Your vehicle’s battery gets overworked whenever you make short trips with continuous starting and stopping. This is true, especially during winter when the heater, heated windows, headlights, and wipers are being used all the time. When this happens, more current gets drained from the battery, and it eventually will not have enough power for the starter motor, resulting in a flat battery.

Having a flat battery can easily be prevented if you get yourself a car battery charger, an affordable but very useful accessory. Here are some tips that may help you using a car battery charger:

• Check the electrolyte level first before connecting the car battery charger.
• Disconnect the battery terminals, especially if you have an alternator. 
• Clamp the positive lead from the charger to the positive terminal.
• Clamp the negative lead to the negative terminal.
• Plug in the charger and turn it on. 
• Check the charging regularly using a hydrometer.

In this post, we will be talking about everything you need to learn about using a car battery charger. Things like how to charge a battery, as well as connecting the battery to the charger and how it works, will also be discussed. If you want to know more, read on.

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How Do Car Battery Chargers Work?

Basic home chargers utilize a rectifier and a transformer, which changes the main 110V or 220V alternating current to 12V direct current. This process allows the main current supply to provide a current for charging, in which the rate is determined by the battery’s overall state. For batteries in good working condition, the charge rate is about 3 to 6 amps using a basic home charger.

You will know when a battery is dying, it no longer accepts any recharging. In addition, it will not be able to hold any charge. Generally, car battery chargers come with high and low switches, allowing you to choose between 3 or 6 amps. This would come in handy, especially if you want to do overnight charging at 6 amps instead of a longer 3-amp charge.

Most car battery chargers have an indicator, either a gauge or a warning light, which shows the rate of change in amps. It should be noted, however, that all mains lead on most car battery chargers must be fused. If it is not, you might want to consider using a 3-pin fuse plug. For additional precaution, try fitting a line fuse cable to the car’s battery.

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How to Charge a Car Battery?

A car battery has an average capacity of 48-amp hours. This would mean that when fully charged, it can deliver up to 48 hours on 1 amp, 24 hours on 2 amps, and 6 hours on 8 amps. A basic car battery charger has the capability to charge at about 2 amps, and it would need 24 hours to deliver the 48 amps that are needed to charge a flat 48-amp hour car battery.

You will be able to find a wide range of car battery chargers that come with different charge rates, usually from 2 amps to 10 amps. The higher the output is, the faster it is to charge a flat battery. However, you should be aware that fast charging is slightly undesirable because it has the tendency to buckle the battery plates.

In case you are not yet familiar, the loads imposed on the car battery might be gauged just by determining the amount of current used by the different electrical components. For example, a heated rear window takes about 8 to 10 amps. Headlights, on the other hand, take about just the same.

In theory, a fully charged car battery that does not take any current from a generator should be able to work the starter for around 10 minutes, the headlights for around 8 hours, and a heated rear window for around 12 hours. Once the vehicle’s battery approach full discharge, you will notice that the light glows a little dimmer and will eventually go out all at the same time.

Other than the cold water and short trips, another major cause of car battery failure would be using a dynamo instead of an alternator. The reason is that, in most cars, the alternator generates more electricity, as well as charges better, especially during low engine speeds. The best way to address this issue is to test your battery using a hydrometer regularly.

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How to Connect a Battery Charger?

Here’s what you should follow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F97q_edPv2c

• Before you connect the car’s battery to the charger, make sure that you have checked the electrolyte level first. If needed, top up and clean the battery posts.
• Keep in mind that you also need to disconnect the battery terminals first, especially if you have an alternator. If you didn’t, you could impose permanent damage on the alternator.
• If you see that separate cell caps appear fitted, you may also remove them to ventilate them. However, if you notice that the charge rate is high, you may have to leave the trough cover on.
• Then, clamp the positive (usually colored red) lead from the charger to the positive terminal.
• After, clamp the negative (usually colored black) lead to the negative terminal.
• You may now plug in the charger and turn it on. You should see the gauge or the indicator light show that the charging process is ongoing. Be aware that sometimes, the gauge may indicate a high charging rate. However, you notice that it will gradually drop as the charging comes to completion.
• If you have a flat battery, expect that you will be charging your car’s battery for a long time. You may need to check it regularly using a hydrometer.
• During the final stage, you will see that the cells bubble and give off gas. If you notice that some of them start emitting gas before others or they emit gas violently, it would probably mean that your vehicle’s battery is already defective.
• After you have successfully charged your car’s battery, always keep in mind that you need to switch it off first and unplug the charger before you remove the clips on the terminal. If you do not, the clips may have the tendency to spark up as you take them off and ignite the gas they give off during the charging period.
• Lastly, you need to make sure that there are no electric circuits switched on in your vehicle when you connect the battery again. Again, there may be a spark or battery gas ignition as you replace the second battery terminal.

