Batteries

Consumer Auto Electrical Lecture 2

Batteries
Batteries store electrical energy that we use to power diesel equipment Batteries store electrons chemically They contain lead plates, sulfuric acid, and a plastic case Sulfuric acid reacts with all metals, causing corrosion

Battery Types
Automotive
Designed to only power motors for a short time (starter), then be recharged Completely draining will damage them

Deep Cycling
Designed for powering electric motors where they are completely drained then recharged Stronger design More expensive

Automotive Battery Types

Lead Acid
Contains 2 types of plates with electrolyte Lower cost Most common

Automotive Battery Types

Gell Cell
Has 2 types of lead plates wound in a spiral Uses an electrolyte in gell form More expensive than lead acid More durable than lead acid

Automotive Battery Connections

Post Terminal
Used in older cars

Side Terminal
Used in newer cars

L Terminal
Used in heavy trucks and equipment

Battery Ratings
Batteries are rated 4 ways:
CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) CA (Cranking Amps) RC (Reserve Capacity) AH (Ampere Hour)

CCA
Cold Cranking Amps Indicates the ability of a battery to deliver a specified current at a low temperature. It is determined by the amount of current a fully charged battery can supply for 30 seconds at 0F without the voltage falling below 7.2 Volts

CA
Cranking Amps This is the same test as the CCA rating, except it is at a higher temperature (32F instead of 0F)

RC
Reserve Capacity It determines the time in minutes a vehicle can be driven after the charging system fails The length of time a fully charged battery (at 80F) can supply 25 Amps before the voltage falls below 10.5 Volts

AH
Ampere Hour The amount of current a fully charged battery (at 80F) can supply for 20 hours without having the voltage fall below 10.5 Volts

Determining Battery Ratings

Most battery ratings are printed or stamped in the top of the battery Most have 1 or 2 ratings

Determining Positive and Negative

In a post and L terminal type, the positive (or +) is larger than the negative post (or -) In the side terminal, it is marked POS or + for positive and NEG or for negative

Corrosion
Corrosion causes many battery failures Corrosion causes a barrier between the battery post and the cable When there is a barrier, no electrons can flow Even though the battery is fully charged, current will not flow

Eliminating Corrosion
Wash the top of the battery with hot water until all the corrosion is gone Remove the negative cable, then the positive cable Clean the positive post with a battery cleaning brush, then the battery cable The corrosion is gone when the post and cable are shiny

Eliminating Corrosion 2
Connect the positive cable to the battery Clean the negative post and cable until clean Reconnect the cable to the battery Many anticorrosion products are available to prevent corrosion

Checking the Battery

If there is an indicator window, look at the color of it Green indicates good, dark green means it needs a charge, and white or yellow means it needs to be replaced

Checking the Battery 2

Check the outside of the battery for cracks Check the hold down for tightness Check for cracked or broken cables

Checking the Battery 3

Check the level and condition of the electrolyte

Checking Electrolyte
There should be a mixture of 36% sulfuric acid and 64% water in the battery You can measure using a hydrometer It measures the weight of the mixture

Checking Electrolyte 2
Remove covers from battery (if equipped) Squeeze the bulb Lower tube into the electrolyte Draw into the hydrometer Record reading Slowly release electrolyte into battery Do Not Splash Electrolyte!!!

Hydrometer Measurements
Pure water reads 1.000 on a hydrometer A reading of 1.270 means the battery is fully charged (36% water, 24% H2SO4) A dead battery will read 1.100 (less than 15% H2SO4)

Hydrometer Measurements 2
When you measure the specific gravity (weight) of each cell, they must all be within 50% of each other
1.28 1.26 1.24 1.22 1.2 1.18 1.16 1.14 1.12 1.1 1.08 Level Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell Cell 1 2 3 4 5 6

Voltage Tests Open Circuit

Turn on the headlights for 2 minutes Turn off the headlights and connect a voltmeter to the battery, red lead to positive, black to negative If the battery is good, it will read above 12.2 volts If below that, charge the battery

Load Test Connections

Make sure the battery is fully charged Connect the red lead or the VAT-40 to the positive terminal Connect the black lead to the negative terminal Clamp the green clamp over the black lead

VAT-40 Connections

Load Testing
Turn the Load Increase control until the ammeter reads 3 times the amphour (AH) rating or one-half the coldcranking ampere (CCA) rating Hold that reading for 15 seconds Read voltmeter A good battery will read at or above 9.6 volts Battery should be at 70F

Case Drain Tests

Uses a voltmeter with the black lead hooked to the negative Use the red lead to touch the case in the middle of the battery It should read less than 0.5 volts A larger reading indicates you should clean the top of the battery with hot water and detergent

Parasitic Drain Test

Remove the negative cable Hook a test light between the negative post and the cable If the light glows, there is a problem in the electrical system Look for lights on inside the truck or trailer or the regulator is bad

Cable Corrosion Test

Using a voltmeter, hook the black lead to the negative post, and the red lead to the cable connector while turning on the headlights Reading should be 0 volts

Do the
same with the positive post and cable

Charging the Battery - Precautions

Leave the vent caps in place Charge in well ventilated areas Keep sparks and flames away from a charging battery Disconnect the ground wire to recharge a battery

Charging the Battery

Check electrolyte levels, fill as needed Disconnect the ground lead Connect the red lead to positive, the black to negative Turn on the charger Make sure it is set to the battery voltage

Disconnecting the Battery Charger

Turn off the charger Disconnect the charger leads Reconnect the ground wire

Jumping a Battery
Make sure the vehicles are not touching each other Make sure when connecting the leads they are clear of any rotating parts

Jumping a Battery 12 Volts

Connect the red leads to both positive posts Connect one end of the black lead to the negative terminal, the other to the cars ground After the car starts, disconnect the black lead from the ground, then the rest of them

Jumping a Car - Illustration

Jumping a Truck 24 Volts

Start by hooking the 12 volt battery in the booster vehicle to a 12 volt battery in the dead vehicle Switch to the other battery if it does not start To jump with 24 volts, use a second battery and hook in series with the booster truck

That Concludes Electrical Lecture 2