To increase battery life you need:
- do not allow the battery to completely discharge;
- regularly check the reliability of the battery;
- regularly rinse the battery cover with soda solution or ammonia from dirt, preventing possible short circuit and self-discharge of the battery;
- tightly tighten the wire terminals;
- periodically clean the terminals of wires and batteries from oxides formed on the contact surfaces (see "Periodic maintenance").
After a long period of parking, the battery must be recharged using a special charger according to the instructions supplied with the device.
Attention! If the vehicle is regularly used for short trips with frequent stops and starts, the battery should be checked regularly and, if necessary, recharged (especially in winter).
Cleaning and lubricating the terminals and terminals of the battery wires
To do the job, you will need fine-grained sandpaper or a special tool for cleaning the terminals.
1. Disconnect the wires from the battery terminals (see "Battery - removal and installation").
2. We clean the battery cover from dirt.
3. With sandpaper or a brush, we clean the inner surface of the terminals until traces of oxides disappear.
4. With the other part of the device, we clean the battery terminals.
Attention! The constant formation of oxides on the contact surfaces of the wire terminals and battery terminals indicates an increased voltage in the vehicle's on-board network due to improper operation of the generator voltage regulator.
5. Connect the wires to the battery terminals.
6. To prevent oxidation, we cover the wire terminals and battery terminals with grease.
If a serviceable battery is installed on the vehicle, then periodic monitoring of the level and density of the electrolyte is required to maintain it in working condition according to the maintenance interval (see "Periodic maintenance").
Checking the electrolyte level
If the battery case is not transparent, a glass tube with a length of at least 100 mm and an internal diameter of 3-5 mm will be required to perform the work.
Attention! When servicing the battery, it is necessary to avoid getting electrolyte on clothing and skin. In case of contact with electrolyte, wash the contact area with water or ammonia. Use goggles and rubber gloves when working.
1. If the battery case is made of transparent plastic, check the electrolyte level visually. The level must be between the minimum and maximum level marks on the side wall.
2. If the battery case is opaque or there are no electrolyte level marks on it, use a slotted screwdriver with a wide blade to unscrew the battery plugs.
3. Check the electrolyte level, which should be at least 10 mm above the upper edge of the plates and below the electrolyte level indicator.
4. In the absence of a pointer, check the level with a glass tube. We lower the tube into the filler hole of the battery until it stops at the upper edge of the plates. We close the upper opening of the tube with your finger and remove it. The height of the electrolyte column remaining in the tube should be within 10-15 mm.
5. We check all the batteries in turn.
6. With a low electrolyte level, add distilled water through the filling holes to the required level.
6. We wrap the filler plugs.
Attention! Only distilled water is used to replenish the electrolyte level. Addition of electrolyte is not allowed, because this will cause the active mass of the electrodes to flow and the battery will fail. Topping up the electrolyte is possible only if it splashes out of the battery.
Electrolyte Density Check
To perform the work, you will need a density meter or hydrometer.
By the density of the electrolyte, you can assess the degree of discharge of the battery. Density is checked with a density meter or hydrometer, at an electrolyte temperature of 20-30°C. If the temperature differs from the specified temperature, then when measuring the density, it is necessary to take into account temperature corrections to the readings of the density meter (see table).
Table 13.6. Temperature corrections to density meter readings
Temperature range,°C | Amendment, g/cm³ |
-40 to -26 | -0,04 |
-40 to -11 | -0,03 |
-10 to +4 | -0,02 |
+5 to +19 | -0,01 |
+20 to +30 | 0,00 |
+31 to +45 | +0,01 |
On the installed battery, we check the density of the electrolyte in the following order:
1. Using a screwdriver with a wide blade, unscrew the battery filler plugs (see above, "Checking the electrolyte level").
2. We lower the density meter tube into the battery hole and use a rubber bulb to select electrolyte into the density meter.
3. Based on the floating float with the highest indicator, we determine the density. The normal operating density of the electrolyte is 1.27 g/cm³.
6. Alternately check the density in all batteries of the battery.
7. When the density drops to less than 1.24 g / cm³, remove the battery from the car (see below "Battery - removal and installation") and load it up.