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Conclusion

If you notice that you already have a defective car battery, you may need to consult a battery specialist. However, if you think that you can successfully do this on your own, you just need to follow the above steps. They are all very easy to accomplish, and you just need the patience to wait for the charging to come to completion.

Cars are not just a means of transportation; they are trusted companions on every trip. On the other hand, cars are also a showcase of the unique personality of the car owner. The value of cars is not considered cheap either. Therefore, periodically washing your car is encouraged by professionals. However, not everyone has the time to bring their vehicles to the car wash shop.

Many car owners have the habit of washing their cars by themselves at home. This is a better way to reduce maintenance costs as well as act as a relaxing activity. If you want to wash your car at home, you may need the following 6 essential pieces of equipment:

1. Soft Towelling Fabric
2. Buckets with Mesh Filter
3. High-Pressure Washer
4. Special Detergent for Car Wash
5. Vacuum Cleaner
6. Auto Glass Cleaner

In fact, many car owners often use inadequate household items such as laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, or water spray nozzles. This may result in the car not being cleanly shiny and also causing the exterior to be damaged. Therefore, according to the advice of car care professionals, car owners should research appropriate knowledge before washing their cars at home. Also, you should prepare the following 6 essential pieces of equipment to wash your car at home.

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Soft Towelling Fabric

Towels are often used to clean household items. Car owners also prefer to use a towel to clean their cars. However, many people, for the sake of reusing their old items, did not buy a towel. Instead, they often use old clothes or rough towels.

This can easily leave scratches on the surface of the car after cleaning. Therefore, when washing cars, it is recommended to use a special towel made of soft, smooth fabric with high absorbency and not ruffled. This type of soft toweling fabric is easy to buy and is quite cheap. You can buy them in local markets or e-commerce sites.

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2 Buckets with Mesh Filter

When washing the car, prepare two buckets with a mesh filter to eliminate the dirt at the bottom of the bucket. Keep in mind that there is one bucket of clean water, and the second one is to contain specialized detergent with a proper amount of water. After each cleaning with a towel or sponge, you should dip them into buckets containing water. Wash the towel, put it into the detergent bucket then continue the cleaning.

This has the advantage that it completely removes the remaining large sand particles on the towel. Thus, it helps the car owner minimize the risk of accidentally scratching the car’s body.

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High-Pressure Washer

Usually, when you clean your car at home, many people typically use conventional faucets to spray the car’s body surface and deep parts such as wheel holes, chassis, etc. However, this method can’t remove all dirt clinging to the car thoroughly. Besides, this will make your water bill rise dreadfully.

If you are not used to having your car washed in the shop, maybe due to time insufficient, you can equip a high-pressure washer to clean your vehicle at home. These machines allow the user to adjust the spray pressure to suit any kind of surface. More importantly, they can clean up any area of the car in a fantastic way. Strong spray force also contributes to flying stains, saving you the effort of wiping stubborn stains.

At present, there are many types of high-pressure washers used for car washing. There is some model that delivers the same quality in a compact size of convenience, but some types can give out very high water pressure. Notably, several modern products come with an LED display for better control of water pressure. You should consider your actual needs and refer to more online reviews to choose the product that fits you most.

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Special Detergent for Car Wash

Before you clean your car at home, you should look for a particular cleaning detergent for cars. Dedicated solutions are made up of special components. They help to clean up stubborn stains without damaging the paint surface.

You absolutely must not use washing powder or dishwashing liquid. These solutions are alkaline. If used for a long time, they will have a significant impact on the paint of the car. Also, some detergents come with small particles that can leave permanent damage to the car’s surface.

