Auto Repair Help by Professional Mechanics
How Does it Work /
Car Battery
Car Battery
A car battery is a rechargeable cell in the SLI (starting-lighting-ignition)
variety of batteries. They are also in the lead acid family of batteries. Lead acid
batteries are the oldest style of rechargeable batteries. The high power output
of a car battery is necessary to supply a high current draw needed for the engine
starter. A normal car battery provides about 12.6 volts and is divided into 6 separate
cells; each cell produces about 2.1 volts per cell. As the battery state of charge
decreases the voltage produced also decreases.
Delco Car Battery
Battery power is created
through a chemical reaction. Inside your battery there are positive and negative
lead plates that are immersed in an electrolyte solution (battery acid). This solution
is a combination of water and sulfuric acid. When the solution interacts with the
lead plates, the chemical interaction creates voltage. This voltage is then released
through the batteries positive terminal (red) and returned to the negative terminal
(black). Voltage from the alternator maintains the battery state of charge. This
continuous cycle can produce electricity for years.
Common Problems
When the battery is overcharged or jump started, water in the electrolyte solution
is transformed into hydrogen and oxygen. This can cause an explosion from the battery
if a spark or another source of ignition is present. It also decreases the fluid
level inside the battery and can expose the lead plates. Exposure to oxygen can
damage these plates and reduces their ability to provide the chemical reaction needed.
Inspect your battery regularly, if acid is present replace the battery and check
the charging system.
Be extremely careful when handling a car battery, gloves and eye protection are
recommended as battery acid is highly corrosive. When charging a battery use caution,
always connect the charge leads while the charger is off. This will prevent a spark
from being created; a battery is most prone to an explosion after a battery charge.
The most common way to recharge your battery is by a process called trickle charging.
This is performed using an inexpensive trickle charger; most repair shops have a
more powerful and more expensive battery charger that is capable of charging at
a higher rate.
To jump start a car, a set of jumper cables is needed. Attach the discharged
battery to a battery of a running vehicle, connect the positive cable first, then
connect the negative cable to a good ground source (ex: engine accessory bracket)
last to avoid sparks. The jumper cables are usually color coordinated to match the
positive and negative terminals on a battery. It is important to match the terminal
via the cables on the respective batteries. It should match positive to positive
and negative to negative. Reversing these cables will result an undesirable electrical
event.
When replacing a battery be sure to wear gloves, protective goggles and long
sleeve clothing then follow these steps: First, remove the ground connection or
negative connection, then remove the positive. This will reduce the chance of a
short while disconnecting the positive cable. Next, remove the battery hold down
mount, reverse this order to reinstall. After installation is complete recheck the
charging system.
Basic Maintenance
Maintaining a car's battery is a necessary step in any vehicle's preventative
maintenance and should be checked regularly.
Clean Battery and Terminals - There are deposits that can form on the battery
terminals. These deposits are corrosive by-products of a normal battery charge and
discharge function. While wearing protective goggles and clothing, use a garden
hose to rinse the battery completely also rinse the surrounding area, this will
dilute the acid to a non-corrosive state. You can also sprinkle baking soda to help
neutralize the battery acid. Use a wire brush on the battery terminals to clean
thoroughly and reassemble, recheck
charging system as needed.
Battery Storage
Charge your battery to full capacity
Store in a cool place but not where it will be below 0 C or 32 degrees
Fahrenheit
Check the battery every two months and recharge if needed
Remove all electrical connectors from the battery
Replace Battery Cables - If excessive corrosion on battery cables are observed
they should be replaced. Corrosion can cause high resistance resulting in a starter
operation failure. Avoid using after market cables as they may not be manufactured
to proper specifications resulting in poor battery performance.
Recycling Old Batteries - An old car battery is completely recyclable, contact
your local recycling station, auto part store or repair garage. Do not discard an
old battery in a land fill or the back of your garage.
How
Does it Work /
Car Battery
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