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The battery in every car is designed to power a lot of electrical parts/accessories in the car. It also helps to kick start the car after it is completely turned off, prior. If the battery of a car is dead, the car won’t drive, and most of the components such as power side mirrors and others won’t function.
Car batteries charge while the car is idling; you can also get a car battery charger for charging the battery in your car.
Now, if you wondering how long to leave a car running to charge battery, a 30-minute charge can supply enough power to a car battery to make a car run smoothly.
Do Car Batteries Charge While the Car is not Moving?
Yes, once you start the car, the alternator charges the battery as you drive; and even if you stop the car – may be in traffic or to buy something – the battery would still be charging. Car batteries stop charging the moment you turn off the ignition or turn off the car completely.
If you’re going to park your car for a very long time, it is advisable to disconnect the battery. Leaving the battery connected while the car is parked for a long time would cause the battery to discharge completely – even though the car is not being driven.
On the other hand, if it is a car you seldom drive, then you should start the car once every 2 weeks (14 days) and let it idle for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. This is to allow the battery to charge – because it must have discharged over the days it’s connected to the car.
See Also: Can a Weak Battery Cause Transmission Problems?
How Long To Leave a Car Running To Charge Battery
The alternators in modern cars are designed to produce sufficient power to keep the car batteries adequately charged. Apparently, when you start a car – after it has been parked for pretty long – the battery loses some current, which was used to start the car.
However, the moment the car starts, the alternator starts charging the battery again – to replenish the lost current. You can let the car idle for about 15 minutes or more, but there’s no specific duration for a car battery to be fully charged. Well, you can use a voltmeter to check the battery at intervals to know when it’s fully charged.
Notwithstanding, there are exceptions – cases whereby a battery won’t charge if the car is idling. This applies to “very” old car models, most of which are no longer on the roads. But just in case you still have a car from the 1950s, then you’d have to charge the battery externally.
What More?
So, what’s how long to leave a car running to charge battery? 15 – 30 minutes. But if the battery is completely dead and unable to start the car, get a car battery charger, or jumpstart with another car.
The power supplied by the alternator is enough to charge a standard car battery.