Your Car Battery require regular maintenance and checkup without which you can loose the performance of your car

Car batteries or automotive batteries are a rechargeable battery that serves the purpose of supplying electrical current to the starter which, as its name implies, starts the engine. Once the engine has been started and is running, the vehicle no longer relies on the car battery to power it’s electrical components. Instead, the alternator supplies all the electrical current required. Automotive batteries are designed to supply the maximum current for a brief period and are sometimes referred to as SLI batteries; for Starting Lighting and Ignition.

These batteries are not designed for deep discharging and doing so can significantly shorten the battery’s lifespan. It helps to provide the additional power needed especially when the electrical load from the car exceeds the supply from the charging system. It also helps to negate the effects of potentially damaging voltage spikes. Therefore, the car battery is an essential part of the automotive design and it is imperative that it is maintained properly as part of the car system. We will discuss some of the ways to preserve your battery. But first of all, let us consider the design of an average car battery.

They are typically made up of six galvanic cells attached in series. Each one producing 2.1 volts. Therefore the battery produces a total of 12.6 volts when fully charged. Each one consists of alternate plates; the anode being lead and the cathode being lead coated with lead dioxide. The electrolyte used is a solution of sulfuric acid. Discharging the battery leads to a chemical reaction between the electrolyte and the plates turning the lead oxide into lead sulphate. Recharging the battery reverses this process allowing the reaction to take place again.

Care for your car batteries.

There are some important points to take note of and that will help you to get the most out of your car batteries.

1. Clean and remove corrosion from the battery. It is important to regularly clean around the top(poles) of the car battery and also the battery cables to remove any build up as a result of corrosion.
2. Regularly check the level of the electrolyte and add water to fill up if necessary. If the battery type requires the addition of water, use cleans distilled water to fill up the cells but never above their maximum. If you notice a crack in the cells, the battery will have to be replaced. After adding water, the electrolyte should be allowed to mix with the water for a few hours.
3. Ensure to check the condition and charge of the battery. The electrolytes in each cell can be checked with a hydrometer. A battery that is fully charged should have a reading of 1.265 or more. If all the cells are lower than that value, recharge the battery. If the readings of any of the cells are different from the others by .05 or more, replace the battery.

4.  Avoid fully discharging a car battery as this will shorten its lifespan.