1. Batteries
The purpose of the battery is to act as a reservoir for storing electricity.

2. Vocabulary Positive plate group 12.Element Negative plate group 13.CCA
Separators Reserve capacity
Case Deep-cycle
Cell dividers Maintain-free battery
Element rest Sulfation
Cell connector straps
Electrolyte
Cold cranking rating
Load test
Specific gravity

3. Batteries use a chemical means to produce electricity.

4. Primary vs. Secondary Batteries
Primary: non-rechargeable.
Examples: flashlights, calculators, smoke alarms
Secondary: discharged and recharged repeatedly. Can be done by reversing the normal current flow through the battery. The automobile battery is a secondary battery.
At some point the plate material will be damaged through the charging & dis-charging process and the batteries life will end.

5. Battery Cell Stores chemical energy for later use.
Consist of four components:
Positive plate
Negative plate
Separators
Electrolyte solution ( 40% Acid 60% water )
All four components produce electricity when placed together.

6. 40% acid % water

7. Parts of a typical lead/acid battery
Grid is manufactured as the base of the positive & negative plates.
The active materials( lead peroxide & sponge lead) are manufactured and spread on the grid. The result is a completed plate.
Connectors assemble the plates into a Element.
+/- Elements are connected and placed in a plastic container . This is one cell. It produces approx 2 volts in a car battery. A one piece cover is placed on top of the case to seal all the cells. The battery posts tie all the cells together.
The electrolyte is added and the vent caps are installed
Vents allow gasses to escape during charging/dis-charging.

9. Battery Life
Every time a battery is charged, then discharged it is called a cycle. The more the battery is dis-charged or recharged the deeper the cycle. Each cycle removes a small amount of plate material. This material deposits in the bottom of the battery and can short the plates if to much accumulates . Deep cycling is very damaging to a battery. A constant voltage is best to help a battery have a long life.

10. Chemical Action
Occurs inside the battery cell. During discharging or when a load is applied.
The lead peroxide is separated, the sulfuric acid and water are separated
Sulfate combines with the negative plate sponge lead, sulfate combines with the lead part of the positive plate, oxygen combines with hydrogen left from electrolyte.
If battery continues to be discharged the lead will sulfate and the electrolyte will become water.

12. Explosion Hazard/ Charging
The more rapidly a battery is charged or discharged the greater the possibility of producing hydrogen gases which are very explosive.
Keep any sparks or open flame away from a battery that is being charged or discharged.
Always charge batteries in a well vented room.
A battery can be fast charged in around an hour but, this is very hard on the plate material.
Slow charging a battery over 12 to 24 hours at around 1 amp is the best method.

13. Battery can explode!

14. Ratings
CCA : The amperage (multiplied by 3) a battery can deliver at 0 degrees F for a period pf 30 seconds. During this time the cell voltage cannot drop below 1.2 volts, or the total battery voltage below 10 volts. Example: battery delivers 150 amps for volts. CCA is 150 x 3 = 450cca (cold cranking amperes).
The reserve capacity rating is defined as the number of minutes a battery can be discharged at 25 amperes and still maintain a minimum voltage of 1.75 volts per cell or 10.5 volts.
A typical reserve capacity rating might be 125 minutes.

15. Battery Testing - hydrometer
Hydrometer is used to measure the specific gravity of batteries that have filter caps.
Determines the density of the electrolyte. The heavier or denser the electrolyte the grater the percentage of acid.
The lighter or less dense the electrolyte the less the percentage of acid.
If the electrolyte is denser the float inside the hydrometer will not sink as deep into the solution.

17. Battery Testing
Specific gravity reading must be changed to compensate for temperature.
For each 10 degrees above 80 degrees F, points must be added to the specific gravity reading. For every 10 degrees below 80 degrees F, points must be subtracted from the measured specific gravity.
Typical fully charged batt specific gravity: 1.260
Typical dead batt specific gravity: 1.120
Batteries loose 40% on their 32 Degrees

18. A VAT TESTER

19. Load Testing
The best way to test any Battery is with a VAT load tester.
Maintenance free or sealed batteries must be tested with a load tester.
You will need to know the CCA before programming the VAT .
Generally most car batteries will have 150 – 200 AMP’s at 10 volts.

20. Battery Term/Clamp maintenance
Dirty battery terminals restrict the heavy flow of electricity, during starting, from the terminal to the battery clamp.
Sulfuric acid will damage metal, paint clothing, ect.
Corrosion can build up on the top and side type battery terminals.
A voltmeter can be used to check the conditions of the battery post and connector.
To repair battery terminal clamps, neutralize all acid with baking soda & water, remove the clamps, cut off the old clamp and strip about ¾ inch of insulation from the cable, clean the copper wire strands and install a top or side mounted replacement clamp or terminal.

21. Causes high resistance.

22. If Battery electrolyte is low add distilled water to the individual cell. Do Not Over Fill!!!
Corrosion can be neutralized with Baking soda & water.

23.
Battery maintenance procedures

24. Maintenance free batterys
Maintenance Free batterys are not vented & cannot be filled.
They are constructed so they produce little or no gas.
They do not like to be over charged or completely discharged.

25. Using Jumper Cables Make sure engine for good battery is on.
Connect the positive terminal of the discharged battery to the positive terminal of the good battery.
The negative cable should be connected between the negative terminal on the good battery and a good engine block ground to avoid sparks around or near the battery.
Now run the engine of the vehicle with a live battery for 2-5 min to charge the battery in the dead vehicle.
Now start the vehicle with a dead battery.
Reverse the directions exactly when removing the jumper cables.
(engine block connection removed first)

27. Jumper cables

28. Good luck on your Battery Test!