Depending on the quality of service and operating mode, a car battery can serve a car owner from 2 to 10 years. While caring for a battery is quite simple and practically comes down to checking its condition, it can save a lot of time and money and prevent sudden battery failure.
Necessary
distilled water; - acid meter; - heat-saving cover
Instructions
Step 1
To maximize battery life, it must be kept charged and kept clean at all times. During charging, a chemical reaction takes place, resulting in the release of gases. They increase the pressure inside the accumulator, so the ventilation holes in the plugs must be constantly cleaned. Use a thin wire for this. As the battery emits an oxyhydrogen gas (a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen) during operation, to avoid an explosion, never examine it near an open flame.
Step 2
Strip the pins and wire terminals periodically. After driving 10 thousand kilometers through the filler holes, check the electrolyte level. If it is lowered, top up with distilled water.
Step 3
To determine the state of charge of the battery, check the electrolyte density. To do this, lower the tip of the acid meter into the filler hole, take the electrolyte with a rubber bulb. Determine the value of its density by the divisions of the aerometer's float.
Step 4
If possible, avoid overloading the battery. This should be especially avoided when starting the engine in winter. Switch on the starter intermittently, giving the battery a "rest". If the engine fails to start after two or three tries for up to ten seconds, look for the source of the problem, but do not “kill” the battery. Disengage the clutch at the moment of starting, freeing the starter from unnecessary rotation of the gears and shafts of the gearbox with its viscous cold oil. Cover the battery with a heat-saving cover in winter.
Step 5
If there is no standard voltmeter, install the usual indicator of undervoltage and overvoltage in the on-board network. Take care not to short-circuit the battery terminals.
Step 6
For proper storage of the battery in winter, remove it from the car, fully charge it and store it at a temperature not lower than -30 degrees and not higher than 0 degrees in a dry place. To recover the capacity lost during self-discharge, recharge the battery every three months. When storing the battery in the car, disconnect the wires from the pole pins, if there is no corresponding switch.
