To control the battery charge, a device called a relay-regulator is installed on the generator.

The very operation of a car in winter often involves short trips, the inclusion of a large number of energy-intensive equipment (heated mirrors, glass, seats, etc.) The load on the battery increases significantly. At the same time, the battery simply does not have time to charge from the generator and compensate for the losses spent on starts. Considering the above, it is optimal to fully charge the battery with a charger to 100% at least once a year before the onset of cold weather.

We add that in case of problems with starting the engine due to the presence of engine malfunctions (problems with fuel equipment, etc.), the owner has to turn the starter much longer and more intensively. In such cases, you will need to charge the battery with an external charger much more often.

Charging the battery with a charger

To know how to charge a maintenance-free car battery with a charger, as well as to charge a service-type battery, certain rules must be followed. The charger (charger, external charger OVC, starting charger) is actually a capacitor charger.

Car battery - source direct current... When connecting the battery, be sure to observe the polarity. For this, the positive and negative terminals are marked with a plus and minus sign ("+" and "-") on the battery. The terminals on the charger have a similar marking, which allows you to correctly connect the battery to the charger. In other words, the "plus" of the battery is connected to the "+" terminal of the charger, the "minus" on the battery is connected to the "-" output of the charger.

Note that accidental polarity reversal will result in the battery being discharged instead of being charged. It should also be borne in mind that a deep discharge (the battery is completely seated) can in some cases damage the battery, as a result of which it may not be possible to charge such a battery with a charger.

It should also be borne in mind that before connecting to the charger, the battery must be removed from the car and thoroughly cleaned of possible contamination. Acid streaks are well removed with a damp cloth, which is moistened in a solution with soda. To prepare the solution, 15-20 grams of soda is enough for 150-200 grams of water. The presence of acid will be indicated by foaming of the specified solution when applied to the battery case.

As for the serviced batteries, the plugs on the acid cans should be unscrewed. The fact is that during charging, gases are formed in the battery, which must be provided with a free exit. You should also check the electrolyte level. When the level drops below the norm, distilled water is topped up.

What voltage to charge the car battery

To begin with, charging a battery involves supplying it with a current that is not enough for the battery to fully charge. Based on this statement, you can answer the questions of what current to charge car battery, and also how much to charge the car battery with the charger.

In the event that a battery with a capacity of 50 Ampere-hours is 50% charged, then at the initial stage, a charging current of 25 A should be set, after which this current must be dynamically reduced. By the time the battery is fully charged, the current supply should stop. This principle of operation is at the heart of automatic chargers, with the help of which car battery charges on average in 4-6 hours. The only drawback of such chargers is their high cost.

It is also worth highlighting semi-automatic chargers and solutions that involve completely manual configuration. The latter are the most affordable and widely available for sale. Considering that the battery is usually 50% discharged, you can calculate how much to charge a maintenance-free car battery, and also understand how much to charge a car battery of a serviced type.

The basis for calculating the battery charging time is the battery capacity. Knowing this parameter, the charging time is calculated quite simply. If the battery has a capacity of 50 Ah, then for a full charge it is required to supply such a battery with a current of no more than 30 Ah. charger is set to 3A, which will take ten hours to fully charge the battery with the charger.

To be 100% sure that the battery is fully charged, after 10 hours, you can set the current to 0.5 A on the charger, and then continue charging the battery for another 5-10 hours. This charging method is not dangerous for car batteries, which have a large capacity. The downside is the need to charge the battery for about a day.

To save time and quickly charge the battery, you can set it to 8 A and then charge for about 3 hours. After this period, the charge current is reduced to 6 A and the battery is charged with this current for another 1 hour. As a result, it will take 4 hours to charge. Note that this charging mode is not optimal, since it is advisable to charge the battery with a small current of up to 3 A.

Charging with high currents can overcharge and overheat the battery, resulting in a significant reduction in battery life. We also note that the use of battery charging methods that are aimed at minimizing the negative process of sulfation of the plates, in practice, do not have noticeable positive results.

