Batteries

Consumer Auto Electrical

Lecture 2

Batteries
Batteries store electrical energy that
we use to power diesel equipment
Batteries store electrons chemically
They contain lead plates, sulfuric
acid, and a plastic case
Sulfuric acid reacts with all metals,
causing corrosion

Battery Types
Automotive
Designed to only power motors for a
short time (starter), then be recharged
Completely draining will damage them

Deep Cycling
Designed for powering electric motors
where they are completely drained then
recharged
Stronger design
More expensive

Automotive Battery Types

Lead Acid
Contains 2 types of plates with
electrolyte
Lower cost
Most
common

Automotive Battery Types

Gell Cell
Has 2 types of lead
plates wound in a
spiral
Uses an electrolyte
in gell form
More expensive than
lead acid
More durable than
lead acid

Automotive Battery Connections

Post Terminal
Used in older cars

Side Terminal
Used in newer cars

L Terminal
Used in heavy trucks and equipment

Battery Ratings
Batteries are rated 4 ways:
CCA (Cold Cranking Amps)
CA (Cranking Amps)
RC (Reserve Capacity)
AH (Ampere Hour)

CCA
Cold Cranking Amps
Indicates the ability of a battery to
deliver a specified current at a low
temperature.
It is determined by the amount of
current a fully charged battery can
supply for 30 seconds at 0F without
the voltage falling below 7.2 Volts

CA
Cranking Amps
This is the same test as the CCA
rating, except it is at a higher
temperature (32F instead of 0F)

RC
Reserve Capacity
It determines the time in minutes a
vehicle can be driven after the
charging system fails
The length of time a fully charged
battery (at 80F) can supply 25 Amps
before the voltage falls below 10.5
Volts

AH
Ampere Hour
The amount of current a fully charged
battery (at 80F) can supply for 20
hours without having the voltage fall
below 10.5 Volts

Determining Battery Ratings

Most battery ratings are printed or
stamped in the top of the battery
Most have 1 or 2 ratings

Determining Positive and Negative

In a post and L
terminal type, the
positive (or +) is
larger than the
negative post (or -)
In the side terminal,
it is marked POS or
+ for positive and
NEG or for
negative

Corrosion
Corrosion causes many battery
failures
Corrosion causes a barrier
between the battery post and the
cable
When there is a barrier, no
electrons can flow
Even though the battery is fully
charged, current will not flow

Eliminating Corrosion
Wash the top of the battery with hot
water until all the corrosion is gone
Remove the negative cable, then
the positive cable
Clean the positive post with a
battery cleaning brush, then the
battery cable
The corrosion is gone when the post
and cable are shiny

Eliminating Corrosion 2
Connect the positive cable to the
battery
Clean the negative post and cable
until clean
Reconnect the cable to the battery
Many anticorrosion products are
available to prevent corrosion

Checking the Battery

If there is an indicator window,
look at the color of it
Green indicates good, dark
green means it needs a
charge, and white or
yellow means it
needs to be replaced

Checking the Battery 2

Check the outside of the battery for
cracks
Check the hold down for tightness
Check for
cracked or
broken cables

Checking the Battery 3

Check the level and condition of
the electrolyte

Checking Electrolyte
There should be a mixture of 36%
sulfuric acid and 64% water in the
battery
You can measure using a
hydrometer
It measures the
weight of the
mixture

Checking Electrolyte 2
Remove covers from battery (if
equipped)
Squeeze the bulb
Lower tube into the electrolyte
Draw into the hydrometer
Record reading
Slowly release electrolyte into battery
Do Not Splash Electrolyte!!!

Hydrometer Measurements
Pure water reads 1.000 on a
hydrometer
A reading of 1.270 means the battery
is fully charged (36% water, 24%
H2SO4)
A dead battery will read 1.100 (less
than 15% H2SO4)

Hydrometer Measurements 2
When you measure the specific gravity
(weight) of each cell, they must all be
within 50% of each other

Voltage Tests Open Circuit

Turn on the headlights for 2 minutes
Turn off the headlights and connect a
voltmeter to the battery, red lead to positive,
black to negative
If the battery is good, it will read above 12.2
volts
If below that, charge
the battery

Load Test Connections

Make sure the battery is fully charged
Connect the red lead or the VAT-40 to
the positive terminal
Connect the black lead to the negative
terminal
Clamp the green clamp over the black
lead

VAT-40 Connections

Load Testing
Turn the Load Increase control until
the ammeter reads 3 times the amphour (AH) rating or one-half the coldcranking ampere (CCA) rating
Hold that reading for 15 seconds
Read voltmeter
A good battery will read at or above
9.6 volts
Battery should be at 70F

Case Drain Tests

Uses a voltmeter with the black lead
hooked to the negative
Use the red lead to touch the case in
the middle of the battery
It should read less than 0.5 volts
A larger reading indicates you should
clean the top of the battery with hot
water and detergent

Parasitic Drain Test

Remove the negative cable
Hook a test light between the
negative post and the cable
If the light glows, there is a problem in
the electrical system
Look for lights on inside the truck or
trailer or the regulator is bad

Cable Corrosion Test

Using a voltmeter, hook the black lead to the
negative post, and the red lead to the cable
connector while turning on the headlights
Reading should be 0 volts

Do the
same with the
positive post
and cable

Charging the Battery - Precautions

Leave the vent caps in place
Charge in well ventilated areas
Keep sparks and flames away from a
charging battery
Disconnect the ground wire to
recharge a battery

Charging the Battery

Check electrolyte levels, fill as
needed
Disconnect the ground lead
Connect the red lead to positive, the
black to negative
Turn on the charger
Make sure it is set to the battery
voltage

Disconnecting the Battery Charger

Turn off the charger
Disconnect the charger leads
Reconnect the ground wire

Jumping a Battery
Make sure the vehicles are not
touching each other
Make sure when connecting the leads
they are clear of any rotating parts

Jumping a Battery 12 Volts

Connect the red leads to both positive
posts
Connect one end of the black lead to
the negative terminal, the other to the
cars ground
After the car starts, disconnect the
black lead from the ground, then the
rest of them

Jumping a Car - Illustration

Jumping a Truck 24 Volts

Start by hooking the 12 volt battery in
the booster vehicle to a 12 volt
battery in the dead vehicle
Switch to the other battery if it does
not start
To jump with 24 volts, use a second
battery and hook in series with the
booster truck

That Concludes Electrical Lecture 2