Standard Procedure - Battery Charging: Notes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Dodge Pickup and 2004 Dodge Cab & Chassis. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Battery charging can be performed fast or slow, in terms of time. Slow battery charging is the best means of restoring a battery to full potential. Fast battery charging should only be performed when absolutely necessary due to time restraints. A battery is fully-charged when:

All of the battery cells are gassing freely during battery charging.
A green color is visible in the sight glass of the battery built-in test indicator.
Three hydrometer tests, taken at one-hour intervals, indicate no increase in the temperature-corrected specific gravity of the battery electrolyte.
Open-circuit voltage of the battery is 12.65 volts or above.

WARNING: NEVER EXCEED TWENTY AMPERES WHEN CHARGING A COLD (-1° C [30° F] OR LOWER) BATTERY. THE BATTERY MAY ARC INTERNALLY AND EXPLODE. PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR VEHICLE DAMAGE MAY RESULT.

CAUTION: Always disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable before charging a battery. Do not exceed sixteen volts while charging a battery. Damage to the vehicle electrical system components may result.

CAUTION: Battery electrolyte will bubble inside the battery case during normal battery charging. Electrolyte boiling or being discharged from the battery vents indicates a battery overcharging condition. Immediately reduce the charging rate or turn off the charger to evaluate the battery condition. Damage to the battery may result from overcharging.

CAUTION: The battery should not be hot to the touch. If the battery feels hot to the touch, turn off the charger and let the battery cool before continuing the charging operation. Damage to the battery may result.

NOTE: Models equipped with the diesel engine are equipped with two 12-volt batteries, connected in parallel (positive-to-positive and negative-to-negative). In order to ensure proper charging of each battery, these batteries MUST be disconnected from each other, as well as from the vehicle electrical system while being charged.

Some battery chargers are equipped with polarity sensing circuitry. This circuitry protects the battery charger and the battery from being damaged if they are improperly connected. If the battery state-of-charge is too low for the polarity-sensing circuitry to detect, the battery charger will not operate. This makes it appear that the battery will not accept charging current. See the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the battery charger for details on how to bypass the polarity-sensing circuitry.

After the battery has been charged to 12.4 volts or greater, perform a load test to determine the battery cranking capacity. Refer to STANDARD PROCEDURES for the proper battery load test procedures. If the battery will endure a load test, return the battery to service. If the battery will not endure a load test, it is faulty and must be replaced.

Clean and inspect the battery hold downs, tray, terminals, posts, and top before completing battery service. Refer to CLEANING for the proper battery system cleaning procedures, and Battery System Inspection for the proper battery system inspection procedures.