Battery for a car - how to choose, how to charge, how to restore

In the article I will tell you how to choose a battery for a car, how to properly charge and restore it. It is not easy for the ordinary consumer to make a choice in the conditions of an extensive assortment of products. This applies not only to batteries, but also to other spare parts.

Automobile companies give recommendations regarding the choice of power source for a particular model. This is wonderful, but not every vehicle owner can afford to buy an expensive battery, and it is not always easy to find. If in a city this is easier, in rural areas everything is different.

Here are some useful tips for choosing a car battery.

Appearance. Pay attention to product appearance and condition. Scratches, dents and cracks are a sign of damaged products.
Capacity. An important parameter of the battery is capacity. At the factory, the car is equipped with a power source corresponding to a generator that supplies the electrical systems of the machine with energy.
The owner of the car, trying to increase functionality and comfort, installs additional devices. As a result, the generator does not cope with the task, which contributes to the gradual consumption of battery life. The problem is solved in two ways. The first involves the installation of a powerful generator, and the second - the purchase of a capacitive battery. Moreover, the product capacity should not exceed the standard by more than 5 amperes / hour.
Starting current. No less important is the starting current, measured in amperes. The higher the value, the better the starter starts the power plant. This quality is important in the cold season.
The polarity of the findings. Before buying, make sure that the location of the terminals on the product matches the features of the car. Otherwise, it turns out that the cable length is not enough to connect the device.
Type of. The type of battery - dry-charged, maintenance-free and maintenance-free - deserves attention.
Served. If you don’t mind periodically servicing, buy a serviced product. Remember, in the disconnected state, the battery is allowed for a year. Be sure to check the release date.
Maintenance free. Provides the ability to add distilled water during service. It is recommended to charge the battery using special equipment. The starting current for such batteries is higher.
Reserve capacity. When choosing a power source for a car, find out the reserve capacity indicator. It determines the ability to move the vehicle on one battery. It will come in handy if the generator breaks. If the reserve capacity is 100 minutes, you will travel without a generator for 1.5 hours.
Guarantee. Upon purchase, the seller must provide a manufacturer’s warranty, certificate of conformity, and an instruction manual. The warranty period of the battery is 1 year.

Video tips

When buying a battery for your car, be sure to measure the charge and density of the electrolyte. If during the test deviations are not found, and the battery matches the parameters of the vehicle, buy. Be careful about Chinese products.

How to charge a car battery

Humanity has not yet created an inexhaustible source of energy, and batteries and accumulators have to be recharged. The car battery is continuously recharged by means of a generator.

If the power source has been used for a long time or is not charging due to broken generators, the car enthusiast solves the problem using a charger that is as easy to use as a toaster or kettle.

It is rare to charge the battery with a device that is powered by a household electrical outlet. But the technique of the procedure should be known to every motorist.

Step-by-step charging plan

The main task of a car battery is to start a power plant. In some cases, it provides energy to automotive elements. In cars, lead-acid 12-volt batteries are used. If, due to a dead battery, the car does not start and there is no one to ask for help, then it's time to use the charger. The procedure is lengthy, but there is nowhere to go without alternatives.

Remove the battery before charging. With the ignition key, turn off the electrical system, then, using the socket wrench, remove the terminals. First remove the negative terminal.
The battery is attached to the car body using trims. The straps eliminate the possibility of overturning the battery, which can cause leakage of the working medium - electrolyte. Mounts are located below, on the sides or on top. It all depends on the brand and model of the iron horse.
Charge the battery in the house, shed or garage. I advise you to install a car power source on a solid and even surface away from fire. During charging, the room should be ventilated.
The car battery should be charged out of the reach of children. When observing safety precautions, refrain from smoking near a charging device. In general, I advise you to quit smoking. If oxide appears on the electrodes, clean and wipe, which will increase the degree of conductivity.
Find the bar under which the plugs are. Use them to determine the condition of the battery. Plugs open and measure the level of the working environment. If abnormalities are found, add distilled water. It should be slightly above the lead plates.
If the charger was recently purchased or was first used, be sure to read the instructions. When connecting the fixture terminals to the battery electrodes, make sure that the polarity is correct. Some models of chargers have a toggle switch that allows you to change the operating voltage from 12 volts to 24 and vice versa. Turn on the device.
Expensive devices are equipped with a rheostat, with which the current strength changes. Set this parameter to 0.1 of the battery capacity. During charging, the amperage gradually decreases, so check the indicator periodically and adjust.
A voltmeter is used to check the charge level. If not, a hydrometer that measures the density of the electrolyte will come in handy. Stop charging if the voltmeter reads 12 volts. In the case of the hydrometer, the density of the working medium should be at the level of 1.3 kg / l. It remains to remove the terminals and replace the battery.

