Imagine the scene – you’ve got in your car, turned the key, but your car refuses to start. Sounds like you have a flat car battery. But how does it happen, and how can a trickle charger help?
In this article:
- Why is my car battery flat?
- What is a trickle charger?
- How do I trickle charge my car?
- How long will it take to trickle charge my car battery?
- Why should I use a trickle charger?
Why is my car battery flat?
There are plenty of reasons why your battery might be flat: you may have accidentally left the lights on, the battery might be on its last legs, or you may have a faulty fuse somewhere.
Sometimes your car might just need a jumpstart to get it back up and running. However, this may only fend off the problem for a day or two before you’re back to square one. It’s a much better idea to keep your car battery in good condition. In many cases charging up your car battery will be the answer.
What is a trickle charger?
A trickle charger can help you keep your car battery from going flat. They provide a low voltage charge to your battery to bring it back up to speed. This slow charge is a better long-term option than quickly topping up your battery. It helps prevent overcharging and will keep your battery in better condition, long term.
Trickle chargers won’t work for batteries that are completely dead. So, if your battery's completely discharged, you may need to do a jumpstart first. Once you’ve done that, you can keep your battery in a good condition with the trickle charger.
There are different types of car battery, so it’s important you check which your car has before you try to use a charger.
How do I trickle charge my car?
Using a trickle charger is surprisingly easy. When you decide to top up your car’s battery, simply follow these steps:
- Park your car in a safe, well-ventilated environment
- Turn off the engine and remove the key from the ignition
- Ground the charger -ideally on a spot of bare metal on the car’s frame
- Connect the red clip to the positive terminal on the car battery
- Connect the black clip to the negative terminal on the battery
- Turn on the charger and leave it to charge.
Always check your car’s handbook and trickle charger's guide before you charge your battery. If you're still not sure what to do, a mechanic should be able to help you.
How long will it take to trickle charge my car battery?
Trickle chargers are designed to charge your car slowly. This will help keep your car’s battery in good condition for years to come.
Generally, trickle chargers take around 48 hours to fully charge your car’s battery. This can vary depending on the condition of the battery.
Why should I use a trickle charger?
Beyond keeping your battery charged, trickle chargers have a few added benefits. Firstly, they're usually easy to use, so you shouldn't need to pay a mechanic to help. Additionally, because of how trickle chargers work, you’ll be able to prevent your battery from overheating.
Trickle chargers can be extra handy if you have an older or second-hand car. Routinely charging your battery will help keep it in good condition, reducing the chances of a flat or dead battery.
Being stranded with a flat battery and an undrivable car is the last thing anyone needs. If you’ve got breakdown cover with AXA, help for a flat battery could be one call away.
