How Long Does It Take To Charge A Car Battery With A 12 Volt Charger?

Whoever believes that “The Conjuring” was scary has clearly not yet encountered a crisis where their car battery dies in the middle of an emergency.

If vehicles were actual living beings, the batteries would be their cardiovascular system. These powerhouses are equally as vital as fuel to get the wheels rolling. In case your battery is dead, your chances to start your vehicle are as slim as an iPad Air. To make it simple, the car battery must hold optimal charge for the car to move around efficiently.

Now, we can’t help but live with the bitter fact that car batteries run down to zero at times, due to multiple reasons. But, what we can do is unclog the confusion related to the actual time that a car battery takes to be recharged with a 12-volt charger.

So, is it always a matter of a few minutes? Let’s find out!

Charging The Battery With A 12v Charger

Before we dive any deeper, let’s keep in mind that a list of factors need to be taken into consideration while determining the average time consumed by car batteries to be charged. It’s quite natural that somebody with no prior knowledge of car batteries might find it incomprehensible.

Nevertheless, a rather common factor that decides how fast the car battery can charge is the amperage level. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how long car batteries usually take for charging, keeping this key factor in mind.

1. Charging the battery at 40 amps (Fast charging)

As apparent as it gets, the chargers that comprise higher amps can charge batteries quicker than low-amp chargers, even in situations where it’s completely drained out of charge. With that being said, a 40 amp 12v charger is something that every motorist must have in their toolbox at all times.

Whether it’s a crisis in the middle of a casual road trip or a severe urgency, higher amps can relieve you from the stress of waiting for too long. On average, you might have to wait as little as a few minutes. Apart from that, if connected with jumper cables, these products also turn into excellent jump-starters.

However, on the flip side, leaving it on for too long may impose severe damage on the car battery and cut its lifespan by half. So, if you’re using a 12v charger with higher amps, it’s best to go for smart chargers that automatically shift into float mode as soon as the battery is optimally charged.

2. Charging the battery at 4 amps (Normal charging)

For those who aren’t aware, an average car battery is capable of holding up to 48 amps in total. On that note, a 4 amp charger can charge the product at a standard rate of 4 amps per hour. Do the math; these chargers take an average of 12 hours to charge a battery optimally. However, these chargers may finish the job quicker if you have a smaller car battery.

Now, any random person might wonder – why waste 12 hours when a 40 amp charger can get the job done within a few minutes?

Well, not all of us are intrigued by fast charging solely. Some of us want to play safe by making sure there’s zero side-effects and higher charge maintenance. For such motorists, a 4 amps charger is an absolute delight.

3. Charging the battery at 2 amps (Trickle charging)

As we continue with the math, it’s quite apparent that 2 amp chargers consume as long as 24 hours to charge an average 48 amp battery. It’s twice as tedious as a 4 amp charger, so why would a sane person even consider opting for it? Well, trickle charging is more about maintaining the battery charge for as long as possible.

A 2 amp trickle charger makes sure that the battery never totally drains out of juice, which extends its lifespan by a significant amount. Traditionally, it’s used to power up vintage cars so that its batteries aren’t ruined quickly. However, recent times have seen a considerable upsurge in professional motorists and mechanics using trickle chargers to ensure optimal performance while servicing.

What Is Jump-Starting?

Sometimes, we don’t have sufficient time to spare to charge the battery for hours. In such cases, jump-starting acts as a temporary solution to car battery drainage issues. All you need are a 40 amp charger and a set of standard jumper cables, and these will do the trick. However, be sure not to connect the wires incorrectly, or else it can fry your vehicle’s electrical system.

How To Charge A Car Battery While Driving?

In case you were wondering – no, it’s not mandatory to halt your vehicle every time while charging the battery unless it’s completely dead. In case it’s totally dead, it’s best to opt for fast charging and use a 40 amps charger for best results. However, if the battery isn’t completely drained out, it can also be charged while being driven around.

When you find yourself in such a situation, it’s best to leave the car idling temporarily for the batteries to generate a considerable power boost. And once you start driving, the faster you drive, the faster the battery will continue to charge itself. For best results, try not to use any secondary battery-draining features such as AC and stereo.

Final Words

This concludes our guide to charging a car battery with a 12v charger. The most crucial factor to consider here is that higher amps result in a faster charge, and the rest is elementary math. So, are you still confused about how long it takes for car batteries to be optimally charged? Drop your questions in the comments below.

We’ll be back with more exciting articles for the raging motorist in you, so stay tuned!

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