Does the car fail to start in the morning when the battery is charged the day before and the consumers are switched off, or does it stall while driving due to a discharged battery? Often these "symptoms" are attributed to the so-called power leak. To determine why a battery is frequently discharging, you must first check its condition.
Necessary
- - Voltmeter;
- - hydrometer;
- - loading fork.
Instructions
Step 1
Remove dirt from the battery case, wipe it dry, as dirt and moisture are the cause of its discharge - water is a good conductor of electric current. The ambient temperature also affects the condition of the battery. It can be discharged overnight if you leave your car outside in severe frost or in an unheated garage.
Step 2
Remove both terminals from the battery, clean them with a file or knife, scraping off all scale. Check the condition of the terminals on the generator, starter, on the car body. Clean all connections, as scales on them are dielectrics and impede the flow of electric current. Replace rusty washers with new ones. Check the condition of the motor-housing conductor.
Step 3
Determine the electrolyte level in the battery. This is done visually. Unscrew all the plugs that cover the battery cans (cells) and look inside. The electrolyte must completely cover the upper edges of the plates. If its level has dropped, pour distilled water into the battery cells, which can be bought at any car dealer. After that, the battery needs to be charged.
Step 4
Charge the battery by setting the charger to 1/10 the battery capacity. Charging should be done within 10-12 hours.
Step 5
Check the density of the electrolyte with a hydrometer. You need to measure it in each battery bank. A density of 1.25-1.27 g / cm3 is considered normal. If it is less than the given figure in at least one of the cells, the operation of a charged battery will be ineffective.
Step 6
Check the voltage of the charged battery with the load plug. It should not drop below 12 volts for 5 seconds. If the battery fails the test, buy a new one, or contact a service center to repair it. However, it must be borne in mind that after repair, it can quickly fail.
Step 7
As you know, the battery is charged from the generator while the engine is running. And if the generator is faulty, the working battery will be in a semi-discharged state. To "hang" the reason for its ineffective operation on the generator, you need to start the car and, at idle, measure the voltage at the battery terminals using a voltmeter. A voltage of 14 volts is considered normal, when discharging the norm is 12 volts.
Step 8
Switch on all consumers of electrical equipment with the car engine running at idle speed and measure the voltage on the battery again. If the voltage drops below 14 volts, there is a malfunction in the alternator. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to repair the generator yourself without special knowledge. Refer this problem to an experienced auto electrician.
