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How do you connect a trickle charger to your car battery?
I don’t use my car too often, so my friend gave me a trickle charger to keep my battery in shape. I’d like to use it this weekend, but I don’t know how to hook it up. What’s the best way to connect a trickle charger to my car’s battery?
Joshua Levy · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Trickle chargers are great tools for
keeping your battery in good condition
. Luckily, they’re also easy to use! Follow these steps to safely connect your trickle charger to your car battery:- Step 1: Set the trickle charger voltage to the right setting for your battery. Most cars do best with 12 volts, but you should consult your owner’s manual or mechanic before starting.
- Step 2: Scrub your battery terminals with steel wool to make sure it gets a good connection with the trickle charger. Make sure the car is off before you start.
- Step 3: Connect the charger cables to your battery by first clamping the black (-) terminal to the battery, followed by the red (+) cable.
- Step 4: Plug the trickle charger into an outlet and turn it on.
- Step 5: Unplug it after two days—at most—to avoid any battery damage.
Congratulations! If you followed those steps, then your battery should be hooked up to your trickle charger. Since you don’t use your car too often, consider buying a floating charger for longer periods. Floating chargers are long-term trickle chargers, so you can keep them plugged in indefinitely without damaging your battery.
Since you aren’t driving much, take a moment to reassess your insurance needs with the
Jerry
app. As a licensed broker, Jerry can help you compare personalized quotes from over 50 top providers like Progressive and Nationwide. When you find better coverage, Jerry can help you switch policies and even cancel your old one!View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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