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BATTERY
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ENGINE ELECTRICAL - BATTERY

BATTERY – LEAD ACID BATTERY

The battery is the primary source of electrical energy for the automotive vehicles. It stores chemical, not electricity. Two different types of lead
in an acid mixture react to produce an electrical pressure. This electrochemical reaction changes chemical energy to electrical energy.
Battery Functions
1. ENGINE OFF: Battery energy’s used to operate the lighting and accessory systems.
2. ENGINE STARTING: Battery energy is used to operate the starter motor and to provide current for the ignition system during cranking
3. ENGINE RUNNING: Battery energy may be needed when the vehicle’s electrical load requirements exceed the supply from the charging
system.

In addition, the battery also serves as a voltage stabilizer or large filter by absorbing abnormal, transient voltages in the vehicles electrical
system. Without this protection, certain electrical or electronic components could be damaged by these high voltages.

1. PRIMARY CELL: The chemical reaction totally destroys one of the metals after a period of time. Small batteries for flashlights and radios
are primary cells.
2. SECONDARY CELLS: The metals and acid mixture change as the battery supplies voltage. The metals become similar, the acid strengths
weakens. This is called discharging. By applying current to the battery in the opposite direction: the battery materials can be restored. This is
called charging. Automotive lead-acid batteries are secondary cells.
3. WET-CHARGED: The lead-acid battery is filled with electrolyte and charged when it is built. During storage, a slow chemical reaction will
cause self discharge. Periodic charging is required for batteries are every 5 to 7 months.
4. DRY-CHARGED: The battery is built, charged, washed and dried, sealed, and shipped without electrolyte. It can be stored for 12 to 18
months. When put into use, it requires adding electrolyte and charging.
5. LOW-MAINTENANCE: Most batteries for vehicles are considered low-maintenance batteries. Such batteries are built to reduce internal
heat and water loss. The addition of water should only be required every 24000 or so.

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BATTERY CONSTRUCTION

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BATTERY CONSTRUCTION

1. CASE
Container which holds and protects all battery components and electrolyte, separates cells, and provides space at the bottom for sediment
(active materials washed off plate). Translucent plastic cases allow checking electrolyte level without removing vent caps.
2. COVER/ BATTRERY FLUID CAP
Permanently sealed to the top of the case, provides outlets for terminal posts vent holes for venting of gases and for battery maintenance
(checking electrolyte, adding distilled water)
3. PLATES
Positive and negative plates have a grid framework of antimony and lead alloy. Active material is pasted to the grid, brown-colored lead dioxide
(Pb02) on positive plates and gray colored sponge lead (Pb) on negative plates. The number and size of the plates determine current capacity,
batteries with large plates or many plates produce more current than batteries with small plate or few plates.
4. SEPARATORS/ GLASS MAT
Thin, porous insulators (woven glass or plastic envelopes) are placed between positive and negative plates. They allow passage of electrolyte,
yet prevent the plates from touching and shorting out.
5. CELLS
An assembly of connected positive and negative plates with separators in between is called a cell or element. When immersed in electrolyte, a
cell produces about 2.1 volts. (Regardless of the number or size of plates). Battery cells are connected in series, so the number of cells
determines the battery voltage. A12 volt battery has 6 cells.
6. CELL CONNECTOR
Heavy, cast alloy metal straps are welded to the negative terminal of one cell and the positive terminal of the adjoining cell until all six cells
are connected in series.

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ENGINE ELECTRICAL - BATTERY

7. CELL PARTITIONS
Part of the case, the partitions separate each cell.

8. TERMINAL POSTS
Positive and negative posts (terminals) on the case top have a different diameter, thick cables connected to them. These cables connect the
battery to the vehicle electrical system (positive) and ground (negative).
10. ELECTROLYTE
A mixture of sulfuric acid H2904) and water (H20}. It reacts chemically with the active materials in the plates to create an electrical pressure
(voltage]. And, it conducts the electrical current produced by that pressure from plate to plate. A fully charged batter will have about 37% acid
and 63% water.

