How to Charge a Battery Using a Trickle Charger

The battery in a vehicle or other device controls several electronic functions. While the alternator in any vehicle maintains the charge the battery had when the vehicle started, your battery still requires that initial charge for the vehicle to start. Charging a battery with a trickle charger allows you to bring the battery's volts and amps back up to the level needed to keep the vehicle and its components running.

• 1

  Open the hood of your vehicle. Locate both the positive and negative battery terminals, or the battery jump terminals. (Some vehicles have these battery jump terminals mounted onto their bodies for you to use in place of hard-to-reach battery terminals.)

• 2

  Connect the positive (red) cable from your trickle charger to the positive (red or "+") battery terminal or jump post. Connect the negative (black) cable from your trickle charger to the negative (black or "-") battery terminal or a grounded part of the vehicle, such as the motor mount or frame members.

• 3

  Turn the selector dial on your trickle charger to the appropriate voltage. If you have a standard car battery, your vehicle has a 12-volt system. If charging a motorcycle or lawnmower battery, check the voltage; the device may only have a 6-volt system.

• 4

  Power the trickle charger on, and let it stand for a few hours. Check the charge of the battery periodically with a voltmeter if the trickle charger does not have such a device. A car battery should ideally have a charge ranging from 12 to 12.5 volts when the car is not running.