Battery Maintenance

Many car owners experience a dead battery at one time or another: you get into your

car as you do every morning, but this time the engine barely cranks and the car won't start. In many cases, you can blame this problem on a lack of battery maintenance. To help your engine get the power it needs every time you turn the ignition key, add some simple steps to your regular vehicle maintenance schedule.

The first thing to check is for signs of corrosion buildup. That will typically be seen where the thick battery cables or wires attach to the terminals on the battery itself. Any corrosion you find there should be cleaned right away. You can eliminate many battery problems by making certain that the connections are tight and everything is clean without any corrosion buildup.

If you need to jump start your vehicle, follow this safe procedure. Connect the red jumper cable to the positive terminal of the good battery and the other end of the red cable to the positive terminal of your battery. Then connect the ground, or black jumper cable, to the negative side of the good battery and the other side of the black jumper cable to a chassis ground on your vehicle. This will prevent a spark from igniting the highly explosive hydrogen gas produce by battery acid. As soon as your car engine starts, remove the jumper cables in the reverse order you connected them.

If your battery still needs servicing (most modern batteries no longer need servicing) check the fluid level - but be sure to check it when the battery is fully charged. Distilled water is the best type of water to use when adding fluids to the battery. Tap water can be used if no distilled water is available, and it is certainly better than having the battery run completely dry! Since tap water can have added chemicals and minerals that will reduce the batteries otherwise long life. Be sure to watch carefully when filling the battery and don't overfill it. Especially in warmer weather, overfilling can start the corrosion process sooner which will eventually cause starting problems.

The modern automobile, truck or SUV demands more power than ever before. This increased demand will reduce battery life over time. People's complaints about their batteries generally come down to two things: either the battery won't take a charge or hold it once it's been charged. The demand on batteries is such that less than one third will still be in use after four years.

Make sure that the terminals of the battery are free from dirt and corrosion. Corrosion happens on battery terminals when the metal of the terminal oxidizes. Some corrosion is normal, since it is impossible to prevent exposure of the terminals completely. Usually it looks like green fuzz, but this depends on precisely what the terminals are made of and what oxidizing agent they are exposed to, since oxidization is a chemical process. Clean off the terminals with a wire brush until all the corrosion is gone. Then wipe the terminals with a baking soda paste and wipe clean.

Check the charge of the battery occasionally with a tester. The result you get on the tester may indicate that the charge of the battery is not optimal even if the battery is still functioning. This can serve as a signal to you that the battery is leaking energy somewhere or that the condition of the battery does not allow for proper energy conversion (e.g., low electrolyte solution level). You then can take appropriate action to clean terminals and the battery and to check the electrolyte solution if applicable.

by: judy

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