At some point, when you own Power Wheels, the charger spoils, and you have to find a new way to charge the toy vehicle while you find a replacement charger. There are so many ways that you charge a Power Wheels battery without a charger.
You don’t need a charger to recharge your Power Wheels when the battery gets low. Connect the battery to a power source using plugs and monitor the current flow until the Power Wheels battery is full. You can charge Power Wheels using the following:
- Car battery
- A direct plug
- A portable battery jump starter
- Using a solar panel
Need a Replacement Charger?
If you are looking for a replacement charger or battery this guide will help you.
Tools to Charge Power Wheels Battery Without a Charger
You need to keep some tools close if you choose to charge your Power Wheels battery without a charger. The tools will make it easy to disconnect the battery when you want to charge it and reconnect when it is full. It would be best if you had the following tools.
- Alligator clamps
- A screwdriver
- A multi voltmeter
- Power plugs
- Adaptors
You may need a power plug when you use a direct power source like a power outlet. However, alligator clamps will be your best friend when you charge a Power Wheels battery using batteries.
How to Get a Battery Ready for Charging
The first thing you need to do right is how to disconnect a battery from the vehicle and remove it. Power Wheels batteries are clamped down to reduce wobbling when the toy vehicle is in motion.
Use a screwdriver to remove the clamps and get the battery out of the toy vehicle.
Another thing you need to do is unplug the battery from the toy’s system. Start by disconnecting the negative terminal before you disconnect the positive one.
Carefully remove the battery and place it on a flat surface covered with a towel. Placing the battery on a flat surface prevents the acids inside from spilling.
Inspect the battery for any flaws or cracks that may lead to an explosion when you charge the battery. Do not charge your Power Wheels battery if you notice something is not right with it.
It would be best to find a replacement battery if you notice cracks in the existing one.
Charging Power Wheels Using Different Methods
It takes different methods to recharge Power Wheels when you don’t have the luxury of using a charger. Understanding how each process works ensures that you can preserve the integrity of your toy car battery.
Method 1: Car Battery
If you have a car, you can recharge Power Wheels without using a charger. Ensure that your car battery has enough juice before you start charging Power Wheels with the help of alligator clamps.
Many parents have a vehicle, and it is the easiest way to recharge a toy vehicle without a charger.
Most Power Wheels batteries have a voltage of 6V or 12V, and car batteries operate on 15V, which is good enough for charging Power Wheels batteries.
Start by connecting the positive terminal of the battery to the positive terminal of your car battery. Repeat the process with the negative terminals to complete the circuit.
Attach the pins on the voltmeter to the toy car battery to see whether the current is flowing as it should. If you see movement in the current meter, then the current is flowing from the car battery to the toy car battery.
Check the voltage of the battery every few hours to ensure that you don’t overcharge your battery. A 12V battery should show a voltage higher than 12V when it is full. Unplug the battery as soon as you notice it is getting hot.
It might be a sign that the car battery’s voltage is too high than the voltage the toy car battery can handle.
Method 2: A Direct Plug
There is a way that you can charge Power Wheels batteries directly from an electric power port. It would be best to plug alligator clamps to attach the battery to the power cord.
A cord with an adapter will enable you to control the current’s voltage and prevent the battery from getting fried.
You need to select a suitable location to place the battery when charging it. It shouldn’t be in a place where there is high traffic or somewhere that your child can reach.
It should be a flat surface like a countertop, and you should place a towel under the battery.
Attach the positive alligator clamp to the positive terminal on the battery and repeat it to the negative terminal. Use the voltmeter to check the current and ensure that you don’t overcharge the battery.
Once the battery is full, disconnect the negative terminal first before disconnecting the positive terminal.
There is a possibility of overcharging Power Wheels batteries if you don’t keep a close eye on the battery when charging. You need to be vigilant when using a plug directly into an electric port if you don’t want to destroy your battery’s intelligence.
Method 3: A Portable Battery Jump Starter
Portable battery jump starters are meant to jump-start cars that are low on charge during the cold season. You can use the battery jump starter for charging Power Wheels batteries when your charger is broken.
Some portable battery jump starters pack a punch, and they can efficiently recharge 6V and 12V Power Wheels.
Most portable battery jump starters come with their alligator clamps, making it easy to recharge your toy car battery at any time. You will have to recharge your portable battery jump starter if you wish to continue using it for charging Power Wheels.
Method 4: Solar Panels
Solar panel technology has come a long way, and some panels can help you recharge your Power Wheels. Most solar panels have an electric converter that has electric ports to insert a plug and charge electronics.
You can use it with a plug that will allow you to connect alligator clamps directly and charge your battery. Use your voltmeter to check the current flowing into the battery and see whether the battery is full.
Keep an eye on the battery to ensure you don’t overcharge the battery and fry it.