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ENGINE ELECTRICAL - BATTERY

VRLA Battery – Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid

The valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery utilizes a dilute sulfuric acid electrolyte which is immobilized so as to eliminate the hazards of
spills and leakage and which facilitates an oxygen recombination cycle. The oxygen recombination cycle eliminates the need to add water
throughout the battery’s life and improves its safety of operation. The VRLA battery also contains a self-resealing pressure relief valve which
prevents buildup of excessive pressure in the cell and prevents entry of outside air into the cell, thus extending the battery’s life.

Due to these advantages of no electrolyte spillage or maintenance, minimal gas evolution, extended shelf life and improced safety, the VRLA
battery has been selected for a host of critical power applications and is rapidly displacing many applications of the traditional vented or wet
lead acid cell.

[Link] Battery
The electrolyte in a Gel battery is permanently locked in a highly viscous gelled state instead of the traditional liquid form. Because there
is no liquid-type electrolyte, it will not leak out of the battery if tipped on its side. the sulfuric acid is mixed with a silica fume, which
makes the resulting mass gel-like and immobile.

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ii. AGM – Absorbed Glass Mat Battery

The electrolyte in AGM batteries is completely absorbed in separators consisting of matted glass fibers. This causes them to be
spillproof, meaning they don’t leak acid like a flooded design if tipped on their side. The AGM separator is somewhat fragile, highly
porous and absorbent, and has very low resistance. The AGM separator is maintained under compression between the plates to assure
complete contact with the plate surface since it provides the source of the electrolyte essential to the cell’s electrochemical reaction.

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ENGINE ELECTRICAL - BATTERY

BATTERY THEORY

A lead-acid cell works by a simple principle: when two different

metals are immersed in an acid solution, a chemical reaction
creates an electrical pressure. One metal is brown-colored lead
dioxide (Pb02) It has a positive electrical charge. The other metal
is gray colored sponge lead (Pb). It has a negative electrical
charge. The acid solution is a mixture of sulfuric acid (H2S04 and
water H20) It is called electrolyte.

If a conductor and a load are connected between the two metals,

current will flow. This discharging will continue until the metals
become alike and the acid is used up. The action can be reversed
by sending current into the cell in the opposite direction. This
charging will continue until the cell materials are restored to their
original condition.

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ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTION

A Lead acid battery can be partially discharged and recharged

many times. There are four stages in this discharging/charging 2. DISCHARGING
cycle. As battery is discharging, the electrolyte becomes diluted and the
plates become sulfated. The electrolyte divides into hydrogen (H2)
and sulfate (S04). The hydrogen (H2) combines with oxygen (0)
1. CHARGED from the positive plate to form more water (H20). The sulfate
A fully charged battery contains a negative plate of sponge lead combines with the lead (Pb) in both plates to form lead sulfate
(Pb), a positive plate of lead dioxide (Pb02), and electrolyte of (PbS04)
sulfuric acid (H2S04) and water (H2O)

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3. DISCHARGED 4. CHARGING
In a fully discharged battery, both plates are covered with lead During charging, the chemical action is reversed. Sulfate (S04)
sulfated (PbS04) and the electrolyte is diluted to mostly water leaves the plates and combines with hydrogen (H2) to become
(H20) sulfuric acid (H2S04). Free oxygen (02) combines with lead
peroxide (Pb) on the positive plate to form lead dioxide (Pb02).
Gassing occurs as the battery nears full charge, and hydrogen
bubbles out at the negative plates, oxygen at the positive.

