Battery control. How to check the charge level? How to charge the battery?

Winter is the hardest time of the year for a battery. Nothing checks his condition like a low temperature, nothing is more annoying than silence in the morning after turning the key. For this reason, it is worth asking about the condition of this element in order to avoid unpleasant surprises. What to search?

A modern car has many current consumers that require a stable voltage at a certain level. One of the factors affecting the correct operation of all electronic systems is a good battery. In winter, the demand for electricity in the car is greater - we often use glass heating, heated seats, and the airflow works at a higher speed.

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Start checking the condition of the battery by measuring its voltage at rest. For this purpose, we can use a simple counter, available for sale from PLN 20-30. The correct voltage, measured with the engine off, should be 12,4-12,6 V. Lower values ​​indicate a partially discharged battery. The next step should be to check the voltage drop when starting the engine. If the multimeter displays a reading below 10V, it means that the battery is in poor condition or is not sufficiently charged. If our car has a battery that can be accessed from the cells, we can check the density of the electrolyte, which determines the state of charge. For this purpose, we use an aerometer, available in car shops for a dozen or so zloty. Before we measure the density of the electrolyte, let's first check its level. If it is too low, the deficiency is replenished with distilled water and the measurement is taken at least half an hour later. The correct electrolyte density is 1,28 g/cm3, the result of undercharging is less than 1,25 g/cm3.

Undercharging a battery does not wear it out. Even an old and faulty battery can be recharged and show the correct voltage on the meter. Even in this case, it will turn the starter badly and quickly discharge. To check the starting current and battery capacity, special load testers are used, which every workshop should be equipped with. They should not be confused with cheap devices plugged into the cigarette lighter socket - professional equipment costs from PLN 1000 and up.

We can test the charging system ourselves. To do this, we start the engine and turn on the pantographs in the car, read the voltage values ​​​​on the meter. If it is in the range of 13,9-14,4 V, then the system is working. Very often, the cause of battery failure is a faulty charging system - the most common faults are related to the alternator and charging voltage regulator. By the way, let's also check the tension and condition of the accessory drive belt and, if worn, replace it.

In situations where our battery needs to be recharged, such as after a long car stop, we can do it ourselves. Rectifiers are available in stores or online from a few dozen zł. It is better to buy one in which the battery charging process is controlled by automation - then you can be sure that after the end of the charging cycle, the device will turn itself off, preventing the battery from recharging. According to the rules of technology, the battery must be removed from the car for charging, but in practice this is often impossible - in some cars, access to the battery is difficult and it is difficult to get to it at home. Under the cover there is a port to which you can connect a rectifier. If we are charging a battery installed in a car, make sure that the room in which the car is parked is well ventilated, because flammable hydrogen is released from the battery during charging. The best chargers have a feature that allows you to simulate the operation of the battery while driving the car. This feature is useful when the car is parked for a long time, when the device recharges and drains the battery as little as possible, which prolongs the battery life.

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If, despite attempts to charge and check the car's electrical system, the battery shows signs of wear, there is nothing left but to replace it. In any case, it is better to do this when the first symptoms appear. Thanks to this, we will avoid problems with starting the car on a winter morning.