Batteries are an essential part of a vehicle and should not be overlooked. Without a healthy battery, the car stands still. We are responsible for how long they can support our vehicle. To extend their lifespan, we need to properly maintain them. Maintenance free batteries are slowly taking over lead-acid batteries but it is important to understand that the basic principle remains the same. We will discuss all the important aspects of a battery in this article.

How does a battery work?

Lead acid car batteries are energy storing devices made up of lead and lead dioxide plates. These plates are submerged into an electrolyte solution. The percentage of water is 65% and sulphuric acid contributes 35% to this solution. When the battery is used to start the car, it gets discharged. The sulphuric acid in the electrolyte solution gets depleted leaving a higher proportion of water. The sulfate is returned to the acid during the charging process. The battery provides high current required by the starter motor to crank the engine of the car. Once the engine is started, the battery is again recharged by the engine driven charging system. In this process, the alternator takes necessary energy from the rotation of engine through a belt to charge up the battery. When the engine is running, the alternator generates electricity for the electrical equipment of the car.

What makes a battery weak?

When the car is exposed to direct sunlight in summers for longer periods of time, it accelerates the process of corrosion and evaporates the electrolyte. This reduces the life of a battery making it weaker. So, avoid getting your car heated by sunlight by parking in a suitable shade.

A battery must be fitted properly to avoid any sort of vibrations. These vibrations over the time shake the plates around which in turn make the internal connections lose. As a result, the battery would not get properly charged.

Once you start the car, make sure to drive it for enough time for the battery to get recharged again. The alternator takes time to recharge the battery after it has released its energy while starting the engine. Otherwise, the battery will stay undercharged which is not sufficient to provide high current to the starting motor.

Keeping the headlights or music system on while the engine is shut down drains the battery over the time. Avoid plugging in a charger for a longer period of times to prevent the battery from discharging.

Corrosion on R59 battery terminals is as harmful to the battery as anything else. Always clean the battery terminals carefully once or twice in a month. Make sure to wear gloves and eye protection. The white powder on terminals is toxic and should not be allowed to come in contact with the skin.