As a driver, you should always be concerned about the amount of charge in the battery. A dead battery or one with too little charge can be an inconvenience you’ll rather avoid. While jump starting can help you when stranded, it does a little on your car charge situation. The best and safest way to recharge is by driving the vehicle. But, how long does it take to charge a car?
When driving your car, it can take anything between 30 minutes to 24 hours. This is because there are a number of factors to consider that will determine the time it would take. If you’re driving in a motorway, for example, it should take about 30 minutes. If driving in the city, it could take an hour or even more.
Factors that determine the time it would take to charge up while driving
Car speed
When driving at high-speed lanes, it would take up to 30 minutes to charge the battery. On the flip side, when driving in busy lanes at lower speeds, it could take about an hour or even more.
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Battery capacity
It goes without saying, the bigger the battery capacity, the more time it will take to fully charge.
Battery’s state of charge
The time it will take you to recharge your car battery depends on when it was recharged last. If there is lesser charge in the battery, then it would take more time to recharge it than it would have with more charge in it.
Will Revving the Engine Charge the Battery Faster?
Yes. It will. One thing you should know is that the higher the speed of your car, the faster the battery will charge. At faster speeds, the revolutions per minute (RPM) of your engine are higher. Getting the revs up to the average you see during highway cruising speeds should do the trick.
It is, however, noisy and obnoxious and you would be better off driving around a couple of blocks or using a battery charger instead of constantly revving the engine.
Do Car Batteries Charge While Idling?
Yes, your car battery will charge when the engine is idling. The alternator will produce some current as long as the engine is turning it. However, you won’t get as much amps as you would when driving along. That is why some drivers opt to rev up the car to dump more amps especially if they are not going anywhere.
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If you have tried any of these approaches but the battery is still not charging effectively, then probably your battery has an issue. It could be old or worn out, of which a replacement is the best option.
It helps to know how much driving to charge a car battery to avoid sudden battery death. Hopefully with this article, you’ll be keen on the amount of charge you have left, and when to recharge.