Check what kind of battery your vehicle has: If your car has start/stop technology, you'll have an AGM or EFB battery. A conventional charger isn't suitable for these types of batteries, and you'll need a'smart' charger instead. If you're not sure what kind of charger your battery might need, pop into one of our stores. Charging your battery is simple, but batteries can give off hydrogen gas while they're being charged - especially if they're being charged at a higher voltage by a fast charger. Keep the charger. Did you know that with the Halfords Motoring Club you can save money on the likes of batteries, wiper blades and bulbs? Join the Halfords Motoring.
You can either do this with the car battery in situ, or you can take the battery out first. Battery chargers are fairly self-explanatory: connect the '+' and the '–' to the battery terminals and turn the charger on. Most have lights to tell you the state of charge and when the battery is full.
In order to properly charge your battery, you must first identify the type of battery you have. You can usually find this written somewhere on the battery, but you may need to check the manufacturer's website if the label is too worn to read or missing.
Frustration sets in, followed by the looming question: can you even charge a car battery at home? The answer is a resounding yes! But before you grab the jumper cables (we'll get to those later), it's crucial to understand the why behind a dead battery and the different approaches to bringing your car back to life.
Pick a charger that is appropriate for your battery and purposes. Most chargers will work for all types of batteries except Gel Cell batteries. There are fast chargers that can charge your battery quickly or even provide you with a jump start, as well as "trickle" chargers that provide a slow but longer lasting charge.
How long does it take to charge a battery?
The charging time will depend on the charger and the condition of the battery. It can take several hours to fully charge a depleted battery. Once the battery is fully charged, turn off the charger and unplug it from the power outlet. Following this, you will need to disconnect the charger clamps from the battery terminals.
Connect the charger: Keep the charger as far from the battery as the cables will allow, and never leave the charger on top of the battery while it's charging! Connect the clamps of the charger to the terminals on the battery, matching positive to positive and negative to negative. Then, plug the charger in.