Trickle chargers are especially useful if you have an older car, a weaker or older battery, or just want peace of mind. Trickle chargers work by releasing a small amount of current to match a battery's natural self-discharge rate to keep it topped up at its fully charged level.
While they are similar, a battery maintainer is more advanced than a trickle charger. Maintainers adjust the flow of electricity based on the battery's state and are able to shut down or return to float settings. Trickle chargers simply push a small current through the battery at a steady rate.
Trickle Chargers. A trickle chargers' primary purpose is to slowly charge a battery and prevent overcharging – however, the same result can be achieved through the use of a standard charger. If storing batteries for a period of time is a common activity, then it's safe to say a trickle charger may be a good investment.
A trickle charger just does so at a slower rate, typically at the same rate as the batteries self-discharge. Keeping your battery charged at a slow and steady rate results in a better charge without reducing the life of your battery like a regular charger does.
The maximum safe time is 16 hours. The hotter the battery is, the more it will boil the battery dry.
No, charging the battery from home should not damage the alternator. There is however no need to constantly charge it. If the vehicle is being used frequently there's no need to keep charging it at all really as the alternator will keep the battery charged up just fine.
Once you are familiar with the basics of your battery charger, you can now connect it to the vehicle's battery. You can charge the battery while it is still inside the car or if it has been removed, either method is fine.
After all, leaving a battery charger connected to a car for months will overcharge the battery, but leaving a battery maintainer connected for that long is fine because charging will simply stop once the battery is full.
How to Use a Trickle Charger on Your Car Battery
- Set the Power Specifications.
- Position Your Vehicle.
- Ground the Charger.
- Clip the Connectors Onto the Battery.
- Plug Into Power.
- Watch the Setup.
Charging a regular car battery with a typical charge amp of around 4-8 amperes will take about 10-24 hours to charge it fully. To boost your battery enough to be able to start the engine, it would take around 2-4 hours. The best way to maintain a long life for your car battery is by recharging it slowly.
While your vehicle's alternator can keep a healthy battery charged, it was never designed to completely recharge a dead car battery. With a seriously depleted battery, your best option is to connect it to a jump starter or a dedicated battery charger either before or immediately after a jump-start.
Even though there is no risk of overcharging with the use of a high quality charger, the battery should not remain connected to the charger for more than 24 hours. A full charge is usually achieved by charging overnight. Even after a deep discharge, some chargers enable at least partial reconditioning of the battery.
It is best to slow charge the battery. Slow charging rates vary depending on the battery's type and capacity. However, when charging an automotive battery, 10 amps or less is considered a slow charge, while 20 amps or above is generally considered a fast charge.
Have the driver of the vehicle with the good battery turn their engine on and allow it to idle for a few minutes. Leaving the other car running for a short time will allow your dead battery to recharge before you attempt to start your engine.
