If your car is not starting despite being in good condition, a flat battery could be the probable reason. Generally, a flat battery situation arises if the lights of the car are left on for longer. Another cause could be any defect or issue with the electrical system that drains the battery rapidly. However, if the battery has become faulty, then it would not hold the charge.
In addition to this, cold climate, corrosion, and daily wear and tear can also cause battery failures. In any of the cases, a user has two options. Either inject the new life into the battery or replace the same with a new one. If you are wondering how long does it take to charge a car battery, then the following information would be helpful.
How long does it take to charge a car battery?
Typically, it takes around 12 hours to charge a battery that holds around 48 amps using a charger of 12 volts. On the other hand, it would take only 30-35 minutes to charge an electric vehicle up to 80%. Yet how long does it take to charge a car battery would depend on the type of car battery and charger? There is an array of car batteries as well as the chargers in the market having different amps.
If the charger possesses a higher value of amps, it will charge the car faster than those with lower amps. Similarly, the time taken to charge the car battery entirely would vary on the car’s battery size as well. Generally, the batteries with smaller amps values, such as in small-size cars, take less time to charge. Contrary to this, it will take more time to charge the batteries installed in the bigger cars.
Diverse Types of Chargers Available in the Market
Usually, the time duration to fully charge the car battery depends on the charger type. However, there can be considerable differences in the timeline. Likewise, some chargers will take around one hour to charge the car battery, whereas some might take a whole day. Apart from this, it depends on which type of battery your vehicle has and the mode of charging that you prefer.
Trickle Charger
A trickle charger operates in the range of 0.8 amperage-4 amperages. Typically, it runs at a lesser power output level and is not suitable for charging a fully dead battery. One can use them to prevent the battery from draining out when the vehicle is not in use.
On another note, EFB or an Enhanced Flooded Battery is an excellent choice for rapid charging. Besides, it operates at lower voltages for use when the vehicle is not functional, or the batter is not completely drained.
Liner Charger
Liner chargers are one of the most hassle-free and simple types of chargers. These provide power to the car battery by way of a wall socket. However, the whole process needs a little power and setup too. Further, a linear charger operates at lower amperage. Thus, it would take longer to charge the car battery.
A reliable version of this process is to use the Repco-Branded batteries that run at 2.7 amperes. As a result, it will take around 12 hours to fully charge a lead-acid battery of 12-volts that most cars use. However, the liner charges provide continuous charges. They do not have a controller to halt the charging when the car’s battery is at its peak.
Eventually, it can adversely affect the performance and longevity of the battery upon negligence. Yet, if you do not keep a check on the battery levels and period for charging, it can cause battery failure.
Multi-Stage Charger
In comparison to the linear charger, a multi-stage is a bit more expensive. Further, the multi-state charging version recharges the car battery in splits form rather than a continuous flow. A multi-stage charger is suitable for the battery cells at it do not cause damage in continual charging, unlike linear batteries.
Due to this, the multi-stage chargers are also famous as intelligent or smart chargers. Yet the credit for this goes to the split-charging functionality along with higher amperes. These chargers comprise a maximum of 50 amperes that can charge the car’s battery within an hour only.
Charging the Car Battery with A Charger of 12-Volt
Besides, the time duration to charge a car battery of 12-volt would vary as per the amps amount that one uses for recharging.
Charging With two amps Charger
Charing the car using a battery of 2 amps would take around a day or two to fully charge. In particular, the two amps battery would deliver 1 ampere in an hour. One uses such amp power during the trickle charging or maintaining the battery’s charge at a particular level.
A battery of 2 amps is suitable if the user leaves the car connected to the charger for a prolonged period. Additionally, it also works well significantly if you do not drive your car daily.
Charging With four amps Charger
Generally, the battery of a car is capable of holding 48 amps. As a result of this, it will take around 12 hours to attain full charge using such an amount of voltage. Therefore, this can help recharge the car’s battery to maintain a specific level for a longer duration.
Charging With ten amps Charger
A charger of 10 amps can charge a partially discharged battery of a small car within 2 to 3 hours. Commonly, the small cars’ batteries fall under the category of RC 40-60. A charger can recharge a half-drained battery of medium size in 3 to 4 hours that is classified as RC 60-85.
Similarly, it will take 4 to 7 hours to charge a battery of larger size belonging to the RC 85-190 group. Nevertheless, if the battery is empty, the battery would take double the usual charging time.
Charging With 12 amps Charger
In the case of 12 amps charger, never use a charging circuit holding multiple devices and outlets at a time. Firstly, ensure that the wiring and circuit breaker are not complex before selecting this version. Ideally, one can receive a charging range of 5 miles per hour using a load of 12 amps.
Charging With 40 amps Charger
A load of 40 amps is capable of charging the battery of the car within few minutes only. Yet avoid overcharge as it can cause severe damage to the battery. Apart from that, it also hampers the efficiency and lifespan of the battery in long-term usage.
Charging the Battery While Driving
Before determining how long does it take to charge a car battery while driving, go through the following factors:
Initial Charge period
In particular, the time taken by your car’s battery to get fully charged depends upon its last charge too. Besides, it varies on certain factors such as your car’s make, previous usage, model, and year. Hence, it is recommendable for cars to maintain up to 1000 revolutions each minute for a specific time duration.
Further, if you are driving in higher-speed lanes such as a freeway, flyover, or highway, the battery will be charged in 30 minutes. Driving the car in a slow-moving or busy lane with heavy traffic flow, the charging time will be an hour or more. However, when charging the car’s battery while driving, one must not use the radio, electronic devices, AC, and light.
Usage Cycle of the Car
One of the most pivotal factors that determine the draining intensity of the battery is the usage cycle of the vehicle. If the car remains unused or stationary for a more extended period, there are more chances of the battery dying. Contrary to this, using the vehicle frequently can reduce the probability of a dead battery. Yet accidentally leaving the light of AC of the car on can cause the battery to drain out quickly.
Moreover, the most feasible and great way to charge the car’s battery is when the vehicle is idling. You can use this method if the alternator is functioning correctly and is not defective. In that case, idling can self-aid the car in recharging the battery partly.
However, if it does not work out well, take your vehicle for a short drive to recharge its battery. For this, one must use a multi-stage charger to recharge the battery of the car to an optimum level with safety.
Conclusion
After assessing the information mentioned above, you will be able to know how long does it take to charge a car battery. Further, if you instantaneously need to charge your car’s battery, go for a jump starter. Aside from being a safe method, it is user-friendly as well.
Likewise, the jump-started cars can run for 10 to 15 minutes; it can damage the alternator if not done correctly. If the battery of the car is taking longer to charge or is malfunctioning, seek professional assistance to get the repair done.
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