Correct operation of the battery, depending on its type (maintained and unattended), the elimination of deep discharge and timely charging with the help of a charger allow acid battery work properly for 3-7 years.

How to assess the condition and charge of a car battery

Proper charging and a number of conditions that must be observed during the operation of a car battery can ensure normal engine start even in extremely low temperatures. The main indicator of the state of the battery is the degree of its charge. Next, we will answer how to find out if the car battery is charged.

To begin with, some battery models have a special color indicator on the battery itself, which indicates whether the battery is charged or discharged. It is worth noting that the indicated indicator is a very rough indicator, by which it is possible, with a certain degree of probability, to determine only the need for recharging. In other words, the charge indicator can indicate that the battery is charged, but at the same time starting current at negative temperatures is not enough.

Another way to determine the degree of battery charge is to measure the voltage at the battery terminals. This method also allows a very rough estimate of the state and degree of charge. To measure the battery, you need to remove it from the car or disconnect it from the charger, after which you need to wait an additional 7 hours. The outside temperature is not critical.

12.8V-100% charge;
12.6V-75% charge;
12.2V-50% charge;
12.0V-25% charge;
A voltage drop of less than 11.8 V indicates a complete discharge of the battery.

It is also possible to check the state of charge of the battery without waiting. To do this, the voltage at the battery terminals must be measured with the load using the so-called load plugs. This method is more accurate and reliable. The specified plug is a voltmeter, a resistance is connected in parallel to the terminals of the voltmeter. The resistance value is 0.018-0.020 Ohm for a battery with a capacity indicator of 40-60 Ampere-hours.

The plug must be connected to the corresponding outputs on the battery, then after 6-8 seconds. fix the readings that the voltmeter displays. Next, you can estimate the battery voltage level using a load plug:

10.5 V - 100% charge;
9.9 V - 75% charge;
9.3 V - 50% charge;
8.7 V - 25% charge;
Indicator less than 8.18 V - full battery discharge;

You can also take measurements in the absence of a load plug without removing the battery from the car. The battery must be connected to on-board network vehicle... Then you need to give a load to the battery by turning on the dimensions and high beam head optics (for cars with standard halogen lamps). The headlight bulbs have a power of 50 W, the load is about 10 A. The voltage of a normally charged battery in this case should be about 11.2 V.

The next method that allows you to check the battery charge is to measure the voltage at the battery terminals at the moment when the internal combustion engine is started. These measurements can only be considered reliable if the starter is working properly.

At the time of start-up, the voltage indicator should not be below the 9.5 V mark. A voltage drop below the indicated mark means that the battery is severely discharged. In this case, it needs to be charged with a charger. This test method also allows you to identify problems with the starter. A known serviceable and 100% charged battery is installed on the car, after which the measurement is taken. If the voltage at the battery terminals at the time of starting drops below 9.5 V, then problems with the starter are obvious.

Finally, we add that measurements in different ways involve fixing fluctuations in fractions of a volt. For this reason, increased requirements are imposed on the voltmeter. The accuracy of the device is extremely important, since the slightest error of even one or two percent will lead to an error in measuring the degree of battery charge by 10 -20%. For measurements, it is recommended to use devices with a minimum error.

How to charge a fully discharged car battery

A common cause of deep battery discharge is banal inattention. It is often enough to leave the car with the included dimensions or headlights, interior lighting or radio tape recorder for 6-12 hours, after which the battery is completely discharged. For this reason, many car owners are interested in the question of whether it is possible to restore a completely discharged battery.

As you know, a complete discharge of the battery has a strong effect on the battery life, especially when it comes to a maintenance-free battery. Manufacturers of car batteries indicate that even one full discharge is enough for the battery to fail. In practice, relatively new batteries can be restored at least 1 or 2 times after their complete discharge without significant loss of operational properties.

