# Using Electricity from home to charge car battery

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-electricity-from-home-to-charge-car-battery/676859>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 20, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-electricity-from-home-to-charge-car-battery/676859 "2013-12-20T23:40:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-electricity-from-home-to-charge-car-battery/676859/21 "2013-12-23T08:17:56Z")

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Many year ago I bough a cart-style charger-starter.  
Figured I’d use the “start” function 2 or 3 times.

Turns out, the “Start” function is all it ever gets used for.

To properly charge a battery, set the charge rate to 2 amps and run it overnight. A slow, deep charge will produce a more durable charge than a 2-hour @ 15 amp.

I would STRONGLY recommend the portable pack type unit. Keep it in the trunk; if you use it, put it on the floor of the passenger side - seeing it there will remind you to charge it (2 amps overnight!).

The additional functionality of air compressor make this a no-brainer.

I used to carry a spare battery, jumper cables, and an air tank when traveling long distances.  
Took up a lot of space.  
The same functionality is now available in the format of a large purse of small attache case.

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