Car Batteries

Car batteries are used in automobiles and all of them are rechargeable. These supply electric energy to an automobile.

Normally, these denote SLI batteries (used for starting, lighting, and ignition) to supply power to the starter motor, the ignition system, and the lights of the engine of a car. This may also refer to a traction battery implemented for the principal source of power of an electric car.

   
The automotive starter batteries are normally made of lead-acid. They offer a 12-volt potential difference by joining six galvanic cells in a sequence.

Every cell offers 2.1 volts for a sum of 12.6 volt at full charge. Lead-acid batteries comprise lead plates and individual plates of lead dioxide, which are immersed into an electrolyte solution of approximately 65% water and 35% sulfuric acid. This results in a chemical reaction that discharges electrons, permitting them to run through conductors to generate electricity. Once the battery goes off, the acid of the electrolyte undergoes a chemical reaction with the substances of the plates, turning their exterior to lead sulfate. Once the battery is recharged, the chemical reaction is upturned: the lead sulfate is regenerated into lead and lead oxide. With the plates brought back to their original state, the procedure may now be replicated.

Recycling of car batteries lowers resources needed for making fresh batteries and redirects toxic lead from lowlands or inappropriate discarding.

Types of Car Batteries

There are different types of batteries used in automobiles and they are categorized into the following:
  • The starting (cranking) or shallow cycle type
  • The deep cycle (or motive) type
Nevertheless, there are some other batteries that can be used both as starting and deep cycling type.

Use of Car Batteries

The uses are as follows:
  • Maintenance of fluid level
  • Reduction the impurities in the water
Maintenance of Batteries

A battery should be charged and discharged when needed. While installing a new battery, which has been discharged earlier, it should be charged. There are various methods by which one can recharge a battery. The most common method of charging is the trickle charging method. Other methods like slow-charging and quick-charging can also be done. During an emergency, a battery can be jumpstarted by the battery of another automobile.

Other factors that one should keep in mind for better performance of car batteries are as follows:

Changing a battery: One should be careful while filling the battery with acid for the first time. Recycling the old battery: To keep the freshness, car batteries should be installed within one year of manufacture. One should avoid corrosion at the battery terminals, which, in turn, can prevent a car from starting.

Car batteries should always be handled with proper protective equipment like goggles, overalls, and gloves to prevent one from getting injured in case the battery explodes.

Common Battery faults

Some common battery faults include the following:

  • Shorted cell
  • Broken internal connections
  • Broken plates
  • Broken terminals
  • Sulfation following extensive disuse
  • Low electrolyte
  • Cracked or broken case
Latest About Batteries

A new 42 V power system will shortly be launched in the market to substitute the existing 14 V power system. This 42 V system will probably have an 18-cell lead-acid battery with a nominal 36 V.



Last Updated on 1/3/2012