How to Use a Trickle Charger to Keep Your Car Battery Charged During Winter

If you’re going to store your car for the winter, it’s important to properly maintain the battery so that it doesn’t die. One way to do this is by using a trickle charger. This is a device that slowly charges your car battery over time, keeping it topped off and ready to go when you need it.

The process of attaching a trickle charger to your car battery is straightforward and can be done for any vehicle that you’re going to store for an extended period of time. First, locate your battery. In the case of a 2013 Mustang, the battery is located under the hood. However, some newer cars may have the battery located in the trunk.

Next, you’ll need a trickle charger. The narrator of the original video recommends using a DieHard battery charger and maintainer, but you can use any brand you prefer. The charger should have three lights: one to indicate if the clamps are reversed, one to indicate when it’s charging, and one to indicate when the battery is fully charged.

To attach the trickle charger, first, make sure the clips are marked positive and negative. Clamp the positive clip to the positive terminal of the battery and then clamp the negative clip to the ground. Once both clips are connected, plug the connector into the battery tender itself.

Check to make sure the charger is working by looking for the indicator lights. The orange light on the narrator’s charger indicates that the battery is charging and will likely take a day to come up to a full charge.

After both clamps are connected, make sure they’re both underneath the hood so that there’s no contact with anything when you store your car. The narrator recommends storing the car with the hood closed or mostly closed to keep rodents out.

Finally, route the cable down and around to the front of the car where the maintainer is sitting. And that’s it! By using a trickle charger, you can ensure that your car battery stays charged throughout the winter months and is ready to go when you need it again.

FAQ

How long should you leave a trickle charger on a battery?
A trickle charger can take up to 48 hours to charge a battery to full capacity as most only use one to two amps of power. You can even leave some smarter trickle chargers for days or weeks at a time, but it's best to check with the manufacturer if this is suitable.
Read more on www.rac.co.uk
Do you leave a trickle charger plugged in all the time?
Leaving an unattended trickle charger on for too long might lead to overheating, causing the battery to boil the electrolyte. The outcome would be a dead battery or a worse case scenario— a possible fire/explosion.
Read more on www.pulsetech.net
Do you have to disconnect the battery to charge with a trickle charger?
You Won't have to Remove Your Battery With a battery trickle charger, you won't need to. Just connect the leads to the battery posts, and walk away.
Read more on www.autotrader.ca
Will a trickle charger start a dead battery?
If you haven't been using your vehicle regularly, the alternator might not completely recharge the battery when you go for a drive. This is when you need a trickle charger to bring your battery back to life. However, it would take days to fully charge a dead battery using a trickle charger.
Read more on www.thedrive.com