First you need to determine how much the battery is discharged using one of the above methods. You can also put the battery on charge right away. Further, a completely discharged battery must be charged in the mode recommended by the battery manufacturer. The standard is to supply a charge current at 0.1 of the total battery capacity.

A fully planted battery is charged with this current for at least 14-16 hours. For example, consider charging a 60 Amp-hour battery. In this case, the charge current should be on average from 3 A (slower) to 6 A (faster). A fully discharged car battery should be properly charged with the smallest current, and as long as possible (about a day).

When the voltage at the battery terminals no longer increases for 60 minutes. (assuming the same charging current is supplied), then the battery is fully charged. When fully charged, maintenance-free batteries assume a voltage value of 16.2 ± 0.1 V. It should be borne in mind that this voltage value is a standard, but at the same time there is a dependence on the battery capacity indicator, charge current, electrolyte density in the battery, etc. Any voltmeter is suitable for measurement, regardless of the error of the device, since it is necessary to measure a constant, not an exact voltage.

How to charge a car battery if there is no charger

The most in a simple way charging the battery is to start the car using the "lighting" method from another car, after which you need to drive the car for about 20-30 minutes. For the efficiency of charging from the generator, either dynamic driving in higher gears or driving on "low" is assumed.

The main condition is to maintain the crankshaft speed at around 2900-3200 rpm. At the specified speed, the generator will provide the required current to recharge the battery. Note that this method is suitable only if the battery is partially and not deeply discharged. Also, after the trip, you will still need to fully charge the battery.

Quite often, motorists are interested in what else you can charge a car battery, besides the charger. Most often, as a replacement, it is supposed to use chargers that charge mobile phones, tablets, laptops and other gadgets. Immediately, we note that these solutions do not allow charging a car battery without a number of manipulations.

The fact is that the main condition for supplying current from the charger to the battery is that a voltage must be present at the output of the charger, which will be greater than the voltage at the outputs of the battery. In other words, when the voltage of the battery outputs is 12 V, the output voltage of the charger should be 14 V. As for various devices, the voltage of their batteries often does not exceed 7.0 V. Now, imagine that you have at hand a charger from a gadget that has the required voltage 12 Q. The problem will still be present, since the resistance of the car's battery is measured in whole ohms.

It turns out that the charging connection from mobile device to the battery outputs will actually be a short circuit of the terminals of the charging power supply. The protection will operate in the unit, as a result of which such a charger will not supply current to the battery. In the absence of protection, there is a high probability of failure of the power supply from a significant load.

It should be added that the car battery should also not be charged from various power supplies that have a suitable output voltage, but they structurally lack the ability to adjust the amount of the supplied current. Only a special charger for a car battery is a device that has at its output the required voltage and current for charging the battery. In parallel with this, it is possible to control a constant current value.

Homemade charger for car battery

Now let's move from theory to practice. Let's start with the fact that you can make a charger for a battery from a power supply from a third-party device with your own hands.

Please note that these actions pose a certain danger and are performed solely at your own peril and risk. The administration of the resource does not bear any responsibility, the information is presented for informational purposes only!

There are several ways to make a charger. Let's take a quick look at the most common ones:

Making a charger from a source that has a voltage of about 13-14 V at its output, and is also capable of providing a current of more than 1 Ampere. For such a task, a laptop power supply is suitable.
Charging from a regular household electrical outlet 220 volts. To do this, you will need a semiconductor diode and an incandescent lamp, which are connected in series in a circuit.

It should be borne in mind that the use of such solutions means charging the battery through a current source. As a result, constant monitoring of the time and moment of the end of the battery charge is required. This control is carried out using regular measurements of the voltage at the battery terminals or counting the time for which the battery is put on charge.

