Dinamitek presents the definitive guide to charging vehicle batteries.

How to charge a battery and start a vehicle with Dinamitek

This guide does not cover AGM and EFB batteries which require special maintenance.

I want a CHARGER

If you intend to charge a battery, you should be aware that you must take your safety into consideration. Read these instructions carefully and proceed only if you feel confident.

Pay close attention to the temperature : never recharge frozen batteries, nor batteries that exceed 45 degrees Celsius. Obviously, do not recharge visibly damaged batteries.

It's best to never leave a dead battery connected to the vehicle, so your first concern should be to disconnect the battery from the ground . It's also a good idea to recharge the battery as soon as possible to prevent the acid from stratifying inside.

You probably have a battery charger. Have you made sure it's suitable for the battery you need to charge? Just read the label carefully to resolve any doubts.

It is always better to use a battery charger :

1. Electronic
2. With automatic shutdown
3. With charging current control

A good trick is to use a charger with IU characteristics and a higher charging voltage (2.6 V/cell), but being careful to overcharge only for a very short time, to avoid water leakage.

I want a CHARGER

Let's move on to some technical data that will help you better orient yourself:

• Open circuit voltage should be 2.12 - 2.13 V/cell
• Charge the battery for 1 hour for each difference from 0/1 V to 12.7 / 12.8 V
• The battery can be tested with a voltmeter (which measures voltage). This is a reference table to help you understand the battery's state of charge:

voltage:

freshpack >12.6 volt
AGM 13 Volt

state of charge 100%

voltage:

freshpack 12.4 volt
AGM 12.8 Volt

state of charge 75%

voltage:

freshpack >12.1 volt
AGM 12.5 Volt

state of charge 50%

What do you have to do? You need to charge the battery

voltage:

freshpack >11.9 volt
AGM 12.2 Volt

state of charge 25%

What do you need to do? You need to charge the battery urgently.

voltage:

freshpack <11.9 volt="" br=""> AGM 12.0 Volt

state of charge 0%

What should you do? The battery is no longer usable.

Operationally, to charge the battery, proceed as follows:

Connect the battery terminals to those of the battery charger, matching the sign: positive to positive, you can't go wrong.
Usually, the positive pole is marked with the color red , the negative pole with the color black .
do this if the battery is disconnected.
If the battery is installed in the vehicle, the negative cable must be connected to the engine block because it serves as ground: if the vehicle also has a positive ground, you must also connect the positive terminal.
All electrical accessories and the ignition switch must be turned off before making the connection.
Obviously the cables must be in perfect condition to be used.
Whether the battery is disconnected or installed, the rule is always the same: connect it first, then turn on the charger to avoid dangerous sparks.
When fully charged, turn off the charger before disconnecting the cables.
Fully charging the battery ensures optimal use and long life .
Charging is best done gently, gradually increasing the charging speed.
You can set the timer to better manage the battery charging time.
While charging, keep an eye on the battery, as you must immediately stop charging if the battery overheats or if you see acid leaking.
In both cases, obviously, one must intervene as quickly as possible, but with absolute caution.
The battery should always be charged in a well-ventilated area.
Remember to wear safety glasses when charging.
You can never have too many safety precautions when it comes to batteries: you must know, and remember, that they contain sulfuric acid, which can cause serious burns, and oxygen/hydrogen, which can be explosive.
Even if handling batteries becomes a habit, don't let familiarity with the object cause you to neglect proper safety measures for your own protection and that of those in the garage with you. Your face, eyes, and hands must always be protected.

The battery provides the vehicle with starting power , which is only optimal if the battery is fully charged.

You may be wondering what the correct charging current is. The answer is simple. The recommended charging current is 10% of the nominal capacity in amps. In other words, a 4 Ah battery requires a charging current of 0.4 A [amps].

But are the new batteries already charged?

A new battery is typically only 80% charged; it's best to charge it fully, but don't use the fast charging function. A new battery should come with an instruction manual that explains in detail how to charge it. A battery that has been stored for 12 months or more will likely have a lower terminal voltage than required.

What if I jump-start the disabled vehicle by connecting it to another vehicle?

You must follow some precautions. First of all, you can only use another vehicle if it has a battery with the same voltage as yours (6V, 12V, etc.). Jump starting presents the same risks as charging the battery. Try to protect your eyes and avoid exposing yourself to the batteries. The most common mistake is to lean over the hood to look at the battery. It's dangerous, so don't do it. You must check that the batteries are not damaged and that the valve caps are properly closed and level. Only proceed if everything is in order . Make sure that both vehicles are turned off and that there is no contact between them. Then connect the cables (make sure they are not caught in any part of the engine) and attempt to start.

To connect and start the vehicle you must follow this order of action to avoid damaging the batteries and vehicles.

1. LOW BATTERY: Connect the positive (+) battery cable to the positive (+) terminal.
2. BATTERY CHARGED : Connect the other end of the positive (+) cable to the positive (+) terminal
3. BATTERY CHARGED : Connect the negative (-) cable to the negative (-) pole
4. FLAT BATTERY: Connect the negative (-) cable to the engine block of the disabled vehicle, away from the battery and carburetor.

Now you can start the vehicle and disconnect the cables in reverse order of connection.

In short, you connect the discharged positive first, then the charged positive. You connect the charged negative, and lastly the discharged negative. Start. First, you disconnect the discharged negative, and then the charged negative. Lastly, you disconnect the positive, first the load, and then the discharged positive.

There are only a few precautions to take , but they are essential for your safety and to avoid damage to batteries and vehicles.

I want a CHARGER

For any questions, please contact our technician at info@dinamitek.com

Charge batteries and start vehicles safely with Dinamitek