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ENGINE ELECTRICAL - BATTERY

SPECIFIC GRAVITY
STATE-OF-CHARGE TEST
The state-of-charge test checks the battery’s chemical condition. Consequently, it’s necessary to convert a battery fluid’s specific
One method uses a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of gravity to normal temperatures (20oC). (A1oC change in temperature
the electrolyte. Another method uses a digital voltmeter to check will change battery fluid’s specific gravity 0.0007)
the battery open circuit voltage and, for a general indication of the
battery condition, check the indicator eye (if the battery has one)
or check the headlamp brightness during starting. Example:
S20 = St + 0.007 x (t-20)
SPECIFIC GRAVITY S20: Specific gravity at standard temperature
Specific gravity means exact weight. The hydrometer compares St: Specific gravity at time of measurement
the exact weight of electrolyte with that of water. Strong t: Temperature at time of measurement
electrolyte in a charged battery is heavier than weak electrolyte in
a discharged battery.
By weight, the electrolyte in a fully charged battery is about 37%
acid and 64% water. The specific gravity of water is 1.000. The
acid is 1.835 times heavier than water, so its specific gravity is
1.835.
By measuring the specific gravity of the electrolyte, you can tell if
the battery is fully charged, requires charging, or need to replace.
It can tell you if the battery is charged enough for the capacity, or
heavy-load test.
The temperature affects the specific gravity of sulfuric acid
solution in the following way, the higher the temperature, the
lower specific gravity and the lower the temperature, the greater
the specific gravity.

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The charged condition of a battery can determine by using a

hydrometer. Test procedure

Charged condition Type of battery Acid density The following steps outline a typical procedure for performing a
specific gravity (SG) test
Normal 1.28
Fully charged 1. Remove battery fluid cap
For tropes 1.23 2. Squeeze the hydrometer suction bulb and insert the pickup
Normal 1.20 tube into the individual cell.
Half charged 3. Slowly release the suction bulb to draw only enough
For tropes 1.16 electrolytes to cause the aerometer to rise.
Normal 1.12 4. Read the specific gravity indicated on the aerometer.
Defect 5. Record the reading value.
For tropes 1.08

Cell 1 Cell 2 Cell 3 Cell 4 Cell 5 Cell 6

-ve +ve

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ENGINE ELECTRICAL - BATTERY

BATTERY CAPACITY

A batteries volume refer to the volume of electrical power (energy) that a battery output from the time it is fully charged until the time it
reaches the maximum allowable discharged (10.5V). This is normally expressed by Ah (ampere hours).
Capacity is determined by the size and number of plates, the number of cell and the strength and volume of electrolyte.
Therefore, a 12V battery with 40Ah has 12 x 40 = 480Wh or 480 Watt hours of electrical power.

COLD CRANKING AMPS

The first battery rating is the cold cranking amps (CCA) rating. This rating indicates the ability of a battery to deliver a specified current at low
temperature. The rating is determined by the amount of current a fully char: battery can supply for 30 second at 0’F (- 17.8’C) without having
the battery terminal voltage fall below 7.2V

CRANKING AMPS
The second battery rating is the cranking amps (CA) rating (not to be confused with C0LD Cranking Amps), which is the battery s ability to
deliver a cranking current at 32 F-This CA Rating is the same test as in the CC rating, except it is calculated at a high temperature. A battery
with a CA rating of 800 may confuse a technician who may assume it is a CCA rating number. To convert CA at 32 ‘F I: CCA at 0’F, divide CA
by1.25. Example: a 650 CCA rated battery has the same current capacity as a 812 CA rated battery. This apparent marketing ploy may
confuse the public into thinking they are purchasing a battery which is higher in capacity than it really is.

AMPERE HOUR
The fourth battery rating, the ampere-hour rating (expressed in ampere-hours. or Ah) is the amount of current a fully charged battery can
supply for 20 hours without having the terminal voltage fall below 10.5V. This test is made at a temperature of 80’F (26.7’ C). If a battery can
deliver 4 A under these .conditions, it is an 80-Ah battery (4 A X 20hours=80AH)

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Jump start a vehicle

Charging a battery

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