Remember, overcharging the battery leads to an increase in the temperature inside the battery and the active release of hydrogen and oxygen. Boiling of the electrolyte in the "banks" of the battery causes the formation of an explosive mixture. The battery may explode if an electrical spark is generated or other sources of ignition occur. An explosion like this can lead to fires, burns and injuries!

Now let's focus on the most common method self-made Charger for the car battery. We are talking about charging from a laptop PSU. To accomplish the task, certain knowledge, skills and experience in the field of assembling simple electrical circuits are required. Otherwise, the best solution would be to contact a specialist, purchase a ready-made charger or replace the battery with a new one.

The scheme for manufacturing the memory itself is quite simple. A ballast lamp is connected to the PSU, and the outputs of a homemade charger are connected to the outputs of the battery. A lamp with a small rating is required as a "ballast".

If you try to connect the power supply unit to the battery without using a ballast lamp in the electrical circuit, then you can quickly disable both the power supply unit and the battery.

You should select the right lamp step by step, starting with the minimum ratings. To begin with, you can connect a low-power turn signal lamp, then a more powerful turn signal lamp, etc. Each lamp should be tested separately by connecting it in a circuit. If the light is on, then you can proceed to connecting an analogue of greater power. This method will help not to damage the power supply. Finally, we add that about the battery charge from such homemade device will indicate the burning of the ballast lamp. In other words, if the battery is charging, then the lamp will burn, even if it is very dim.

New battery must be fully charged and operational, that is, it implies immediate installation on the car to start further operation. Before purchasing, it is necessary to check the battery for a number of parameters:

the integrity of the case;
measuring the voltage at the outputs;
checking the density of the electrolyte;
date of manufacture of the battery;

At the initial stage, it is necessary to remove the protective film and inspect the case for cracks, streaks and other defects. If you find the slightest deviation from the norm, it is recommended to replace the battery.

Then the voltage is measured at the terminals of the new battery. You can measure the voltage with a voltmeter, while the accuracy of the device does not matter. The voltage should not be lower than the 12 volt mark. A voltage reading of 10.8 volts indicates that the battery is completely discharged. This indicator is unacceptable for a new battery.

The density of the electrolyte is measured using a special plug. Also, the density parameter indirectly indicates the battery charge level. The final stage of the check is to determine the date of release of the battery. Batteries that were released 6 months. back or more from the day of the planned purchase should not be purchased. The fact is that a battery ready for use has a tendency to self-discharge. For this reason, the battery must be prepared in advance for long-term storage, but in this case, the battery can no longer be considered a new finished product.

It turns out that the answer to the question whether it is necessary to charge a new battery for the car will be negative. There is no need to charge a new battery. If the battery planned for purchase is discharged, then it may simply be old, used, or there is a manufacturing defect.

Device

If the charging current is applied again, the sulfates are destroyed, and the density begins to rise again. Actually, this happens in a circle, this is a classic scheme of work.

Of course, now the electrolyte can be locked in special mats (AGM) or gel (GEL), but the essence remains the same. Lead plates are electrolyte.

What happens if you charge 100%

Bubbles begin to appear in the electrolyte, many say that it boils! However, this is not entirely correct (if you do not go into the theory of physics and say everything in simple words), then - when the full charge and electrolyte density of 1.27 g / cm3 are reached, a serviceable battery should begin to emit bubbles. This comes out "HYDROGEN" and "OXYGEN", which are released from the electrolyte during a chemical reaction. IT IS POSSIBLE TO REMOVE THE BATTERY FROM CHARGING!

That is, in simple words, it is water that begins to decompose, but not sulfuric acid. If the battery is left to simmer for a long period of time, the density will increase even more.

Over time, lead sulphates are formed on the plates, which must be broken.

Generator operation

Many wrote to me - after all, the generator always recharges the battery (this is how we figured it out badly for a fully charged one), so this system cripples itself?

Not quite right. Now in modern generators, and in older models, there was a very effective overcharge elimination system. Installed, which reduced the charge when reaching 100% (then it generally tends to zero). In modern systems, there is such that generally the supply of recharging stops and after the discharge, it is resumed again.