Before you clean your car, make sure all doors are closed. Also, you should not wash your car in direct sunlight. Instead, choose shaded areas. The sun can quickly heat up the car’s surface, which generates water spots that stain the car. It is best to be in your garage.

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Vacuum Cleaner

With the car interior, before cleaning, you need to remove dirt fully. This process is way more important when you are traveling with your pets. However, car interior design is not simple, but they are quite different in detail. Therefore, it is not possible to use household items such as brushes or brooms to do the job. That stuff only takes you a lot of time and drains you out 100%.

If you regularly wash your car at home, my advice to you is to buy a designated vacuum cleaner for the car wash. To make a picture clearer, this type of vacuum cleaner is much more compact than other types of vacuum cleaners used in the living room. Top-rated vacuums for cars have a small suction head which allows them to move to every corner of the car comfortably. They help to clean dirt on the seats, on the floor, and so on.

When you order a car vacuum cleaner, you should be aware of some criteria. The first is power. You should look for the announced wattage figure of the model. If possible, you can ask the seller to give you a test of the product to see if the vacuum cleaner offers enough performance.

The next criterion you need to pay attention to is the size of the product. An ideal vacuum cleaner is of small size, which can reach the edges of the car. Besides, it should only weigh about 5 pounds. However, you should consider buying a long hose to increase the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner.

Tank capacity is another important criterion. Due to the limitation of care use only, the capacity of the vacuum cleaner is not as much as a standard cleaner. Popular machines usually have a tank capacity of between 350 and 650 ml.

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Auto Glass Cleaner

After cleaning the body of the car, cleaning the glass, rear window, and glass windows on the sides of the vehicle often takes a lot of time. Washing the car’s glass is extremely important. Windshields, as well as car rear windows, ensure safety while driving. If they are smudged and not cleaned in time, the rate of accident increase significantly. Therefore, in addition to the above items, you can look for a car glass cleaner.

Car glass cleaners are now specially formulated to help smudge the stain on the glass surface easily. Choosing a product like this is not a stress. You should refer to products from brands such as Meguiar’s, SprayWay, Armorall, or Chemical Guys.

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How Often Should You Wash Your Car?

Car experts always recommend that car owners should regularly wash their cars. The frequency of car wash depends on where you live as well as your work. It is generally recommended that car owners wash their cars every two weeks and repeat them throughout the year.

If you live in coastal areas or have frequent contact with salt, you must, of course, wash your car more often. Salt can erode metal parts in the car and lead to damage with ease. The only way to avoid this situation is to monitor the condition of the car and wash the car when needed.

Car washing is also affected by the weather. In winter, you need to wash your car more often. It sounds pretty funny, but this is true. The real enemy comes from the salt left on the road. In winter, the amount of salt condensed on the road is more than the amount in summer. They can cling to your car and harm internal components.

The interior of the car also needs to have particular attention. Leather items in the car, such as seats or steering wheel, should be cleaned and inspected every 3 months. In case you live in the tropics, do it more often.

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Conclusion

In addition to periodic vehicle maintenance, car washing should be a regular task. For many reasons, many people feel that having their car washed at the shop is impossible for them. And so washing cars at home is very popular,

However, improper washing of the car can lead to unwanted damage to the one. To keep your car in top condition, you should wash the car for about 2 weeks 1 time. Washing the car can be more frequent if you use it at a high intensity. Besides, you should equip yourself with specialized equipment such as soft toweling fabric or top-rated vacuums for cars to avoid leaving scratches.

Taking proper care and maintenance of your vehicle will enhance its performance and will save you from expensive repair costs. If you own an old car, there’s no need for you to spend money and invest in a new one. As long as your old car is functioning well, you can keep it and give it proper care. Below, we have gathered some of the basic repair and maintenance tips for old cars.

Here are some important repair and maintenance tips for your old cars:

1. Change Engine Oil Regularly
2. Replace the Engine Timing Belt
3. Check the Brakes
4. Restore Cracked Rubber
5. Fill Up with High Octane Gas
6. Check Engine Coolant Level
7. Vacuum the Interior
8. Improve Your Car’s Appearance
9. Tend the Tires
10. Replace the Cabin Filter

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Change Engine Oil Regularly

The frequent engine oil change is very necessary, especially for old cars. Although most car owners’ manuals recommend increasing the interval for changing the engine oil, a frequent oil changes will help prolong its life. By changing the oil, you will be flushing out abrasive metal and dirt particles that would damage the engine.

