By Erik Watkins

How To Use A Trickle Charger – A Full Guideline (Videos)

Last updated: May 16, 2023
How To Use A Trickle Charger

Owning a car means your transportation will be more convenient. You won’t have to worry about putting in too much effort every day to go to work or pick up your kids from school. In return, you will have to take good care of the car if you do not want it to deteriorate soon.

Cars used for daily life will be easier to take care of because the vehicle battery will always be refilled. However, it would help if you treated it differently for a long time car left in the garage. 

At these times, trickle charging is the solution.

How To Use A Trickle Charger?

1. The Specifications Of The Source 

The first thing you need to do is to verify parameters such as battery voltage or amperage meter from regular battery chargers. This is necessary before connecting it to anything else. Because even though most car batteries are standard and commonly manufactured, it is still important to verify the specifications. 

Then, set the correct numbers using the switch and button on the car battery charger. Note that values ​​should be centered for the ranges shown to avoid damage from overcharging.

2. Fix Your Car’s Location

Choose a suitable place you want and put the car there because you will not be able to move it while connecting the parts of the battery trickle charger.

It is better to locate a well-ventilated location as smoke may be emitted during this process.

3. Have The Charger Grounded 

This is a safety mechanism for not only cars but any batteries. Grounding will also provide path power spikes and reduce the risk of electrical issues. So it is very important to stay safe while the battery self-discharge.

Before plugging the smart charger into the battery, use the clamp that came with the power supply and ground the charger. Find a clean part of the chassis and attach it there.

4. Clip the Battery And Connectors Together

You need to locate the black and red alligator clips first. They are usually hung on the charger. 

At this point, you will connect them so that the red clamp corresponds to the anode and the black corresponds to the cathode on the battery.

Both clamps must not be loose. At this stage, touching the motorcycle batteries or the wires is forbidden because there is a risk of electric shock. That power will help prevent the battery from draining quickly and keep the battery life.

5. Battery Power Supply

You already have a stable system to be able to load power. Turning the charger off is important before plugging in the power source. Please check it again before connecting the power outlet and power cable.

After the charger’s power cable is connected to the power source, check the connections again. They should be stable and not loose. Then turn the trickle charger on using the control panel.

6. View The Settings

After powering up the system, take a moment to observe the battery and the trickle charger. If you see a spark or sign of heat, it’s not good, and you need to check the system.

A trickle charger works by continuously supplying a small amount of energy to the vehicle’s battery. There should be no sign of electric current when observing things with the naked eye.

Monitor your car’s charger, battery, and everything else for the first week. If it’s safe, you can check it every month, and your battery will always be ready for the next use.

How to Trickle Charge Your Car Battery

Frequently Asked Questions

When Does Your Car Need Trickle Charging? 

The trickle charger is for cases where the car has been left in the garage for a long time, and the battery has not been charged for a long time. The purpose of trickle charging is to keep the battery capacity from being reduced after a long period of inactivity.

So if you don’t use your car often and leave it in place for a long time, you need to trickle charge the car’s battery. If you use the car every day, it’s not necessary.

How Often Should You Trickle Charge Your Car?

It would help if you trickled charge before your battery started to lose capacity. Whenever you are not using the battery, you should maintain a trickle charger for it.

But as mentioned, if you often use the car daily, it is not necessary to trickle charge it.

Conclusion 

Knowing to use a trickle charger aid in preserving your battery’s capacity, thereby helping your car last longer. Remember, the process should be done carefully as it involves electricity. Check the trickle charger regularly, and you’ll be fine


Automotive Mechanic at PowerAll

With 7 years experience in management positions leading automotive mechanics at PowerAll, Erik Watkins wishes to share useful knowledge and information about automotive mechanical equipment.

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