Safest Way To Charge a Car Battery in the Rain

Have you ever faced the frightening scenario of being stuck in a rainstorm with a car that won’t start? If so, you’ve probably wondered how to safely charge a car battery in the rain when you don’t have the opportunity to get to the best auto parts store. Fortunately, most car electrical systems have very low voltages, which means you have minimal chance of being injured while jump-starting your car in wet conditions. However, for the lowest chance of injury, here are some steps for safely charging your car battery in inclement weather. 

Step 1: Pull Off the Road

If you’re in the middle of the road, it’s important to pull or push the vehicle off to the side if possible. Even if it’s daylight outside, it is never safe to leave a stalled vehicle in the roadway. The vehicle that helps charge car battery should also be pulled off the road and should face the front end of your vehicle (unless either of the vehicles has an engine that’s mounted in the rear).

Step 2: Turn Engines Off Before Opening the Hoods

Even though your vehicle won’t start, it’s still important to turn the ignition to the “off” position before opening the hood. Failing to do so could result in electric shock.

Step 3: Lay a Tarp or Other Material Over Both Hoods

If you or the person jump-starting your car has a tarp or other type of water-resistant material in the vehicle, use it to cover both hoods. Doing so will help keep water off the car batteries so you don’t get shocked.

Step 4: Connect the Cables Correctly

Connect the red jump start cables with the positive battery terminals in each car. Connect the black cables to the negative battery terminals. The vehicle engines should be off during this time to prevent electric shock if you accidentally crisscross your wires.

Step 5: Start the Engine

Start the engine of the car that has a charged battery, then wait a few minutes to allow the other car’s battery to sufficiently charge. Attempt to start the engine of the car with the dead battery. If it doesn’t start, wait up to 10 more minutes to allow the battery to charge. Then, try again. If you still can’t start the battery, it is probably dead and you may need to head to the best auto parts store to get replacement Optima batteries.

If there is no one nearby to give you a jump-start, you can attempt to recharge your battery with a potable charger. Such devices are common in basic car emergency kits. Remove the potable charger and follow the same steps outlined above to recharge your battery. Instead of attempting to start your vehicle right away, wait at least 20 minutes after you connect your car battery charger and flip the switch on before you attempt to start your vehicle. If the car fails to start the first time, wait another 10 minutes before trying again.

To prevent vehicle stalls in bad weather, make sure you check your battery twice per year. If it fails to hold a full charge for long, it’s time to replace it with a more reliable battery.