Practically Classics Forum

when i put a battery on charge i always disconnect the terminals. is this necessary?

Nope.



At least, I've never had a problem with it. F'instance, My Volvo V40 has a failing battery. Every couple weeks i pop the hood and leave the charger connected overnight on a slow (deep) charge, with terminals on, overnight.


However, If you find you have to disconnect the terminals because the draw on your battery is larger than what the charger is supplying (ie if the juice is going out quicker than it's going in), you've got a problem that needs looking into.

Whenever I have charged a battery on the car I have never bothered disconnecting it. Just remember to unplug the charger before you disconnect the battery or you get a spark.

Someone gave me 2 honking great lorry batteries once .Which are handy to have about...so
I had one on charge for a while , when i realised the charger had a switch for 24v Hmm.. i could be clever here ,and charge both at the same time ! Turned off the charger ,slipped the croc clip onto the second battery... just needed a jumper for the other terminals, what could i use...? Ah ha ! A spanner ! so i balanced the spanner bridgining the terminals and turned on the charger .. Yep , all honky dory .. 15 amps at 24v ..And a while later ,the spanner decided to unbalance itself and there was a ...I didn't get to see the flash.... KAH BOOM ! No batteries..

thanks chaps! if i remember correctly i was warned it may damage the alternator...
zipgun.. having seen a few batteries explode ( i was stood on one) you were lucky not to get hurt...its not a mistake you will make again i suppose