how to charge battery

[simmo]

Can you connect to negative and positive to charge battery

[Aubrey]

Hi Michael,

Sorry can I ask please do you mean connect negative to positive?

if so answer is no connect negative to negative / positive to positive. 

here is how best to charge a battery 

Even if you jump start as a quick fix, it's a good idea to look into charging a car battery properly to keep it in good condition. Find out how below.

How to recharge a car battery

• Check what kind of battery your vehicle has.If your car has start/stop technology, you'll have an AGM or EFB battery. A conventional charger isn’t suitable for these types of batteries and you’ll need a 'smart' charger instead. If you're not sure what kind of charger your battery might need, pop into one of our stores and we can help you out.
• Check the contacts. Before you connect anything, take a look at the lead terminals coming out of the top of your battery, and the clamps that connect them. If they look dirty or corroded, you'll need to clean them before charging your battery.
• Disconnect your car battery. Although charging a car battery while still connected or in situ is possible, it's always a good idea to disconnect the battery before charging after a quick clean. Always disconnect the negative (usually black) lead first and reconnect it last, otherwise you could end up getting a nasty shock when you touch the positive terminal. The terminals are usually connected to the battery by a clamp, which is loosened or tightened by a bolt on the side. Undo the terminals (negative first, remember!) and move them to one side. Plus, remember that if you disconnect your car battery, you might need to reset your radio, seat positions and dashboard settings, so make sure you've got the security codes if you need them!
• Connect the charger. Keep the charger as far from the battery as the cables will allow, and never leave the charger on top of the battery while it's charging! Connect the clamps of the charger to the terminals on the battery, matching positive to positive and negative to negative. Then, plug the charger in.
• Turn on the charger. Some chargers will turn off automatically when the battery is charged, but others will need to be disconnected. Check the manual for your individual charger to find out how long it will take and what you need to do. The other option is to invest in a smart battery charger, which will assess the condition of the battery and tailor the charge cycle to fit, automatically switching to a maintenance charge rather than over-charging the battery.
• You're done! Once the battery is charged, unplug the charger and then disconnect the clamps. Then, reconnect the car battery (positive first and negative last, remember!) and away you go! If you're using a smart charger, there will be an indicator to show you when the battery is charged.

Things to remember

Charging your battery is really simple, but batteries can give off hydrogen gas while they're being charged - especially if they're being charged at a higher voltage by a fast charger. Keep the charger away from the battery, and make sure you don't leave anything on top of the battery.

 

[Aubrey]

Hope that helps Michael and welcome to the Jaguar Owner Club😀

[Tomato]

Great guide, had my battery changed yesterday as well 🤣

[Jimbov8]

1 hour ago, simmo said:

Can you connect to negative and positive to charge battery

As your car does not have the BMS (battery Monitoring system) then yes, you can connect direct to the battery to charge it. It is advisable though to connect the negative of the charger to a suitable ground point close to the battery.

[Aubrey]

Hi Jim,

I just looked at BMS I did not know you could get these. Looks a useful piece of equipment. Would you advise getting one ?Is there a make you would recommend please? 

Kind Regards,

Julie. 

[Wrinkly]

For a long life and easier way to protect the battery is to invest in a CTEK charger/conditioner. They are so very convenient to just keep the battery charged and in good condition.

Best Wishes , John

[Aubrey]

Yes they are very good John. 

Kind Regards,

Julie. 

[Jimbov8]

23 minutes ago, Aubrey said:

Hi Jim,

I just looked at BMS I did not know you could get these. Looks a useful piece of equipment. Would you advise getting one ?Is there a make you would recommend please? 

Kind Regards,

Julie. 

I was referring to the as fitted one from Jaguar that are fitted to the negative terminal of the battery on 2009MY car’s onwards. Cars with this system fitted should not charge direct to the battery as the BMS can be damaged leading to fault lights on the dashboard.

[Aubrey]

Hi, yes I understand that, but can you fit one to a car that has not got one?

[Jimbov8]

It would be fairly difficult I should think as the computer would need to know it is fitted and then have the pathways for alarm indications. Not impossible to do but financially not viable to retrofit I would suspect.

[Aubrey]

Thanks Jim was just interested like to learn about things🙂