Batteries

Purpose
Construction
How it works
Failures
Ratings
Testing and maintenance
Jump starting
1

Purpose
Provide power for starting engine
Provide extra power when demands
exceed generators capabilities
Stabilizes system voltage by providing a
reservoir for excess voltage from charging
system
2

Construction
Inside plastic case are 6 cells composed
of positive and negative plates
Plates are supported by plastic ribs in
case
Plates are constructed on a grid made
primarily of lead
Battery grids hold the active material and
provide the path for current created in the
plate
3

Construction

Construction
The battery plate creates electrical energy
from chemical energy and this current
must flow from where it is generated to
where it is connected to the outside post

Construction
The positive plates are pasted with lead
dioxide
The negative plates are pasted with
sponge lead
The positive and negative plates are
installed next to each other without
touching

Construction
Cells are constructed with porous
separators between the positive and
negative plates to prevent touching and
short circuits
Each cell produces 2 volts regardless of
the number of plates
The greater number of plates in each cell,
the greater amount of current can be
created
7

Construction
Each cell is separated
by a partition made of
plastic
Electrical connections
are made by lead
connectors that loop
over the top of each
partition and connect
the plates together
8

Construction
Positive (lead dioxide) and negative (lead)
plates are surrounded by electrolyte
Electrolyte is composed of 36% sulfuric
acid and 64% water (H2SO4)
The difference in potential (voltage)
between lead peroxide and lead in acid is
2.1 volts
This is known as a lead-acid battery
9

How it works
During discharging the lead dioxide
combines with the electrolyte and releases
oxygen into the electrolyte to form water
The lead combines with the electrolyte to
become lead sulfate
When the battery becomes fully
discharged, both plates become lead
sulfate and the electrolyte becomes water
Batteries can freeze when they are
discharged
10

11

How it works
During charging the sulfate leaves both
the plates and returns to the electrolyte
The electrolyte returns to sulfuric acid
The positive plates return to lead dioxide
The negative plates return to pure lead

12

13

How it works
When the battery is discharging, the acid
leaves the liquid and is deposited on the
plates
When the battery is charging, current
flows into the battery and forces the acid
from the plates and back into the liquid

14

Failures
Causes of failure:
Overheating caused by overcharging
Causes the plates to warp
Can damage the battery case
Overcharging can cause the active material to
disintegrate and fall from the plates

Vibration
Cycling
Also causes active material to fall from the
plates
15

16

Ratings
Cold cranking amps (CCA): the number of
amps that can be supplied by the battery
at 0 deg. F for 30 seconds while the
battery maintains a voltage of at least 1.2
volts per cell
Reserve capacity (RC): the number of
minutes for which the battery can produce
25 amps and still maintain 1.75 volts per
cell
17

Ratings
The capacity of any battery is determined
by the amount of active material in the
battery
A battery with a large number of thin
plates can produce high current for a short
period
A battery with few thick plates can produce
low current for a long period
18

Testing and maintenance

Symptoms of a weak battery:
Using water in one or more cells
Excessive corrosion on battery cables or
connections
Slower than normal engine cranking

19

Testing and maintenance

Electrolyte should never be added to a
battery
Adding electrolyte increases the acid
content and will shorten the life of the
battery
Add distilled water to each cell to 11/2
inches below the top of the filler tube or
until the plates are covered
20

Testing and maintenance

The amount of sulfate in the electrolyte is
indicated by the electrolytes specific
gravity
Specific gravity is the ratio of the weight of
a given volume of a liquid to the weight of
an equal volume of water
Pure water has a specific gravity of 1,000
at 80 deg. F
Electrolyte has a specific gravity of 1.260
to 1.280 at 80 deg. F
21

Testing and maintenance

The most accurate test for battery
condition is a load test
For accurate results, the batterys state of
charge must be determined before load
testing
State of charge can be determined by
measuring specific gravity
State of charge can also be determined by
an open circuit voltage test
22

Testing and maintenance

specific
gravity
1.265
1.225
1.190
1.155

battery
voltage
12.6
12.4
12.2
12.0

state of
charge
100%
75%
50%
25%

23

Testing and maintenance

A battery that has just been charged will
have a surface charge
A surface charge is a charge that is on the
surface of the plates and will show as a
higher than normal voltage
A surface charge can be removed by
turning on the headlights or loading the
battery for 1 minute
24

Testing and maintenance

Load testing: amount of load to be placed
on battery is one half of the CCA rating for
15 seconds
If the battery can maintain 9.6 volts during
the test, the battery is good
If the battery voltage falls below 9.6 volts
during any part of the test, it is defective

25

Testing and maintenance

The load is placed on the battery with a
carbon pile
Connect the voltmeter leads to the battery
and clamp the inductive pickup over one
of the battery cables
Apply the load and observe the voltmeter

26

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Testing and maintenance

Vehicles with two batteries wired in
parallel should be disconnected and
tested separately
If one battery is found to be defective, it is
strongly recommended that both batteries
be replaced as a pair
If a defective battery is left connected to a
good battery, the defective battery will
discharge the good battery
28

29

Testing and maintenance

Capacitance testing: a testing device
sends a signal through the battery to test
the capacitance of the cells
The unit can normally detect the CCA,
state of charge and voltage of the battery
This type of tests results can be
incorrectly reported if the connections to
the battery are faulty
30

31

Testing and maintenance

Always use adaptors on side post
batteries whenever charging or testing
The use of 3/8 bolts are not sufficient for
charging or testing because only the
threads contact the battery terminal
Always disconnect battery cables on side
post batteries when checking for corrosion

32

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Testing and maintenance

Parasitic load tests: use an inductive
pickup or an ammeter wired in series
Maximum allowable drain: 50mA (.05 A)
Common problems:
Underhood light staying on
Glove compartment light
Trunk light
Aftermarket stereos (remote mounted CD
changers)
34

Testing and maintenance

To find parasitic draws:
Disconnect fuses one at a time
Disconnect generator
Disconnect starter solenoid

35

36

Testing and maintenance

Before disconnecting battery cables on a
vehicle:
Check stereo system for security code
If system requires a code to be entered
once power is restored, make sure you
have the code before disconnecting power
Do not attempt to enter incorrect codes
37

38

Testing and maintenance

Charging:
It is always best to slow charge (5 amps)
Fast charging can overheat and damage
battery
Fast charging also increases release of
hydrogen and oxygen gases from the
battery
Never allow the battery temperature to
exceed 125 deg F
39

Testing and maintenance

When connecting a charger:
Always make sure ignition is OFF
Connect the cables to the battery before
plugging in charger

40

Jump starting

Both vehicles OFF

Connect positive cables
Connect negative cable to good battery
Connect negative cable to defective
vehicles engine or metal bracket
Start engine on good vehicle only if
needed
Disconnect in reverse order
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