This question has been asked many times. People usually know how long it takes to charge a dead battery, not the alternator or the starter. People want to know this because they have no time to wait for their cars to be fixed or their dead batteries to be charged. If you are one of them, this article will help you answer your question.
Battery charging time is varies depending on what type of charger you are using for your own car’s battery.
Types of chargers that determines the charging time of car battery
Motorists use three standard chargers to charge their car batteries when it is dead.
They are the following:
- Manual charger
- The trickle charger
- The fast or quick charger.
Manual Charger:
The manual charger needs time before fully charging a dead battery to 100%. If you have a car battery with a 40 amps capacity and you have left your car lights on, and the battery drained, it may take up to 60 hours before you can start your car if you use a manual charger.
Trickle Charger:
The Trickle charger works like the manual charger in charging batteries, but it provides a slow or low-amperage charge that is not powerful enough to jump-start a dead battery. If you have a small motorcycle or scooter with only four amps capacity for its battery and leave it turned off for several days without driving, this type of charger would be ideal for reviving the bike back to life. In this case, your battery may be fully charged after 30 hours of using a trickle charger.
Fast/Quick Charger:
This car battery charger is more powerful than the other two types because it charges batteries faster. It has higher amps than a trickle and manual chargers. For example, if you have a 40 amps capacity car battery and use a 20 amps quick charger to charge your car battery within only an hour, it will give 4 amperes of current per hour for this particular case. The battery will receive 16 amperes from the fast/quick charger in one hour. Your dead 40-amp battery may be fully charged within only one hour using a fast or quick charger. However, this type is also more expensive than the types mentioned above, considering its high amperage power or output.
How long does it take to charge a car battery while driving?
About an hour and a half. On average, it should take about that long to charge your car battery while you’re driving. This assumes that your alternator is in good working condition and there are no other problems with your automobile’s electrical system.
How does a car battery charge during driving?
A car’s electrical system has two parts: the battery and the wiring. The battery stores electrical energy and the alternator converts mechanical motion into electricity. The alternator recharges your car’s battery as long as it is on. There is a continuous supply of energy from the engine to keep your vehicle running smoothly if you’re driving.
What is the optimum charging rate for a car battery?
There are a lot of different opinions on how to best charge a car battery without damage, but the most common method is by charging the battery slowly. Using a fast-charging method on a standard 12-volt lead-acid car battery can cause it to become unstable and explode.
Most vehicle batteries will indicate an acceptable charge rate, though it is best to check with the manufacturer. The maximum charge rate for car batteries is typically four amps or less, depending on the size of the battery. If you are uncertain, charging very slowly will not harm your battery.
Slow charging is generally accomplished through a 1-amp charge rate. This maximum safe charging rate takes approximately 10 hours to recharge a dead battery.
On the other hand, a 15-amp charge rate will fully recharge a battery in one hour and 20 minutes. This is faster than what should be used for most batteries.
A 3-amp slow charger typically takes five to 10 hours to recharge a car battery, while a 6-amp fast charger can charge a battery in three hours.
Car batteries are not meant to be fast-charged, so consistent use of a 3- or 6-amp charger can damage the internal cells. A trickle charger is often used for charging car batteries, but it’s best to have one that delivers 1/10th of the battery’s capacity.
For example, if your car battery is 100 amp-hours, a 10-hour trickle charge time is ideal. This will prevent it from being overcharged or damaged due to heat buildup in the battery.
Fast charging should be limited to particular circumstances when you are stranded and have no other way to get home, but do not routinely charge at speeds beyond what the manufacturer recommends.
A car battery should be slow charged in a safe area for a vehicle, such as a garage. This will prevent accidental sparks from igniting gasoline fumes that are common in the air of a closed garage.
A Final Word
Considering all the details, the answer to that question isn’t always straightforward. Charge times depend on how depleted the battery is and how you’re charging it.
Your battery should naturally stay charged enough to start your car if you drive your car every day. The trickle charger may be the best solution for vehicles that sit for a week or more. It is also possible to need to recondition your battery.
Keeping your battery fully charged always is the best way to keep it healthy. Whether you accomplish this goal by driving frequently or using a trickle charger or maintainer, it is up to you. Keep your battery charged and ready when needed by following the advice above!
FAQs
- How long does a car battery charging take?
The answer is the longer, the better. The optimum time for fully charging an automotive lead-acid battery is 16 hours, at about 10-14 volts (depending on the state of charge). At 13.8 volts, an automotive battery will be 90% charged in about 14 hours, while it takes about 16 hours to bring a battery from 10% to 90%. For cyclic applications (repeated deep discharge and recharge), the charging time should be about 12-hours.
- What does the “80%” on my charger stand for?
The 80% in 80% charge means it will take 8 out of 10 times at least 8 hours to bring your battery up to full charge. If your charger is set at 20 hours, you will have a fully charged battery most of the time, but there is still approximately a 1-in-5 chance that it may take up to 12 hours to get the battery fully charged.
- How do I know when my car battery charging is finished?
When the battery is fully charged, this high current rate will gradually taper down and stop. The voltage will hold at a constant 14.4 volts (for a 12-volt battery), and virtually all the present will quit flowing into the storm. This is called “float” or “bulk” charge mode – not to be confused with “maintenance” charge mode, which is a lower current. When the current drops to about 1% of the nominal charging rate (about 10mA for a 200mA charger), this condition is called “trickle” charge mode.
At this point, you can disconnect your battery from the car battery charging system or leave it connected to the charger indefinitely, without worry or damage to the battery.
