Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions About Car Battery

Life and Performance

The battery is one of the most critical components of your vehicle's electrical system. It consists of six cells, each producing about 2.1 volts – for a total of 12.6 volts when fully charged – and provides power whenever the engine is running. When your engine isn't running, such as at an intersection or in heavy traffic, it gets power from other sources such as your alternator and stores that power so it can be used later to start the engine again.

If you imagine those cells as stacks of coins sitting on the edge with each coin representing a single cell, then the height of those stacks represents voltage: 1 coin = 2.1 V; 5 coins = 10.5 V; 6 coins = 12.6V

Q. How long will it take to recharge my battery?

A. It depends on why the Car Battery Bromsgrove went dead in the first place. Still, if your battery's condition is marginal due to age or infrequent use, you may not be able to recharge it fully enough to restore its full power until you replace it with a new one.

Suppose you can easily get your vehicle started again by popping open the hood and giving the battery a few minutes of "supplemental" charge from another vehicle's running engine.

In that case, it will probably jump-start just fine after being charged overnight using either an AC charger or a trickle charger unit plugged into your cigarette lighter socket/power accessory outlet. In that case, you might see as much as a 50 per cent increase in your battery's state of charge from the AC charger alone. And if not, then use either a fast, high-output "trickle" charger for between 30 minutes and an hour or two – or a slow but steady "maintenance" type automatic trickle charger for at least eight to 10 hours – and expect a similar increase in your battery's available power. 

However, if it still refuses to hold a charge after being given one overnight – even though you may have been able to recharge it briefly using another vehicle's running engine – then it needs to be replaced before any kind of auxiliary charging system will produce results.

Q. How do I take care of my car battery?

A. Regularly check your Car Battery Bromsgrove fluid levels to ensure they are at the correct level for the cells' water-to-electrolyte solution ratio, usually between about 1/2 and 2/3 full. Wipe up any spills immediately because battery acid can damage other components quickly.

Also, inspect the connections to be sure they're tight and corrosion-free, especially the ground connections that attach to your vehicle's chassis or other metal parts, as well as those attaching cables to replacement batteries if you use one. Keep replacement jumper cables clean and in good condition, so they'll always work when needed – whether you need them for yourself or someone else who might otherwise be stranded with a dead battery.

Q. What is the best way to jump-start a car?

A. You should always remember to:

Make sure both cars are turned off and their parking brakes set before connecting cables;

• Connect each cable to its respective positive (+) terminal – red for one, black or dark blue for the other – but do not let either cable accidentally touch the ground (-), such as your engine block or any painted surface inside the engine compartment;

• Connect one end of a positive (+) cable from either battery to your dead battery's positive (+) post first, then connect the negative (-) cable from the live battery in turn with lastly connecting another negative (-) cable from your now live battery's negative (-) post to something metal on your engine block away from the battery itself, other than ground (-) to avoid shorting it out;

• If you need someone to help you push while your car's engine is running, then let that person sit in the car while someone else pushes it slowly while both cars are parked but left running.

• The jumper should stay with his/her vehicle for this reason and keep its parking brake off only long enough to get the two cars moving forward about 10 feet so they can be pushed all the way together because cables could come loose if one or both vehicles stop before they are pushed far enough.

However, once they are being pushed together by hand, either passenger can get out of their respective vehicle(s) without problem to connect the cables once they are close enough, then hop back in their cars to continue pushing them together.

Q. What should I know before fitting a new car battery?

A. Be sure you have safely lifted your old battery out of its tray or holding clips and set it aside carefully out of the way of where you'll be working because even if it appears dead, corrosive acid may still be leaking from inside its cells;

• Look at each cell's height (the distance between the top of its electrolyte) to make sure all are filled up to roughly the same level with a water-to-electrolyte solution;

• Use only distilled water if needed for any reason to bring levels to back up in cells that need it;

• Ensure each cell's rubber caps are in place and tightly in place over each cell's positive (+) and negative (-) connections to prevent any kind of accidental shorting out when you're using your new battery.

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Created on Mar 14th 2022 02:11. Viewed 252 times.

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