The reason: battery self-discharge coupled with increasing energy requirements for vehicles.
This situation is occurring more and more frequently, particularly in vehicles with modern electrical systems.
Your battery will have a full charge whenever you’re ready to pull the car out again.You are about to demonstrate the many functionalities of your customer’s dream car in the showroom, but the batteries are suddenly empty and nothing is working. If everything looks normal and safe, a check every month or so is practical. A small amount of power will constantly flow to the battery as the car remains in storage.ĭuring the first week of charging, keep an eye on the system. A trickle charge should act just like its description. There should be no indication that power is flowing, such as sparks or heat. Your set voltages and amperage should light up too. Switch the charger on at the control panel. Every connection should be tightly in place. Carefully connect the charger’s power cable into a nearby outlet. You don’t want to start the power-up process just yet. Verify that the charger is set to the off mode. The entire system should be stable enough to plug into power now. The power that’s about to go through the components will offer a long life to the battery without any shorts, reports Autotrader. Do not touch any part of the wire or battery at this point. It shouldn’t feel loose or look precarious.Ĭonnect the black clip to the negative terminal on the battery. Verify that the clip has a good hold on the terminal. Hold the red clip, and attach it to the positive terminal on the battery.
Locate the red and black alligator clips hanging from the charger. An appropriate ground will reduce the risk of electrical issues during the trickle process. You’ll need to investigate the undercarriage in this case. Attach it to a clean section of the vehicle’s frame. A grounding clip is typically included with the power source. You need to ground the charger before hooking it up to the battery. In essence, it’s a safety mechanism for any battery. This negative side of the circuit provides a pathway for an electrical surge if one is present. If you’ve ever tested a car battery before, you understand the importance of ground. Verify that the vehicle’s area has some ventilation to avoid any flammable hazards. However, the fumes cannot be concentrated in an enclosed space. It might be located in a carport or garage.īe aware that some fumes will emanate from the system during the trickle process. Decide on a permanent position for the vehicle. The vehicle cannot be moved once you connect car battery trickle charger components together. Overcharging a battery leads to damage and possible fire because of the chemical reactions involved, reports Battery University. Any fluctuations can still be within a safe area. Set the values to the middle of the range reported on the battery. Use the switches and buttons on the trickle charger in order to set it to the exact numbers found on the car battery. Set the Power SpecificationsĪlthough a car battery is relatively standard when it comes to power specifications, it’s always ideal to verify the voltage and amperage exiting the charger before any connections are made.
Learn how to use a trickle charger for your car so that it’s always ready to go when you are. Your power solution resides with the trickle charger. Keeping these batteries charged is more of a challenge. They sit in a garage for most of the year.
Other vehicles, however, are more accustomed to hobby work. If you own a car, it’s likely your lifeline to getting to and from work.