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The worst thing that can ever happen when you are out in the highway driving is a dead car battery. Even if you jumpstart your car, how long will it take for you to reach your destination without a full recharge? In this article, you will learn all about how long to recharge car battery after jumpstarting it. Not only that, but you will also learn the kinds of batteries and the ways to recharge them.
Car Batteries
Before we tackle the matter of recharging a car battery, let us look at the five kinds of car batteries used. Knowing the kind of battery your car has is one step to know how to recharge it.
Starting, Lighting, and Ignition Battery
This one is the most common car battery out there. As its name suggests, it helps to start and power your car. This battery has a shallow charge cycle, meaning it has a relatively short battery life and would need recharging quick.
Deep Cycle Battery
Marine vehicles, smaller recreational vehicles, and other mini private vehicles such as golf carts, make use of this battery. This kind of battery provides a more sustained power to your vehicle over a longer period.
Valve-Regulated, Lead-Acid Battery
This kind of battery is low-maintenance. It also does not need the regular addition of water to your cells. However, this battery cannot be serviced and need replacing.
Wet Cell Battery
This kind of battery makes use of electrolytes made often from lead, sulfuric acid, and water. It is a wet cell because it contains more liquid compared to the other batteries. This battery is less expensive but has short lifespans.
Lithium-Ion Battery
Hybrids and electric cars usually make use of this battery. This battery can store more energy and are lighter compared to the other batteries. However, just like a wet cell battery, the Li-ion battery has a short lifespan.
Jumpstarting
What is jumpstarting? Jumpstarting is a method to start your car batteries or your car quickly. This method is a user-friendly and safe way to start your car right away. You do this by connecting jumper cables to your dead battery and recharge it with a temporary connection to another car’s battery or some other power source.
The Charger to Use
As we near on answering the question: “How long to recharge car battery after jumpstarting it?” We need to know which charger to use for your car battery. The first thing you need to do is know the amp rate you want for your charger. There are also smart chargers now that are easy to use; they usually turn off once your battery is full. Always go with high-quality chargers from authorized and known manufacturers because they can minimize the risk of damage to your car.
How Long to Recharge Car Battery After Jumpstart
Using 40amps chargers can recharge your car battery quickly and effectively. Your car will start in a few minutes, even when your battery drained completely. 40amp chargers are perfect for traveling.
Charging at 40amps
Using 40amps chargers can recharge your car battery quickly and effectively. Your car will start in a few minutes, even when your battery drained completely. 40amp chargers are perfect for traveling.
Charging at 4amps
Using a 4amp battery usually takes time. The total time to recharge your battery fully with this charger is around 12hr. This charger is perfect for smaller batteries and for maintaining them on low amperage for a longer period.
Charging at 2amps
You can use a 2amp charger if you plan to recharge batteries you do not always use, like for old vehicles. Using this charger can take you up to 24hr to recharge your battery.
How Long to Charge Dead Batteries?
Many people also ask: “How long does it take to recharge a dead car battery after jump start?” It is a fact that a dead car battery can take 4hr to 24hr to reach a fully charged state. It all depends on the battery size and the amp it is charging with.
Usually, most use the four amps charger for batteries. For example, a dead 52Ah battery will take you around 10hr to fully charged. Here is a brief and simple guide on how to recover your dead battery:
- Check on the ampere of the battery charger you are using. Use a low amp battery charger for maintaining your battery for a longer period of charging.
- Check the type and size of your car battery. Usually, cars use 40Ah to 80Ah sized batteries.
How to Know if Battery Is Full?
The best way to know that your car battery is full is by constantly checking or monitoring the voltage during the progress of charging. You can use a multimeter if you do not have a battery tester to check the battery with. The reading should show numbers between 12.4 to 12.6 volts because a fully charged battery sits between these ranges.
So if you think you have charged your battery for a long time but still get a reading of 11.4V, you still need to charge your car battery for a few more hours. Here’s how to learn more about Garage Door Openers.
Conclusion
Now you know how long to recharge car battery after jumpstarting your car! The one thing left to do is apply it if you encounter a road problem in the future. Remember that there are different kinds of car batteries, and you have to familiarize yourself with these. Such knowledge can help ensure your safety whenever you are on the road.
Also, you have to familiarize yourself with the different kinds of battery chargers and their uses. Always purchase chargers that are made by authorized manufacturers. The battery life can depend on the proper way of charging and maintaining your battery. With this knowledge, you are ready to go!