22 Years' Battery Customization
Jan 15, 2021 Pageview：599
The most common problem that a vehicle owner may run into is a dead battery. Sometimes locating a dead battery may be difficult to diagnose. In such a situation, a battery may have enough power to start your engine. Still, the electrical system cannot support the additional load of operating other electrical things like headlights or radio of your car. Individuals can start by looking for signs of issues with the electrical load. You can also move on to using a multimeter while increasing the load on the engine to determine whether there is a problem with the battery or the alternator.
For load testing a battery, you need first to locate the battery in your car and look for signs of damage. You can find the battery under the hood or in the engine bay in most cars, which is often located in the front driver or passenger side corner. Although many modern vehicles now come with the battery housed in the trunk.
Once you have located the battery, look for signs leading to oxidation or loose connections. For testing a battery against its load starter, you need to guarantee that there is a strong connection that is not interfered by oxidized terminals or a poor connection. If you notice that the cables present at the end of the terminals can move, tighten them since they are loose and may hinder the load test process.
Load Testing a Battery Through Observation
Turn on the key to notice the dashboard lights. If they shine just as bright as they do when the vehicle is running, your battery is as good as new. However, if the lights on your dashboard do not come on, the battery is likely dead. It could also mean that you may need to jump-start the battery or charge it to get the vehicle running again. Moreover, if the lights are dimmer than usual, it may indicate that the battery is low on charge and may not turn on the engine.
Load Testing a Battery Through a Multimeter
To get an accurate reading in a multimeter, you can set the device to 20 volts since you will need to fix it to something more than 15, and 20 seems like the closest option. After connecting the device's probes to the battery in your vehicle, you can check the reading after turning your headlights on for 2 minutes. If the multimeter reading is less than 12.6 volts, it indicates that your battery is insufficiently recharged.
If you want to conduct a battery load test on a non-sealed battery, it is highly recommended that you use a suitable quality temperature compensating hydrometer. However, there are two types of hydrometers available in the market, including the floating ball and the gauge.
The hydrometer that is classified as the gauge tends to be much easier to read for a layman and does not involve the need to decipher colored balls. You can purchase a battery hydrometer from an auto parts workshop or a battery store.
And for individuals who want to conduct a load test on a sealed battery or desire to troubleshoot a charging or electrical system, you will need a digital voltmeter with 0.5 percent (or better) accuracy. You can get a digital voltmeter at any nearby electronics store. Analog (needle-type) voltmeters are not precise enough to measure the millivolt differences of a battery's state-of-charge or measure the output of the charging system.
For conducting a battery load test, you will require a thorough inspection of the battery. Individuals can look for obvious problems such as:
●Loose or broken alternator belt
●Low electrolyte levels
●A dirty or wet battery top
●Corroded or swollen cables
●Rusty terminal mating surfaces or battery posts
●Loose hold-down clamps
●Loose cable terminals
●A leaking or damaged battery case
You must repair or replace the items that may compromise the test. You can also use distilled water to top off the battery's fluid levels.
If there are electrical loads on the battery, you will have to disconnect your battery's negative ground cable. Individuals are advised never to load test a battery while a battery is connected to a battery charger. You must always ensure that the battery posts and terminals are safe and clean before connecting a load tester.
If your battery's state-of-charge is at 75% or higher or indicates a good built-in hydrometer estimation, then you can load test the battery by one of the following methods:
1.You can conduct a load test with a battery load tester and apply a load equal to one-half of the CCA rating of the battery for 15 seconds. (It is also the most recommended method for battery load testing.)
2.You can also consider applying a load equal to one-half the vehicle's CCA specification for 15 seconds.
3.A more straightforward approach can be to disable the ignition and turn the engine over 15 seconds with the starter motor being at hand.
If the battery passes the load test, you should recharge it immediately to prevent lead sulfation from restoring the battery to its peak performance. However, if the battery begins to hold and then steadily drops in voltage, individuals must suspect that there is a problem. If the battery's voltage instantly drops to 0, even then, there is a problem, and your battery might require some serious fixing. Individuals must also note that batteries with open cells may ultimately show a charge in idle, but they will fail a load test every time. Once your battery has reached the point where it is not picking up any voltage, there is no going back, and you can regard it as redundant.
A battery load testing entails measuring the amperes produced by a charged battery, and the test is specifically relevant for vehicle batteries. On the contrary, the battery in a car or truck needs to produce high amperes to power started motors and turn on the vehicle's engine. For a safer approach, individuals should wear eye protection and keep away from any flames that may arise as a result of the test conducted on the battery.
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