Therefore, on cars, it does not happen CHARGING AN ALREADY CHARGED BATTERY (in simple words, overcharge), it is completely cut off by the electronics (in this case, the relay). But if this happens, it means that the relay-regulator is not working properly.

That is why the batteries of normal manufacturers (how to choose) can go for a VERY long time. 5-7 years old

Put it on charge and forget

I don't know how this is even possible - YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL ! YES, and now it's worth taking advanced chargers (at least the same one), they will automatically turn off when they reach 100%.

BUT it also happens - the charger is old (that is, it does not automatically turn off), and you forgot to turn it off. That is, the battery is charged, but the charge is all "figs" and "figs". Is it bad or not?

The very first thing is that it all depends on the capacity of the battery and the current strength. For example, if you charge a 200Ah battery with a current of 1-2A, then you will charge it for a VERY LONG time! But if it's 40 or 45 Ah, that's a little different.

The second - of course, overcharging is bad, but again, depending on what current you put it on, and how long it already costs. It usually happens that they bet on 1-2A (for 55Ah) and thus it costs a long time (for example, two days). Such a weak current cannot do anything terrible in a day. Well, the electrolyte will boil, well, a small part of it will boil off, you add distilled water to the norm and that's all. There won't even be intense warming up.

But if the current strength is 5-10 Amperes, then this is really already dangerous! Such a current can not only contribute to the "boiling off" of most of the electrolyte - exposure and strong heating of the plates (in a really short period of time, I am already silent about the days) - which will actually shorten the battery life (or even disable it). BUT, and most of the released hydrogen can provoke an explosion (as I also call cotton), because hydrogen burns quickly and strongly.

A modern car is equipped with a huge amount of electronics that require electrical energy. The start of the car depends on the quality of battery charging. Idling and the operation of the entire electrical system of the vehicle when the engine is not running. The article is devoted to such questions: how is it carried out car battery charging, how many and what types of chargers are there.

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The need for proper charging

The battery performs the following functions:

starts the power unit;
provides power to electrical systems when the engine is off and at idle;
is a source of additional energy at high generator loads.

All elements included in the electrical circuit of the machine are powered from the battery. Accordingly, the battery charge decreases every time. The discharged battery must be recharged and recharged to normal. There are two charging options: without removing it from the car, charge it on the spot, or after removing it from the car, connect it to a stationary charger.

The battery is charged using special devices. You can charge without removing from the car. To correctly implement it, you need to find out what types of rechargeable batteries exist, their main characteristics affecting recharging, types of charging devices, how they function, how to properly charge a car battery.

Types of rechargeable batteries

The batteries have a similar design, they consist of a set of plates that act as electrodes. An electrolyte is poured between them, in which a chemical reaction takes place. Thanks to this reaction, Electric Energy.

All types of batteries are divided into two large groups: serviced and unattended. During a chemical reaction, water partially evaporates, therefore, the electrolyte level must be monitored. If it is not enough, you need to top up with distilled water. Maintenance-free models include gel batteries and AGMs.

Currently, the following types of batteries are installed on cars:

Antimony batteries use lead plates to which antimony is added to increase their strength. But because of this, water evaporates and you have to top up it regularly.
Low antimony batteries with lead plates are placed in special protective cassettes. They managed to reduce the evaporation of water from the electrolyte to a minimum. True, they are discharged faster. But their plus is that they are easily and most fully charged.
Hybrid batteries have plates of different materials. A low antimony plate is used as a positive plate, and a lead-calcium plate or with the addition of silver can be used as a negative plate. They are also capable of being fully charged, but unlike those with low antimony, they are resistant to boiling and self-discharge.
Calcium batteries - they use calcium plates as positive and negative electrodes. The advantage of calcium batteries is minimal boil-off, they do not need to be refilled with water during the entire operation. In addition, they discharge less than low antimony batteries. Disadvantages: Difficult to fully charge; after 3-4 discharges, the calcium battery cannot be restored.
Gel and AGM batteries shock and vibration resistant. The thick consistency of the electrolyte reduces the likelihood of leakage if the battery is damaged or overturned. The disadvantage of these products is a decrease in performance at low temperatures.
Alkaline batteries tolerate overcharging, voltage surges well, have low self-discharge, are not afraid of low temperatures, and can be in a discharged state for a long time. They are mainly used on military equipment due to their high cost.

