General description
1. During normal use, the battery should not require charging from an external source. If regular recharging is necessary, there may be a malfunction in the battery or in the charging system
2. If the vehicle has not been driven for a long period (over thirty days) the battery can lose approximately 1% of energy in a week. This is only true for a disconnected battery; if the battery is left connected to the car's electrical system. then it will discharge faster due to clock and car radio circuits (memory). To prevent this, whenever the vehicle is not going to be driven for an extended period, always disconnect the negative cable from the battery. To keep the battery fully charged. it needs to be recharged regularly every six weeks. This is especially important for «unattended» batteries whose energy capacity decreases as a result of complete discharge.
Examination
3. Leave the battery disconnected for at least two hours, then measure the voltage (without load). connecting a sensitive voltmeter to the battery terminals. Compare your result with the following table:
Voltmeter readings | Degree of charge |
10.50 V | Fully discharged |
12.30 V | 50% charged |
12.48 V | 75% charged |
12.66 V or more | Fully charged |
4. Checking the electrolyte level is described in Section 1. If frequent refueling is required, and there are no cracks in the battery case, and the battery is constantly not fully charged; you need to check the voltage regulator.
5. If the car has a very low annual mileage, it is recommended to check the electrolyte density every three months to determine the state of charge of the battery. To check, use a hydrometer and compare the results with the following table:
normal climate | Tropics | |
Discharged | 1.720 | 1.080 |
Half charged | 1.200 | 1.160 |
Fully charged | 1.280 | 1.230 |
6. If the condition of the battery is not exactly known, check the density of the electrolyte in each cell. Difference in 0.040 (or more) between any cells indicates a loss of electrolyte or worn internal plates.
7. Next, the test is performed using a voltmeter. Connect the tool to the battery terminals and crank the starter, grounding the high-voltage ignition coil wiring with the auxiliary wire, and turning on the headlights, heated rear window, and heater blower. If the voltmeter reading does not fall below 9.5 V, the battery condition is satisfactory. If the voltage is below 9.5V, the battery is bad.
Charger
8. In winter, when more energy is required from the battery (starting a cold engine and turning on a large number of electrical equipment), it is recommended to recharge it from an external power source. The charge rate of the battery depends on its code; the best way is to use the charger overnight with a charging current of 1.5A. Rapidly charging the battery for 1-2 hours is not recommended, as this can cause serious damage to the battery plates due to overheating.
9. Ideally, the battery should be removed from the vehicle before charging.
Warning: During charging and for approximately 15 minutes thereafter, hydrogen gas will be released from the battery (flammable): Therefore, make sure that there are no open flames near the battery. because there might be an explosion.
10. Continue to charge the battery until all cells are vigorously degassing and the no-load voltage has increased for four hours. When charging is completed, turn off the charger and only then disconnect the wires from the battery.