Reconnecting the Battery
Once the battery is at full capacity, you need to reconnect it in the toy car for your child to drive it. It is easy to reconnect it. Place the battery in its slot under the hood.
Connect the positive adapter to the positive terminal and do the same for the negative terminal. Close the hood and start the toy car to see whether you did the reconnection right.
If you choose to store your child’s toy vehicle until you receive the replacement charger, there is no need for reconnecting the battery yet. You can keep the battery in the garage and reconnect it when your new charger arrives.
Store the toy vehicle well, and don’t leave it outside in the harsh weather elements.
What Not To Do When Using Alternative Charging Methods
There are a few precautions that can help you maintain the integrity of your battery. Some mistakes will destroy your battery before you can even buy a replacement charger.
Here are some of the things that you need to avoid at all costs.
- Do not charge a battery that shows signs of degradation or cracks. If you go ahead, you risk the chance of the battery exploding while it is charging.
- Always disconnect the negative terminal before the positive one to preserve your battery. Disconnecting the negative terminal first can cause a power surge that can destroy a car battery when you use your car to charge Power Wheels batteries.
- Please don’t leave the battery plugged into the charger without monitoring it consistently. Leaving a battery to charge overnight makes it easy to overcharge it and damage it in the process.
- Don’t use alternative methods of charge your Power Wheels for too long because it will destroy your toy car battery.
- Please don’t use a power source with a high current in the hopes of reducing the time it takes to charge Power Wheels. Choose a source with a voltage that matches your toy car to keep the battery in mint condition.
How Soon Should You Replace a Charger?
It would help if you replaced your charger as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t damage your toy vehicle’s battery. There are replacement chargers from Power Wheels available on Amazon or the company website.
Each battery has a specific voltage, and you should pick a charger that matches your toy vehicle’s voltage.
It would be best to place an order for a new charger as soon as you realize the old one isn’t working. Power Wheels make their batteries to be charged with their chargers.
The company discourages users from purchasing third-party products to use on Power Wheels.
Make sure you select a charger that is compatible with your kind of Power Wheels to ensure that it works well. Ideally, alternative methods of charging toy cars are only for a couple of days.
The best way to charge Power Wheels is by using a charger from the company.
How to Determine a Charger That Doesn’t Work
Power Wheels have a specific charging time by which the battery is full and ready for use. A charger is faulty when you notice that your battery doesn’t fully charge within the given timeline.
Another sign that you have a defective battery is when the charge runs out faster than the toy car’s running time.
Sometimes the battery won’t charge at all, which can be disappointing for your child looking forward to playing with the toy car. You will need to buy a replacement charger to charge your Power Wheels and ensure your little one has fun.
Once you realize that your charger is faulty, you need to stop using it. A defective charger can damage your battery if you keep using it.
Also, use the appropriate way to dispose of any faulty chargers you may have in the house.
Why Charge Power Wheels when the Battery is Faulty
According to Fisher-Price, you should store Power Wheels with the battery full to prevent it from dying. It would help if you found a way of charging Power Wheels when the charge runs out, and you lack a charger.
Leaving your toy vehicle with low power increases the odds of the battery getting depleted of all energy.
Once the charge in toy car batteries reaches zero, it is dead, and you will need to buy a replacement for your toy car.
Therefore, you need to use alternative methods to keep the vehicle’s charge and prevent the battery from dying. You should monitor the charge in your battery so that it doesn’t dip too low.
Power Wheels batteries retain about 15% charge when they indicate a low battery. Therefore, every recharge is more like a refill to the little remaining charge. At 0%, the battery won’t be in a position to accept any more charges.
Is It Safe to Charge Power Wheels Without a Charger?
It is safe to recharge Power Wheels using alternative methods if you do it a few times. The alternatives are an option in the absence of a charger.
It would help if you still replaced your charger at your earliest convenience to preserve your battery.
A word of caution as you use alternative methods of charging Power Wheels. Keep a close eye on the battery when it is charging.
Always measure the current after attaching alligator clamps to the battery, check the battery charge from time to time to know when it’s full, and disconnect it from the charger.
Conclusion
It is possible to charge Power Wheels batteries without a charger. Although it is inconvenient because of taking out the battery for each recharge, it is an efficient way to do it.
The most straightforward method is using a car battery and alligator clamps because most parents own a car.
Prolonged use of alternative charging methods can lead to the deterioration of your batteries. Also, inadequate monitoring of the battery when charging can lead to permanent damage.
Mistakes can lead to buying the wrong replacement battery and charger. Overall, the alternative methods will help you keep your kid happy as you find a way to get a new charger.
If you determine the battery no longer holds a charge make sure to recycle the battery, it’s easy!
Please be careful and use at your own risk
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