Types of battery chargers

Before considering how to charge a car battery, you should study what types of chargers exist.

Modern storage devices can be divided into the following types:

Pre-start chargers are meant to be restored. You can charge it without removing it from the car.
Charging and starting chargers differ in wires with a large cross section. They are capable of charging in auto mode.

Charging from A to Z

If you constantly use the car and make long trips, then regular recharging is not needed. But if the battery has not been used for a long time, it needs to be recharged at least once a month.

Peculiarities

As you know, Ampere and Volt are units of measurement of the eclectic current.

When charging the battery, the following factors must be taken into account to control and properly charge:

The current strength should not exceed 10% of the nominal energy capacity that the battery has. For example, if the battery capacity is 60 Amperes per hour, then the amperage should not exceed 6 Amperes.
At the terminals of the charger, the voltage is 10% higher than the nominal voltage of a fully charged battery. Suppose a fully charged battery has a terminal voltage of 12.6 volts. Since 10% of this indicator is 1.26 Volts, it must be added to the nominal and it turns out that normal voltage at the terminals of the charger should be 13.86 volts.

The battery can be quickly charged using high currents - from 20 amperes to 30 amperes. But such charging leads to rapid deterioration of the battery, so it is better not to use it.

When charging the gel battery, it is necessary to control that the voltage in the electrical network does not exceed 14.2 volts.

These criteria must be considered in order to properly charge the car battery. Knowing what indicators Ampere and Volt should be in electrical diagram when charging, you can start charging the battery. The video from VseInstrumenty.ru will tell you how to properly charge a car battery.

Preparatory work

Before charging, you should read the instructions, which describe how to properly charge the car battery. The charging circuit includes: you need to make sure that it is completely discharged. It must be removed from the engine compartment and subjected to a thorough inspection.

The reason for the discharge can be not only natural discharge, but also a violation of the integrity of the battery case. In this case, the electrolyte is poured out and no chemical reaction occurs. If a crack is detected during inspection, then all the electrolyte has flowed out of the battery. Such a battery cannot be used in the electrical circuit of a car.

You can find out if the battery is discharged thanks to the color indicator installed on the cover of its case. The indicator can have different colors, in order not to make a mistake, you need to study the diagram with explanations, which is pasted near the indicator.

Charging can be checked without removing it from the car using a conventional tester by measuring the voltage at the terminals of the device. A battery that has been discharged will have a voltage below normal.

Before recharging a discharged battery, check how much electrolyte is and its condition. This can be done without removing the battery through the filler plugs. If the electrolyte is correct, then it should be transparent, clean, free of impurities and completely cover the plates. If there is not enough electrolyte, then you need to add water as much as it should be according to the instructions.

In addition, you need to check the ventilation hole on the battery cover, for this you do not need to remove it. It must be clean so that vapors can escape freely.

Charging process

It is important to remember during recharging that the electrolyte evaporates, therefore it is better to charge the battery without removing it from the car in the garage or after removing it from the car, charge it in non-residential premises... It is also important to adhere to correct scheme connections. If the charger is connected incorrectly, the charger fuses may be damaged.

There are two ways to charge the battery with or without removal:

With the 1st method, the voltage does not change during recharging and is 14-16 Volts. In this case, the strength of the current changes. At first, the current is large, and can be 25-30 Amperes. The amperage then decreases as the battery is charged.
The second method is more complicated. During charging, the voltage changes, therefore its constant monitoring is required, and the current strength remains constant.

