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How do I buy good quality
battery ? |
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- Look for a well repudiated manufacturer or brand.
- Check for the specifications whether conform to JIS, DIN, or
BCI standard.
- Whether battery is suitable for tropical or temperate climate
used.
- Whether the manufacturer back up with warranty claim.
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What is Dry Charged
battery ? |
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| The positive and negative plates are formed / charged
in acid tank. The charged plates are dried and assembled into the
battery casing.
Activation of battery take a place when dilute sulphuric
acid is filled, the battery will give instant current and ready to
use.
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What is Wet Charged
battery ? |
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Unformed plates are assembled into battery, filled
in dilute sulfuric acid and charged in the factory.
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A battery consist of
what composition ? |
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| It consists of P.P. casing, lid, vent plugs, positive
and negative plates, separators, lead parts and dilute sulfuric acid. |
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| CCA stands for Cold Cranking Amperes, it is a rating
used to describe how much current the battery can deliver to the starter
motor for a specified time.
The Battery Council International (BCI)
defines CCA as "The discharged load in amperes which a new fully
charged battery at 0`F (-17.8`C) can deliver for 30 seconds and maintain
a voltage of 1.2 volts per cell or higher.
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What is Reserve Capacity
? |
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| A battery must provide emergency power for ignition,
lights etc. in the event of failure in the vehicle's battery recharging
systems, the reserve capacity rating is defined as the number of minutes
a new fully charged battery at 80`F (26.7`C) can be discharged at
25 amperes and maintain a voltage of 1.75 volts per cell or higher. |
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How do I determine the
correct battery for my car ? |
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The best way is to consult the vehicle owner's manual
for the correct group size and minimum rating. If this is not available,
you can look up the vehicle make, model, and year in a battery application
guide and note the recommended group size and rating given.
You should not use a battery with a rating lower than which the vehicle
manufacturer recommends. There is no problem using a higher rated
battery than that specified for the vehicle. In fact, moving to a
higher rating will improve starting in the case for older vehicles
and, in general, provide longer battery life. |
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How do I maintain /
service my battery ? |
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| Clean the terminals and vent plugs if required. A clogged
vent plug can caused an explosion. Check the water level of each cell
and fill up.
Always use good quality drinking water or distilled water
free of ions or other chemical. The contaminated water could drastically
reduce the battery life and power.
Do not fill over or acid may flow
over and spill on to your car. Sulphuric acid attacks your car paint
and any other metal parts. |
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What precautions do
I take when charging batteries ? |
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Always handle batteries with care whether they are
charged under or not. All lead-acid batteries contain highly corrosive
sulphuric acid and generate explosive gases, when the battery is being
charged several precautions should always be taken.
- Always charge batteries in a well-ventilated area.
- Connect the charger leads to the battery red positive(+) lead
to the positive(+) terminal and black negative(-) lead to the
negative(-) terminal.
- Make sure that the leads to the connections are tight and secure.
- Turn the charger off before connecting the leads to the battery
to avoid dangerous sparks. (Apply the same when full charge is
achieved).
- Never try to charge a damaged or frozen battery.
- Do not allow the battery to overheat or prolong the charging.
- Read and understand the charger instructions before attempting
to use the equipment.
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How do I know when
I need to replace my battery ? |
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Warnings that a battery may need replacing or that
the electrical system needs checking include : -
- Slow or interrupted turnover of the starter motor.
- The instrument panel indicates battery "discharge"
for extended period after the engine is already running.
- The battery seems to lose power quickly in cold or extended
starts.
- The headlights dim at idle. Unfortunately, many times there
is little if any warning. If you suspect your battery is failing,
the prudent thing to do is to have it load tested or replaced.
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What is the lifespan
of a battery ? |
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| The lifespan of a battery varies significantly from
vehicle to vehicle, region to region and driving patterns related
to the profession of the drivers. Batteries are designed to have over 200 life cycles. Each day or each
start will use up a fraction of a cycle. A normal lead acid battery
will have a lifespan of 18 to 30 months.
If you are disappointed with the battery life you get and your car's
electrical system is in good operating condition you should grade
up.
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My battery is new,
how do I prevent it from going 'flat'? |
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| Take the following precautions to prevent the battery
running flat:-
The radio, electrical items and all head lights must be switched
off when the engine is not running.
Check the alternator regularly. A faulty or loose alternator belt
cannot efficiently charge the battery.
The wiring system is not functioning properly. Any short circuit
will drain the battery.
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