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Replace the Engine Timing Belt

It is advisable to change the timing belt, which attaches the crankshaft to the camshaft. There is a high chance of the engine being damaged if the timing belt breaks while driving. This is especially true for cars that have an interference engine. The damage will not be severe for vehicles that have a non-interference engine since only the timing belt will need replacement.

It is, therefore, wise to check your owner’s manual to see your vehicle’s type of engine. Vehicles with an interference engine and having reached 100 000 miles should get their timing belt replaced as soon as possible. The same applies to cars with a non-interference engine, as this can cause the car to stop running.

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Check the Brakes

This is an important tip for maintaining your old car, and it only requires a jack stand and a lug wrench. Regular checks will keep the braking system youthful, help your vehicle last longer, and avoid major problems.

You can find the right tools at on Amazon.com that will help you bleed the brakes and remove heat from the calipers. This will keep the brake fluid fresh and save you from last-minute brake slams.

A well-maintained brake fluid should have a clear, amber color, while a poorly maintained brake fluid should be dark black in color. Watching your speed is another great tip for preserving the life of your brakes.

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Restore Cracked Rubber

Replacing cracked rubber seals on the sunroofs and doors is a must. This is because rubber seals are likely to wear over time, and this will result in leaks that could let the heat out and the cold water in. To keep your window and door weather-stripping in good condition, use a rubber protectant.

Also, the wiper should be checked regularly and replaced if broken. Additionally, replace old tires with new top-notch tires in order to boost your car’s performance.

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Fill Up with High Octane Gas

When it comes to gas, ensure that you fill up your tank with high-octane gas at least once a year. High-octane gas cleans out any build-up that may render your old car inefficient. It helps flush out gunk from both the catalytic converter and the pistols, which are costly to replace. Hence, you will save money in the long run.

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Check Engine Coolant Level

Checking your engine coolant level should be part of your maintenance checklist. Your engine needs a radiator that will get rid of generated heat which can lead to overheating. An engine coolant is supplied to the radiator. It is, therefore, crucial that the engine coolant is kept at the right level in order to prevent the engine from overheating.

This task is DIY if your old car has coolant reservoirs with level markings on the panel. Hence, it is easy to check whether the coolant in the reservoir is running low or not. For additional guidance, read your manual.

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Vacuum the Interior

Keep your old car looking new again by vacuuming your interior each time you wash your car. Your car is prone to abrasive dirt and spills. Use a powerful vacuum to thoroughly clean your interior and make it look shiny again. However, ensure that you use the right wands, which are unlikely to scratch the surface.

Also, use a sponge, water, and mild detergent to wipe down the windows and rims.

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Improve Your Car’s Appearance

While it’s important to care for your car’s interiors, it is also essential to look after its exteriors. Take some time to do some wax jobs in order to create a protective layer that will protect your paint against harsh weather.

Another way to improve your car’s appearance is by polishing the headlights. Cloudy headlights will not only make your car look older but will also keep the lights from shining bright. Another maintenance tip is to repair any scratches before they rust. Search for a scratch remover kit that has the appropriate grade for your car paint and model.

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Tend the Tires

For older cars, the tire pressure should be checked regularly, and the worn tires should be replaced sooner than later. As the tires get old, the rubber begins to degrade, and this is a major cause of most accidents. Read your car’s manual to check the recommended tire pressure for your vehicle.

Although it costs you a few bucks to replace non-performance tires, your car will thank you for it. Also, replace tires that are older than five years as they are more prone to wear and tear.

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Replace the Cabin Filter

Unknown to many, the cabin air filter gets dirty and needs to be replaced. Although it’s a little tedious, replacing your cabin filter is something that you can do yourself. You just need to find the right filters for your car’s model and install them according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Of course, this will offer more comfort.

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Conclusion

There are many benefits that can be accrued from taking proper care of your vehicle. Proper car care will have it last many years and save you the cost of buying a new car. Besides, you will get the reward of selling your car at a higher resale value. The above repair and maintenance tips for old cars will help your old car run safely and effectively.