A memory device that uses a constant voltage method is simple. To do this, you need to use the regulator to set how much current should be. It is equal to 10% of the nominal energy capacity of the battery. During the charging process, the amperage will decrease. You can determine that the battery is fully charged by the arrow of the ammeter: it should drop to the "0" mark. If you set this amperage, then a full recharge in time usually takes 10-13 hours.

It is more difficult to recharge with a constant current device, there is a certain pattern you need to know while recharging. First, as in the first method, you need to set the current strength, for example, 6 Amperes, which is equal to 10% of the nominal energy capacity of the battery 60 Ampere hours. With this current, the battery is charged until the voltage value is 14 volts.

The current strength must be halved, that is, up to 3 Amperes, and continue charging with this current indicator until the voltage indicator is 15 Volts. Further, the current strength should be made two times less - 1.5 Amperes. How much you need to charge can be determined by the voltage level. If the voltage indicator stays at the same level for more than an hour, then this means that the battery is fully charged. Volts can be measured using a voltmeter.

If the charge is full, the engine should start easily at idle speed. This completes the charging of the unit.

Video "Battery charger Imax: charging a car battery"

The video from Maxim Vasilyevich shows how to charge the battery for the car.

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 carry out 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.

Oddly enough, but car owners do not pay enough attention to the battery. Turns the starter - and good. However, sooner or later the time comes when the "second heart" of your pet starts to malfunction, or even freezes altogether, refusing to rotate the starter.

When to Pay Attention to the Battery

When driving on a daily basis, it is hardly necessary at every stop to look under the hood and measure the density of the electrolyte in the battery. Problems with the battery can be most likely revealed after a long parking of the car or when energy consumers use without movement. In such cases, it is necessary to check the electrolyte level in the jars and measure its density.
It will not be superfluous to carry out such operations in the cold and hot seasons, since in cold weather the density of the electrolyte in the battery should be higher than in the heat. Moreover, in hot weather, the electrolyte actively boils away and periodically it is required to top up with distilled water to a certain level.

Car battery operation assumes its periodic recharging. Of course, it is best to detect a drop in the density of electrolyte or a decrease in its amount in the cans in time and start refilling and recharging without waiting for the moment when the car cannot be started. However, in practice, everything is simpler, and the signal for servicing the battery is most often the slow rotation of the starter when starting the car.

Every car enthusiast knows well that if in such a situation they do not take care of the battery, then the next morning the car will not move, and the culprit of the stop himself will begin to shorten his life at a progressive pace.

You can charge the battery of your car at the station Maintenance, but this is not a very convenient option, although the work will be carried out by specialists, and there is a hope that they will do everything "according to science." The main inconvenience is that the car will need to be left at the service station for some time - you cannot leave without a battery.

The easier option is to purchase a car charger and perform the operation to bring the battery into working condition on your own. There is nothing difficult in charging the battery on your own, you just need to get familiar with the recommendations for performing the necessary operations and follow the fire safety rules. It is best to charge the battery in the garage, the option of working in the kitchen is not excluded. In some cases, it is possible to charge the battery without removing it from the car.

Lead acid rechargeable batteries can be successfully charged with DC rectifiers. It is desirable that the devices have voltage and current regulators, since with their help it will be possible to select the optimal modes for a specific charging task.
Before proceeding directly to charging the battery, you should carefully measure the electrolyte level and its density. To carry out these operations, it is necessary to remove the battery from the car, clean it from dust and dirt, remove possible traces of oxidation on the terminals and, if necessary, clean them with fine sandpaper, then unscrew the plugs in the banks and proceed with the appropriate measurements.

Attention, be sure to unscrew the control plugs to avoid an explosion !!!Battery may explode. The consequence of carelessness in the video.

