A dead car battery can leave you without a reliable ride. Whether your battery is old, your alternator is damaged or you’re experiencing another issue, there are many reasons you may have a dead car battery. Find out how to charge your battery with jumper cables or a battery charger, at home and at a local auto parts store. Review your battery warranty to see if it’s time to replace your battery before attempting to charge it.

How Can I Change My Car Battery At Home?

When your car battery dies, you often can’t make it to the store to get a new battery or to charge your old one. In these situations, it’s best to have a pair of jumper cables and a portable car battery charger on hand. These emergency devices are great to have in your car or your garage for any dead battery situations.

Jumper cables are an affordable and popular way to charge your battery wherever you are. All that you need is another vehicle and these cables, so it’s a convenient option if your battery dies on the side of the road or in a parking lot.

First, park the second vehicle as close to your vehicle as you safely can, while still leaving space to walk between them. Turn off both vehicles and make sure they are in park. Connect one red clip to the positive terminal of the car with a fully charged battery, and the other red clip to the red terminal of your dead car. Connect the black clip to the negative terminal of the working car, and the other to an unpainted metal surface away from your battery.

Start the engine of the car with a fully charged battery and run it for about 10 minutes. You should be able to start your car now and let the alternator completely recharge your battery.

Car battery chargers work in a similar way, but you either use power stored in a lithium-ion battery or connect the charger to a grounded outlet. These chargers can be used to trickle-charge or jump your battery, so follow all the included instructions for safe use of your particular charger.

What is the Best Way To Charge My Dead Battery?

If you don’t have any of these items, or if you’re concerned with using them around your battery, stop by your local auto parts store. Bring in your dead battery to have it charged for free. Before charging an old battery, your local auto parts specialist may recommend a battery test. This free test determines whether your battery is capable of holding a charge. If not, it’s time to order a replacement battery and safely recycle your old one.

Enjoy free battery charging and a wide range of replacement car batteries at an auto parts store near you. When your battery continues to die or fail to power your starter, consider inspecting your alternator and starter for signs of damage or wear. These critical components can cause similar signs of a dead battery and can prevent you from safely starting your vehicle.