Car batteries are the life of a car so they need to be taken well care off and they can reach their full potential if taken care of. Vehicles need to be driven regularly and for distances that allow the battery to recharge itself properly or it will discharge its power and run flat. In fact, regular longer runs could double the life of your battery. So even if your vehicle is to stay stationary it`s important that you take care of the battery and charge it by running the engine or simply taking it out and charging it in your garage so power is not discharged. As the battery discharges, the acid of the electrolyte reacts with the materials of the plates, changing lead dioxide to lead sulfate. When the battery is recharged, the chemical reaction is reversed, the lead sulfate reforms into lead dioxide. With the plates restored to their original condition, the process may be repeated. Generally a car battery usually lasts six but that heavily depends on how you take care of it.
So there are three ways to kill battery and these are, heat, vibration and discharging as discussed above. Heat accelerates corrosion and electrolyte evaporation, both of which can kill a car battery. If the battery has air dams or tubes to direct air at or around it, removal could prevent proper cooling.
Vibration shakes the plates around and can loosen internal connections. A properly fitted battery hold-down will prevent excessive vibration from ruining the battery. Short trips will also kill a car battery, as the generator isn’t running long enough to fully charge the battery every time the car is started. A float charger or battery maintainer is a good idea for those who don’t take long trips.
In the event that the battery has died there are few things you need to check to ensure that you get the correct battery. First you need to visit websites on the internet and type of battery you check vehicle registration or the make and model then pick from the selection of batteries chosen for being the correct one for your car.
To begin replacing a battery you disconnect the battery negative terminal, usually marked in black or with a (–) symbol. Then disconnect the battery positive terminal, usually marked in red or with a (+) symbol. Remove the battery hold-down and the battery. Clean corrosion from the battery cables, and then install the battery in the reverse order of removal.
Once you’ve removed your old car battery, bring it to a recycling station or transfer station — the autoparts store usually will take it back when you buy a new battery. Car battery recycling keeps dangerous chemicals and elements from getting into the environment. Used lead plates are recycled into dozens of other products, as is the sulfuric acid electrolyte and even plastic casings; often back into new car batteries.
More coming in this series…..
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