Services
Insurance
Loans
Repairs
Advice
About

What charges your car battery when driving?

My car battery died while I was at work yesterday. Thankfully a coworker was able to jump it, but he mentioned that I should charge the battery well before turning it off again. What charges your battery while driving?

avatar
Macy Fouse · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
A car battery without much charge can definitely slow you down! 
The battery is charged by the alternator while you’re driving. Whether you have a car battery charging device or were able to jump the battery, you still need to give it time to charge before it’s working full force again.
Here are a few ways to recharge the battery while you’re driving:
  • The car needs to be driven at over 1,000 RPM for a continuous time. This will take longer if your battery has been dead for a while. 
  • Driving for about 30 minutes should do the trick. To charge the battery fully, try to drive for about an hour without any electric components on, like the lights or radio.
  • The battery can also be charged while idling. 
  • Revving your engine while your battery charges also might help your car restart faster due to the increased electric current to the battery.
View full answer 
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

Join 4M+ members in lowering their car insurance

Easiest way to compare and buy car insurance

√
No long forms
√
No spam or unwanted phone calls
√
Quotes from top insurance companies
Find insurance savings