On the transparent cases of the batteries, there are max and min marks on the sides, which indicate what the level of electrolyte in the cans should be. Accordingly, it is necessary to add distilled water to jars where the electrolyte level is noticeably underestimated. In opaque batteries, it is convenient to check the electrolyte level with a glass tube. The tube must be lowered inward until it stops and pressed on top with your finger. Take it out and look at the electrolyte level in it. Should be about 10-15 mm.
On next step the density of the electrolyte is checked using a hydrometer. The hydrometer is a glass flask with a rubber bulb at one end and a hole at the other for sucking electrolyte from the battery cans. There is a float with markings inside the device. When electrolyte is taken, the float floats up and indicates the level of its density. The density of the electrolyte of a fully charged battery should be 1.27-1.28 g / cm3.
If the density is lower than recommended, then the battery should be charged. To do this, place the battery on a flat surface and connect the corresponding terminals of the charger to the plus and minus of the battery, and then plug the charger into the network. The jar caps should not be screwed into place during charging. It is better to cover the holes with them, since during charging the electrolyte will boil and hydrogen will be actively released.

To the question, how long does it take to charge the car battery- there is no definite answer. It all depends on the capacity of the battery itself and the depth of its discharge. However, there is general rules which should be followed strictly. First, the battery charging current cannot be higher than 1/10 of the battery capacity. In other words, if you need to charge a twelve-volt battery with a capacity of 45 Ah, then the charge current cannot be higher than 4.5 A. By the way, with the maximum possible charge current, the time to bring the battery to working condition is significantly reduced. Such currents should be used for charging if the battery is not very discharged. When the battery is deeply discharged, the charge current is reduced to 1.5 - 2.0 A, but at the same time the procedure time is increased, up to about a day.
Secondly, the battery charging process must be constantly monitored. It is necessary to periodically measure the density of the electrolyte in the jars and measure its temperature. The electrolyte temperature should not exceed + 45 ° С. When these parameters are reached, the charge current must be halved, or even stop charging for a while.

Thirdly, the density of the electrolyte in individual cans, upon reaching a full charge, should not differ by more than 0.01 g / cm3. The difference in indicators is leveled by adding distilled water to those jars where the electrolyte density is higher.
Fourth, the battery is considered fully charged if, after the charging procedure, it is able to keep its density and voltage stable for two hours or more.

Car enthusiasts who use maintenance-free batteries on their cars are periodically faced with the need to charge them. They should remember that for charging maintenance-free batteries, the important indicator is not the charging current, but the charging voltage.

The charger must be set to a voltage of 14.4 volts and the process must be monitored. The battery will charge when the terminals have a voltage of 14.4 volts, and the current drops to 200mA.

If the maintenance-free battery is deeply discharged, it can be recharged in two stages. First, a voltage of 12-13 volts is set on the charger, and the current is not more than 1/20 of the battery capacity. The current parameters will first increase and when they reach 1/10 of the battery capacity, charging should be switched to a voltage of 14.4 volts and wait until the current strength is within 0.2 A. It is important to remember that raising the charging voltage maintenance-free battery above 15.5 volts is not recommended to avoid damaging the latter.

Battery storage

During a period when the car is not used for a long time, you need to worry about the special storage conditions of the battery. First, the battery must be removed from the car, cleaned from dirt, and wiped off.
Second, fully charge.
It is best to store a fully charged battery in a cool rather than warm place during winter. If the battery is not used for a long time, then its condition is periodically checked and brought to a working one.
Remember, keeping the battery in a discharged state will significantly shorten its life.

Car battery operation

During daily operation of the machine, the battery is charged automatically from the generator, and if everything is in order with the generator, then the battery will work for a long time and without problems. Motorists are familiar with the sound of starting a serviceable car and, perhaps, any better music. Unfortunately, for many car owners, the idyll soon ends, and they themselves are to blame. Improper use and untimely maintenance can damage even the most reliable battery.