Battery Charger

[Ðave]

Hi, can someone remind me in what order I should connect the car charger to
the battery terminals? I've lost the manual (it's a halfords branded and
99% of the search results on google are about charging portable media &
satnav devices.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Martin]

Hi, can someone remind me in what order I should connect the car charger
to the battery terminals? I've lost the manual (it's a halfords branded
and 99% of the search results on google are about charging portable media
& satnav devices.

Cheers

Dave

Others may correct me, but IMO it doesn't make a scrap of difference - since
no current flows until both cables are connected.

But I would suggest....

1. Make sure charger is NOT plugged into mains.

2. Make sure charger croc clips are clean(ish), well connected to cables
and springs still achieve strong grip.

3. Make sure everything in car is switched off first - and that includes
closing doors to extinguish inside lights etc.

4. Connect negative to negative first (this is chassis potential).

5. Then positive to positive, because if you accidentally touch some
"grounded" metalwork in the process, nothing happens.

6. Then, and only then, plug in and switch on charger.

(All this assumes a relatively modern car. in the "good old days" positive
was connected to "chassis".)


HTH

 

[Ðave]

Others may correct me, but IMO it doesn't make a scrap of difference -
since no current flows until both cables are connected.

But I would suggest....

1. Make sure charger is NOT plugged into mains.

2. Make sure charger croc clips are clean(ish), well connected to
cables and springs still achieve strong grip.

3. Make sure everything in car is switched off first - and that
includes closing doors to extinguish inside lights etc.

4. Connect negative to negative first (this is chassis potential).

5. Then positive to positive, because if you accidentally touch some
"grounded" metalwork in the process, nothing happens.

6. Then, and only then, plug in and switch on charger.

(All this assumes a relatively modern car. in the "good old days"
positive was connected to "chassis".)


HTH

Thanks

 

[mikeFNB]

objectively you are correct.
on a charger, that is not powered it makes not difference,

but, it might well be useful for general safety reasons to adopt the process
that should be used if you jumper two cars or two batteries.

always connect the + lead up first.

then connect the - lead.

to remove a jump:

disconnect the - lead first.
then the +

if you adopt this rule, then there is no chance of a rather big spark if you
drop the + lead or it pops off .

if you connect the - first, then the whole of both chassis are connect, thus
if the + is dropped, it can short.

HTH

mike

 

[Mrcheerful]

Hi, can someone remind me in what order I should connect the car
charger to the battery terminals? I've lost the manual (it's a
halfords branded and 99% of the search results on google are about
charging portable media & satnav devices.

Cheers

Dave

For real safety in all conditions: Connect the positive clip to the battery
positive, then connect the negative charger lead to a remote part of the
vehicle that is clean metal. When disconnecting: remove the negative from
the metalwork FIRST then the positive from the battery.

Same when using jump leads.

The reasoning is that when you make the last connection there is a chance of
a spark, you want that spark as far away from the battery as possible.
After charging, again if there is to be a spark you want it well away from
the battery.

This method should always be used to avoid the risk of exploding the gases
released from the battery during use and charging. This is a very real
risk, they can and do explode, I have caused it myself, it hurts and does
extensive damage.

That said I have also connected chargers willy nilly and been lucky and had
no problems BUT it is quite possible to get a good explosion from a battery
and if it can be avoided..................

 

[Martin]

As I said......

:-(((

Apologies. And I'm glad there are some well-clued-up folk here !!

 

[Tony]

objectively you are correct.
on a charger, that is not powered it makes not difference,

but, it might well be useful for general safety reasons to adopt the
process that should be used if you jumper two cars or two batteries.

always connect the + lead up first.

then connect the - lead.

to remove a jump:

disconnect the - lead first.
then the +

if you adopt this rule, then there is no chance of a rather big spark if
you drop the + lead or it pops off .

if you connect the - first, then the whole of both chassis are connect,
thus if the + is dropped, it can short.

HTH

mike

While all of the above is perfectly correct, I would like to add that if you
are using another vehicle to jump start then conect the -ve lead to the
engine block if at all possible instead of the battery terminal.