How to Connect a Wall Plug to a Car Battery?

Suppose you are on a long drive and your car suddenly ran out of battery power. It is not possible to always bring a car battery charger with you everywhere.

In that case, you will have to use whatever electronic outlet you have available around you. You will need to know how to connect a wall plug to a car battery for this to work.

You can use a power inverter to convert the car’s battery power appropriately enough for an electronic wall plug. Otherwise, you can wire the wall plug through your dashboard and connect it to the car battery.

In this article, we will show you how you can connect the car battery to a normal house wall plug in case of an emergency.

How to Connect a Wall Plug to a Car Battery?

The utmost important part of connecting a wall plug to your car battery is ensuring that both power sources’ voltage is completely even. Electrical powers are delivered in two ways, and they are-

1. Direct current
2. Alternating current

If the wall plug, aka the electric power source of your house, doesn’t match the car’s battery, it could create severe problems. The battery could overload the power outlet you are using, or the built-in electric adaptor could get overloaded as well.

There are only two ways of connecting a wall plug to a car battery. The two methods are-

1. Installing an inverter in your car
2. Attach the outlet directly to your car

We will now discuss both of the processes in depth.

Installing an Inverter in Your Car

Installing an inverter appropriate for your car battery is the most convenient way of connecting to a power source like a wall plug. It is way more manageable and ensures delivering just the right voltage of power your car battery needs.

For instance, if the wall plug is the source of Direct current, then the inverter will simply convert the DC power into AC power. A good inverter can change a standard 110 volts of an electrical outlet for the car battery as needed.

Things You Should Consider Before Buying an Inverter

Compatibility is the first and foremost when getting an inverter for your car battery to connect with a wall outlet. You can’t just use any kind of random inverter along with your battery.

You need to look out for a few things when you are getting a new inverter for your car battery.

• You need to get an inverter that is designed to be compatible with car batteries.
• The inverter should be able to take in 12-volt power and convert it to 110 volts.
• Make sure that the inverter has a plugin connector and a set of clamps with it.
• Check how much wattage and voltage the inverter can distribute and ensure it is enough for you.

Installation Process Of An Inverter To Your Car Battery

You can choose a small or large-sized inverter to install on your car battery. It depends on your usage and preference. You will find several suitable inverters with USB ports and 2-3 plug-in connectors.

Follow the steps mentioned below for installing the inverter to the car battery.

Put The Inverter In A Suitable Place

There are usually holes in the sides of the inverter for inserting screws. You will need to screw the inverter to the car bed to secure it. It could be the glove compartment, the trunk, or underneath the car seat.

Acquire The Wiring Harness

You can directly attach the adapter to the car battery using the wiring harness. The wiring harness connects the electronic components with the car battery. It can be located in two possible places-

• Behind the radio
• Behind the AC adaptor in the dashboard

Attach The Wiring Harness To The Battery

Now you have to connect the cables to the built-in wires of the inverter. The cable has to be a little longer than the inverted initially needs. Connect the other end of the cable to the battery as usual.

That’s it. Now you can test the inverter out and check if it is charging your battery properly.

Directly Wiring A Power Outlet In Your Car

You can install a power outlet directly to your car to connect it to the battery. The installation process of this could be difficult. You will need a few necessary things to complete the process. The things you should gather beforehand are-

• An appropriate toolbox for the battery removal
• Distilled water
• Safety glass
• Connectors

Take Necessary Precautions

To ensure a safe installation process, you must take some necessary measures. Such precautions should include these-

• Make sure there is no combustible material around the battery.
• The exterior of the battery needs to be completely dry.
• Ensure that there is no fuel leakage.
• Use protective glasses and gloves for safety measures.

Fill The Battery With Distilled Water

You need to fill the battery with distilled water carefully. Make sure you fill it up until the interior plates are completely covered.

If any water spills, dry and clean it off right away. All the connections need to be done in a completely dry area.

Connect The Cable To The Battery Charger

You need to connect the charger’s red side to the battery’s positive pole. On the other hand, connect the charger’s black side to the battery’s negative pole. This connection should be absolutely correct in order for the process to work.

Connect The Battery Charger To The Wall Plug

The last step is to connect the battery charger to a socket convenient to you. And now, you can directly charge your car battery from the wall plug.

FAQs

There are a few commonly asked questions about connecting a wall plug to a car battery. We will try to answer a few of the most asked questions here.

Can I Wire an Outlet to A 12v Battery?

Yes, you can wire an outlet to a 12V battery. For that, you can connect a 12 V socket directly to the battery. Additionally, you can also wire it directly to the electrical system.

Is It Possible to Charge My Car Battery in My House?

You can charge the car battery in your house. However, it is not a very reliable way to do it as there could be hydrogen build-up. It could make the battery explode. Even corrosive sulfuric acid can leak and ruin your indoors.

Can You Jump Your Car from A Wall Outlet?

No, you can not jump your car from a wall outlet directly. The wall outlet runs on DC power, but your car needs AC power. So, you will need an inverter in order to jump-start your car from a wall outlet.

Bottom Line

If you travel far often, knowing how to connect a wall plug to a car battery will be really beneficial to you. You can recharge even a dead battery with the help of a power outlet available to you anywhere this way.

Always check the power sources’ compatibility before connecting the car battery to a wall plug. Remember, the car battery needs AC power which you can get by plugging in an inverter.

Meta Description: Discover how to connect a wall plug to a car battery and know all the ins and outs of the entire procedure.