Car is a means of transportation for the majority of individuals. Such people have little knowledge about the working mechanics of cars. And there is nothing wrong with that. I assume!
The scenario is quite diverse for motorheads as this bunch of people want to explore all the dimensions of the car. For car lovers, the car is not a mere means of transportation.
For a car person, the car is something personal, something close to their heart, something that matters to them. For them, the car is an emotion.
This is why they want to explore all the undiscovered things related to cars. This article has highlighted one of the concerns of motorheads, and that revolves around connecting extension cords to a car battery.
To gain insight into extension cords and how to connect an extension cord to a car battery, continue reading the writing.
Why Do You Need to Connect an Extension Cord to a Car Battery?
Before jumping into the ways of connecting an extension cord to a battery, it is important to know why you need to connect the two in the first place.
For that purpose, you need to fathom the charging system of a car. The electrical parts of a car need electric current to start, and that current or electric power is supplied by an alternator.
Alternators contain a rotor and stator that rotate synchronously to produce Alternating Current or AC. Car needs Direct Current (DC) to move, and that is why AC is continuously converted to DC.
Contrary to that, other home electronics like LED lights and fans need AC to function. If you intend to use these batteries to operate other home electronics, you will need an inverter. That is when the role of the extension wire comes.
2 Easy-to-Take Steps for Connecting an Extension Cord to a Car Battery
Wiring car batteries with an extension cord is something not prevalent in developing countries. That is why people assume it would be a demanding task.
However, it is not. Go through two easy steps outlined next to know how simple the whole thing is.
Step 1: Connect Wires on Same-Colored Terminals
To comprehend this step, you must know a little about battery terminals. Well, batteries have two terminals known as the positive terminal and the negative terminal.
Both terminals have + and – signs on them. Previously, lead was used in their manufacturing because it was one of the best conductors of electricity. After some time passed, steel was used in terminal manufacturing. This shift was made because of the detrimental impacts of lead on the environment.
Now that you have understood the basics of terminals move forward to understand the wiring of extensions with terminals and inverters.
The inverter kit comes with a bunch of wires and extension cords. First of all, you need to assemble the wires correctly. Make sure you connect A color wire with the same color terminal. The same goes for other colored wires and terminals.
This step is crucial. A minor mistake of yours while connecting the wires to targeted terminals can create massive problems for you. For instance, if you mistakenly connect the red-colored wire to a blue-colored terminal, an uncontrollable power surge can occur.
This uncontrollable power surge eventually set the path to fires, overloads, and massive heating in the surroundings.
Step 2: Turn On the Inverter to See if Set-up is Functional or Not
After you have connected the extensions with the right terminals, you need to turn on the inverter. Before doing that, ensure a smooth connection of targeted electronics with a power strip.
Steadily, switch ON the inverter to see if the electronics are working or not. If it doesn’t work, you might not have connected the wires properly. Recheck all the wires and again test the apparatus. After you are done with the purpose for which you built the set-up and are now planning to disconnect all the wires, do it gently.
Keep in the notice the following points when disconnecting the whole network of extensions and wires;
- Make sure you have turned OFF the devices before disconnecting the wires connected to the inverter.
- Make sure you turn off the negative terminal first. If unintentionally or intentionally you turned off the positive terminal first, a blast or explosion could occur.
- Make sure you turn off the inverter before disconnecting the wires. Otherwise, tremendous power surges could take place.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use car batteries for supplying electricity to my home?
It is easy to use car batteries to supply needed electric power to certain devices. However, if you intend to use car batteries as a source of electricity for your house, you will need a good-quality inverter with all accessories like plug-in connectors and clamps.
- Is it possible to charge car batteries with the help of a cell phone charger?
Unfortunately not. This is because the current supplying power by a phone charger is different from the amount of electric current car batteries required to function.
Car batteries are 12V, whereas a phone charger is half of it, meaning that a standard phone charger is around 5V.
- Is it possible to charge a car battery without a specific charger?
Yes, it is possible to charge car batteries without the aid of a charger. For instance, you can charge a car battery in either of the following ways;
- Using power inverters or solar panels
- Utilizing jump leads with a donor battery
- Utilizing a jump starter
- Using another motor vehicle
Final Statement
How to connect an extension cord to a car battery or why to connect an extension wire to batteries are some of the major concerns of the majority of people. Car lovers want to know everything because they don’t want to do something they will regret later. This article has discussed two main steps to connect an extension cord to the car batteries. Hopefully, the article will positively benefit you!
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