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ACDelco makes a respected line of professional automotive and marine deep cycle batteries. Batteries, by nature, lose their charge whether they are in storage on a shelf or in use. Even if your have purchased a new ACDelco battery, you may need to charge it to bring it up to 100 percent. You can charge an ACDelco battery easily. It may take up to 24 hours for the battery to fully charge, depending on the size of the battery and the output of your battery charger.
Step 1
Set your ACDelco battery down on a battery tray on a level surface.
Step 2
Place your battery charger near the battery and check to see that the cables from the charger can reach the battery and the power cord can reach your electrical power source easily. Make adjustments if necessary.
Step 3
Select the charge rate on your battery charger. A switch, button or dial on the front of your charger will allow you to specify the voltage (12 or 6) and rate (trickle, slow or fast). The slower the charge rate, the more complete the charge will be to the battery.
Step 4
Connect the positive (red) cable from the battery charger to the positive (+) post of the battery. Connect the negative (black) cable from the charger to the negative (-) post of the battery.
Step 5
Plug the charger in to your power source. Wait 15 minutes and then read the gauge on the front of the charger to see what percentage of a full charge your battery already has.
Step 6
Calculate the length of time it should take your battery to charge. Divide the battery capacity (for example: 10,000 amp hours) by the listed output of your charger (e.g., 1000 amp hours). The answer (10) will be the number of hours it will take to charge your battery from zero percent charge to 100 percent.
Subtract the charge that your battery already had from the hours needed to fully charge it. For example, if in Step 5 your battery already had a 20-percent charge then you would subtract 2 hours (20 percent of 10) from the 10 hours needed to bring the battery to a full charge. If you are using a "Fast" charge setting, then divide your final hours in half.
Tip
- Use a hydrometer to test that your battery is good before even bothering to charge it. Pry the caps off the acid cells (these are typically raised from the surface of the top of the battery with writing on them), insert the end of the hydrometer and squeeze the bulb at the end to draw acid into the tube. If less than three of the colored balls float, or if the gravity level reads less then 1,200 (depending on the type of hydrometer you have) then the battery needs to be replaced.
Warning
- Do not let a battery continue charging after it has reached 100 percent of the needed charge. This could lead to the battery "boiling" and potentially exploding.
Items you will need
- Battery tray
- Battery charger
- Electrical power source
- Hydrometer (if needed)
