Tools and Materials Required for Battery Maintenance
1 - Faceshield/Goggles - When removing corrosion with a stiff brush, crystallized acid particles can easily get into the eyes.
2 - Baking soda - an aqueous solution of baking soda is used to neutralize traces of corrosion.
3 - Acid-free vaseline - lubricating the battery terminals will help prevent future corrosion.
4 - Battery Terminal/Wire Lug Stripper - Specially shaped hard wire brush heads can effectively clean battery terminals and terminal clamps.
5 - Impregnated felt washers - installing such a washer directly under the terminal clamp will avoid the development of corrosion.
6 - Puller - sometimes the wire clamps are very tight on the terminals and cannot be removed even if the fasteners are completely released.
7 - Device for stripping battery terminals / wire lugs - despite the structural difference from that mentioned in paragraph 4, it is designed to perform the same tasks.
8 - Rubber gloves - do not underestimate the importance of this protective agent - do not forget that the battery contains sulfuric acid!
Warning! Performing battery health checks and maintaining the battery requires some special precautions. Remember that the hydrogen released by the electrolyte is a highly explosive gas. Do not smoke, and do not approach the work area with an open flame or a lit cigarette! Do not forget that the actual electrolyte is dilute sulfuric acid, which, if it gets into the eyes or on open areas of the body, can cause severe chemical burns. The electrolyte can also easily damage the fabric of clothing and the paintwork of body panels!
When disconnecting the battery, always disconnect the negative cable from the battery first - connect it last!
Preparation
1. A conscientious attitude to the implementation of routine preventive maintenance of the battery is the only guarantee of a quick and trouble-free engine start. Before undertaking battery maintenance, make sure you have all the necessary materials and tools at hand to ensure the safety of the work.
2. There are also a number of additional precautions that must be observed when performing battery maintenance. Before starting work, be sure to turn off the engine and turn off all electrical consumers. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery.
3. Remember that hydrogen is released in battery banks, which is not only a highly flammable gas, but also an explosive gas. Never approach the place of work with an open flame or a lit cigarette, try to use only non-sparking tools. Charge the battery in a well ventilated area.
4. The electrolyte is a solution of sulfuric acid, which not only belongs to the category of toxic chemical compounds, but is also a highly chemically aggressive substance. Do not allow electrolyte to come into contact with eyes, exposed areas of the body or clothing. When performing battery maintenance, wear safety goggles and gloves and keep children away from the work area.
5. Examine the external condition of the battery. If the positive terminal of the battery with the clip put on it is equipped with a rubber protector, make sure that the latter is not mechanically damaged. The protector must completely cover the metal components of the terminal connection. Check the condition and reliability of the fastening of the terminal connections, inspect the casing and battery cover for cracks and other mechanical damage. Make sure the clamping nuts are securely tightened. Assess the condition of the insulation of the battery wires along their entire length.
6. Some models are equipped with sealed type batteries equipped with a charge level indicator. Compare the color of the indicator spot in the viewing window with the indicator status map printed on a special label pasted on the battery case. Regularly check the condition of the battery, if necessary, charge in a timely manner and check the correct functioning of the charging system (see below and also Chapter Engine electrical equipment).
Service
1. If there is evidence of corrosion on the surface of the battery in the form of a white powdery coating, especially near the terminals, it is necessary to remove the battery from the vehicle for a thorough external cleaning. Loosen the clamp bolts with a wrench (negative first!) and carefully disconnect the wires from the battery. Give fasteners of a clamping level, lift the last and take the battery from an impellent compartment.
2. Thoroughly clean the contact surfaces of the wire terminals and battery terminals with special brushes using a solution of baking soda. Clean the surface and battery covers with the same solution. Make sure that the solution does not get inside the jars. When cleaning, wear a protective mask/goggles and rubber gloves to prevent acid particles from getting into your eyes and hands. Also try to find appropriate clothes that you won't mind throwing away later. After cleaning, rinse the treated surfaces with fresh water.
3. Check up a condition of the pallet of the battery and hairpins of fastening of a clamping level. Rinse the pan with a solution of baking soda, treat the corroded areas with a zinc-based primer.
4. Before installing the battery, make sure that no tools or materials are left on the pallet. Do not over-tighten the clamping bar fasteners.
5. To protect the terminal connections from corrosion, install specially treated felt washers on the battery terminals. After connecting the wires, cover the terminal blocks with acid-free Vaseline. Remember that the negative wire is always connected last!
6. Track reliability of a tightening of fixture of a clamping level.
Charger
Warning! During charging, highly flammable and explosive hydrogen is released in the battery banks! Do not smoke, do not approach the charging place with open flames. Wear safety goggles when approaching the battery installation site. Before connecting or disconnecting the battery to the charger, make sure that the device is powered off.
The compilers of this Guide recommend charging the battery outside the vehicle, as the gas released during the procedure is chemically aggressive to paintwork. Remember that quick charging without disconnecting the wires from the battery can lead to failure of the vehicle's electrical components.
1. The best way to restore the charge level of a battery that has run down to the point where it becomes unable to start the engine is to slowly charge it. This charging method is also the most favorable for the batteries of vehicles used for short trips. Maintaining the battery charge level is of particular importance in the winter season, when the most unfavorable conditions are created in terms of battery load, as well as during difficult engine starts and increased intensity of the operation of electricity consumers.
2. It is best to use a trickle charger (1 - 2 A), sometimes also called drip charger). Such chargers provide the most favorable battery charging mode with minimal load on the latter. For faster recharging of the battery, you can use a power source with a higher current, remember, however, that the maximum allowable charging current should not exceed 1/10 of the battery capacity (its ampere-hour characteristic). With forced charging, according to some users, which allows you to restore the charge level in one to two hours, the load on the battery becomes so high that it often fails irreversibly - try to avoid this method of recharging, resorting to it only in emergency emergencies.
3. The average duration of the battery charge period should be indicated in the instructions supplied with the charger. Usually it is from 12 to 16 hours.
4. Remove the caps on all battery cans (if any) and plug the holes with clean rags to prevent electrolyte sloshing out. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery and, observing the polarity, connect the clamps of the charger wire lugs to the battery terminals (positive to positive, negative to negative). Plug in the charger. If the unit is equipped with a selector switch, make sure the selector switch is set to the 12V position.
5. When using a power source with a charging current of more than two amps, check the battery regularly to ensure that it does not overheat. During slow charging, after an initial two-hour test, the battery can safely be left charging unattended overnight.
6. If rechargeable battery cells are equipped with filler caps with removable caps, try to check the specific gravity of the electrolyte hourly during the first few hours of charging. Many manufacturers specifically for this purpose produce fairly cheap devices called hydrometers, which can be purchased at almost any car accessories store. When using the hydrometer, follow the manufacturer's instructions that come with it. Continue charging the battery until there is no change in the density of the electrolyte during the last two hourly measurements, provided that it is free "boiling" (bubbling) in banks. Remember that in a healthy battery, the difference between the specific gravity of the electrolyte in all banks should be very small.
7. Some batteries are placed in a sealed case and are equipped with a built-in hydrometer that allows you to visually determine the battery level by the color of the color spot in the viewing window of the case. Usually, the bright color of the color spot indicates a high battery level; a dark spot indicates that the battery needs to be recharged.
8. In batteries with a sealed case without a built-in hydrometer (charge level indicator) The charge level can be checked by connecting a voltmeter to the battery terminals. The output voltage of a fully charged battery should be at least 12.6V after the surface charge is removed.