If you purchased a car and it is equipped with a new power source, this information will come in handy in the future.

Video instruction

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JslLQ3C1DQQ

The recharging procedure is simple, you can easily do it yourself. Only charge carefully and in accordance with the instructions, as improper actions will cause the battery to deteriorate or fail.

How to restore a car battery

If there is no working battery, it does not mean that it is time to throw it away. Sometimes automotive power supply is subject to restoration.

If the battery freezes or an electrolyte boils in it during charging, success cannot be achieved. In this case, you can’t save money, you will have to buy a replacement. As for other malfunctions, including a slight destruction of the plates, you can bring the battery back to life.

Drain the electrolyte, rinse the battery with distilled water, shake lightly, turn over and shake out the trash. Do the procedure until the coal chips stop coming out of the battery. If it is washed further, this is a sign of complete destruction of the plates. In this case, you won’t be able to save the battery.
The next step involves the removal of salts that have deposited on the plates. Pour electrolyte into the battery, add a special additive and leave for 48 hours. This time is sufficient to dissolve the additive.
Remove the plugs and connect the battery to the charger. As part of this phase, the battery is charged and discharged in order to restore capacity. Set the charging current at 0.1 A. The electrolyte should not heat up during the procedure. Be sure to monitor the voltage at the electrodes. 2.3 volts should come in handy for one section of the battery.
Reduce amperage twice and continue charging. If the voltage remains the same for two hours, stop the procedure, and bring the density level to the nominal level by adding distilled water or electrolyte. Remember to be careful, as health is more important.
Connect a lighting device with a current of one ampere to the battery. Discharge the battery until the voltage at the terminals reaches 1.7 volts. After charging, repeat by adding an additive to the working environment.

It remains to close the plugs and install the battery under the hood of your favorite car.

Now I will pay attention to other aspects regarding the choice of car battery. Before sending to the market, be sure to establish the root cause by which the battery has become unusable. If she served for about 5 years, the on-board system is innocent. An earlier failure indicates a malfunction in the automotive electrical circuit.

Most often, the culprits of the battery malfunction are electrical appliances, including the starter and generator. After starting the power unit, the generator provides the vehicle with energy and charges the power source. If the starter is faulty, more energy is consumed when the motor starts.
Damage to the case, which is accompanied by a leak of electrolyte, often also causes a battery breakdown. Defects can be detected by external inspection of the product.
In some cases, the energy of the power source is quickly depleted after charging. In this case, the owner of the car, who does not know the rules for charging the battery, is the cause of the problem. Incorrectly set current parameters along with insufficiently long charging interfere with battery recovery. Therefore, charge the battery correctly.

Where to buy battery?

You can buy a device not only in a store or on the market, but also on the Internet. Consider each of the options.

Market. Usually people go to the car market, where you can buy a power source for a car at a low price. In this case, there is a high probability of acquiring a low-quality product, which is difficult to change.

The Internet. Some motorists prefer online shopping. The method has advantages, including a profitable purchase and delivery to a specified point. There is one drawback - it is impossible to visually inspect the purchased goods.

Special shop. Buying a battery for a car at a specialized outlet is more expensive than on the Internet, but you can inspect the goods.

Popular Battery Manufacturers

A few words about the manufacturers of car batteries. Motorists have access to a wide range of products in a wide range of prices. Rechargeable batteries are produced in various countries. On the Russian market there are products from Asia, the CIS and Europe.

Famous brand - Bosch. The products of the German manufacturer are characterized by quality, ease of maintenance, durability, excellent starting current.

Varta products are not inferior in quality to Bosch products, but they attract the attention of motorists with value. According to consumers, German Varta batteries are the golden ratio of quality and price.

A worthy competitor to world leaders is a manufacturer from Turkey called Mutlu. It delivers quality batteries to the market that function even in extreme cold.

Connoisseurs of serviced products like the models offered by the Russian company Tyumen and the Ukrainian manufacturer Titan. Firms operate in the social market segment.