Charging a Car Battery with 2 Amps: Know the Basics

by Phil Borges // in Car

Charging a car battery with 2 amps is something that many people are curious about, as it’s not always the easiest task.

A lot of people know they need to charge their battery and want to do it right, so they don’t end up damaging the battery or making matters worse.

Is charging a car battery with 2 amps an easy and efficient way to get your battery back to full power?

Luckily, we’ve got all the answers you’re looking for.

In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know how long to charge car battery at 2 amps including the basics of how long the charging will take.

When is the best time to charge the car battery?

At what percentage do you think your battery is at? Does it need to be charged right away?

It is always best to consider these questions to determine if the car battery needs to be charged. The best way to do this is by first reading the battery and determining how many amps it holds.

Car batteries come in a variety of different amp-hours that are usually around 20-60 for most vehicles. Once you know the specific amperage, it is then very simple to utilize an automotive multimeter or car battery tester to measure how charged your vehicle’s battery currently is.

If 12 volts or higher then that means full power. If between 11-12 volts this indicates about half of its capacity but still fine (although not ideal). Anything below 10 volts might require charging very soon to avoid damaging the battery.

Some good reminders to keep the car battery in good shape are:

  • Keep proper maintenance to your car’s battery. This could be done by charging it at least once a month if you are not using the vehicle regularly and checking for corrosion on top.
  • For most vehicles, this is typically every one to three months depending on how much time they spend sitting idle.
  • This will prevent any damage from occurring or future battery failure due to improper maintenance.

What Is An Amp Hour?

An amp-hour is a measure of how much current a battery can discharge in one hour. It is measured by the total amount of amp-hours that have been discharged over time, or ampere-hour capacity (AH), and this number varies based on the voltage level.

It is best to know how amp-hour works before you can even figure out how long it takes to charge a car battery.

For instance, you can tell how much power a car’s headlights use by the number of amps they need from your battery. A typical modern halogen bulb draws 8-12, but in an older muscle-type vehicle that may be as high as 20. If you have 50 amp batteries and ten amperes is needed for your lights to run – then five hours will elapse before it goes dead on you again.

The engine, headlights, and other electrical components on your car all draw a different amount of energy. The more powerful the component is, the higher amp hours it draws per hour of use.

How long to charge a car battery at 2 amps?

Since we have tackled the basics of car batteries and amps, let’s take a look at how long it will take to charge your battery if you’re using two amps.

It is possible that charging with only two amps may not be enough for the battery; however, some vehicles still work even when they are below 12 volts (this is usually due to generators).

A 50 amp battery that is half depleted has 25 amps missing. If you charge it at a rate of 12.5 amps, then the process will take about 12 hours for the battery to be fully charged up again – assuming there are no other factors involved like external resistance or cold weather which would affect charging time and quantity of power available in the first place.

Why charge the car battery at 2 amps?

Charging at a lower speed or 2 amps is often the preferred method for many people because it is safer and doesn’t put as much strain on your battery.

Fast charging can cause the battery plates to buckle, which will lead to a loss of function and damage. Another reason is that It can lead the battery to overheat and can even cause a fire.

Which is best to use, a 10 amp or a 2 amp charger for the car battery?

It’s important to charge your battery the correct way; too fast and you risk damaging it, but too slow will take forever which we don’t want either.

How a car battery is charged depends on its size. A 2 amp charger car battery will take 24 hours to charge, while 10 amps only take 5 hours.

If you’re in a hurry, it’s better to use a 10 amp battery charger. But if your car has been sitting for an extended period of time and the engine is cold, then try charging at 2 amps instead since that will take longer but won’t be as risky on your battery life.

Conclusion

It is always important to know the basics about how batteries work and what amps are before you charge your battery. This will help you get a better idea of why there are different types of chargers that can be used, in addition to knowing when it might be necessary or beneficial for your car battery’s sake to use one type over another.

Finding out how long to charge a car battery at two amps is actually pretty easy and can be done in a few minutes.

So to wrap up, all you need are some basic tools and some math skills, which most people have. Knowing how much charge is left in your battery can help you figure out when it will next be fully charged. To find the amount of hours needed, convert amps to a time frame using then divide missing amp-hour by two.

We hope that this article has been helpful to you. You now know the basics of car batteries and even determine when is best to use a charger plus learned how long it will take to charge a car battery at two amps.

About the author, Phil Borges

Phil Borges is a battery aficionado. He's written extensively about batteries, and he loves nothing more than discussing the latest innovations in the industry. He has a deep understanding of how batteries work, and he's always on the lookout for new ways to improve their performance.