12 Volt Battery Charging
Never exceed twenty amperes when charging a cold (-1° C [30° F] or lower) battery. The battery may arc internally and explode. Personal injury or vehicle damage may result.
If the battery shows signs of freezing, leaking, loose posts, do not test, assist-boost, or charge. The battery may arc internally and explode. Personal injury or vehicle damage may result.
EXPLOSIVE HYDROGEN GAS FORMS IN AND AROUND THE BATTERY. DO NOT SMOKE, USE FLAME, OR CREATE SPARKS NEAR THE BATTERY. PERSONAL INJURY OR VEHICLE DAMAGE MAY RESULT.
THE BATTERY CONTAINS SULFURIC ACID, WHICH IS POISONOUS AND CAUSTIC. AVOID CONTACT WITH THE SKIN, EYES, OR CLOTHING. IN THE EVENT OF CONTACT, FLUSH WITH WATER AND CALL A PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.
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.
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.
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.
CHARGING A BATTERY: Batteries should be charged one of two ways depending on the situation and reason for charging. A battery is fully-charged when:
- The approved Mopar® battery tester indicates battery is GOOD.
- All of the battery cells are gassing freely during battery charging.
- An Open-circuit voltage of the battery is 12.6 volts or above.
It was previously documented to never blind charge a vehicle at the pole clamp. However, if the vehicle is brought in with a battery issue or complaint, and the battery is being charged and tested using the approved Mopar® battery tester, the tester should be connected directly to the Pole clamp at the negative Battery post. With the updates done on the approved Mopar® battery tester, it will not test the battery correctly if connected and charged through the Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS). After performing any testing requiring blind charging, a battery has been replaced or after any repairs are made, the IBS reset should be initiated to allow the IBS to update quickly. See FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION - INTELLIGENT BATTERY SENSOR (IBS) for details on initiating the IBS learning curve.
CHARGING USING THE APPROVED MOPAR® BATTERY TESTER (RECOMMENDED)
- The approved Mopar® battery tester software has been updated to improve testing and charging. Before connecting the battery tester, verify that the tester has been updated to the latest software version.
- Disconnect the battery cables from the battery posts. Refer to BATTERY DISCONNECT - DUAL 12 VOLT BATTERY SYSTEM .
- Connect the battery tester to the vehicle and select battery charging.
- Pick the type of battery being charged (AGM, Lead Sulfated).NOTE:
If unsure which type of battery is being tested, check the sticker on top of the battery. AGM batteries will typically be called out on the sticker indicating that the battery is an AGM battery. On some vehicles the battery thermal cover may need to be pulled back to see the sticker.
- Charge the battery with the tester.NOTE:
An AGM battery should never be charged above 14.4 volts. A standard flooded battery should not be charged above 14.4 volts for an extended period.
- The screen should display the amperage, voltage, and the expected charge time.
CHARGING USING A STANDARD BATTERY CHARGER
- This should only be performed if the vehicle was not brought in for a battery issue and a battery is depleted during service. The battery should be charged through the IBS. To do this the negative clamp on the charger should be placed on the negative cable attachment to the IBS, the Jump Post terminal if equipped, or a good chassis ground, NOT the Pole clamp at the negative Battery post. Without proper clamp placement, the IBS data will not update.
An AGM battery should never be charged above 14.4 volts. A standard flooded battery should not be charged above 14.4 volts for an extended period.
Perform an IBS reset by removing the IBS from the battery cable end and disconnecting the IBS harness connector for 30 seconds after an auxiliary battery is charged or replaced on a dual 12 volt battery system. This will allow the IBS to default to an 80% State Of Charge (SOC) and initiate the quick learning curve. For a detailed explanation on the IBS reset, refer to BATTERY SYSTEM, DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION .