Post by Candyman on Feb 14, 2008 1:53:17 GMT -8
Hey Everyone,
Since I am on the subject of Car Batteries, I wanted to post some common Questions people ask.
Q: How do I tell how old my Battery is?
A: Easy! Most Car Batteries will have a stamp somewhere either on the top, or on any of the four sides just below the top of the casing. This is usually a letter, followed by a number. The letter indicates the month the battery was in a shop ready to sell. A is for January, B indicates February, and so on. The number indicates the year the battery was produced. The number 8 would indicate that the battery was manufactured, and sold in 2008. Occasionally you may see two stamps. These are Batteris that were not sold over a period of time, and were taken back to a Battery Distributer to re-charge assuring the Battery is ready when you need it! So if your Battery has a second stamp, this will again indicate the month, and year the battery was rotated by the distributer.
Q: How long does a Car battery usually last?
A: Most cars today have several small microcomputers built in to do everything from monitor the engine, to keeping the time on the clock on your Stereo. These computers are producing a constant draw on your battery. The more cool electronics you have, the greater the strain on the battery which can have a big effect on the over all life! For the most part, the life expectancy should be around five years, but it depends greatly on the vehicle, maintenance, and how much stuff you are running! Your best bet is to check the date. if it is five years or older, you can most likely expect the battery will be about ready for replacement in the near future!
Q: Can I do anything to maximize the life of my Battery?
A: Yep, you sure can! You can maintain your Batteries life, and performance by doing a little routine maintenance. Most types of Automotive Batteries have two caps on the top of the casing.
You can take a flat screw driver, and pop these caps off. Once you have the caps off you will see six holes which are called cells. look into each cell, and check the water level. It should be approximately 3/4 of the way full, and should look concave in shape like looking at a Contact Lens from the inside. If you see a cell that is low, you need to re-fill the cell with purified water. Once all cells are 3/4 of the way full, replace the caps, and you should be good to go. DO NOT fill the cells full, or you will have battery acid spilling over the top of the battery, and down into your engine compartment. Lastly, it is a good idea to regularly clean your cables with a simple wire brush, and make sure all of your connections are in good working order, and tight. The only type of Batteries that are considered Maintenance free are Sears Die Hard which have no caps on top, and always remember If you live in a warmer climate check your battery more often as water will evaporate faster, and that is pretty much all their is to it. If you follow these easy steps, you can expect a long life from your Batteries!
Q: Why is it important to use distilled, or purified water when servicing a Battery?
A. Simple! If you use regular tap water, the minerals will form a crystallization known as Dendrite. The Dendrite will damage the battery cells causing them to short, thus killing the battery. You can re-charge it, which will burn off the ends of the Crystallization, but your battery will die in a matter of days! So please always use purified, or distilled water when servicing your battery! It will save you many headaches later on!
Q: Are their different types of Batteries for my car, and if so, what are they?
A: Yep, their are two basic types of Batteries available. The first is a regular Lead Acid Battery which is in most cars. These Batteries are great for normal day to day use, however, if you do not drive your vehicle regularly, the draw on your battery will quickly discharge. Once you let your normal Car Battery discharge to 7 volts or less, you will lose half the life of your battery. Let it happen a few times, and you will kill it beyond repair!
The second type is what is known as a Deep Cycle, or Marine Battery. These types of Batteries are specifically designed to be discharged, and re-charged multiple times without damage. These are common in Electric Golf Carts where they can be re-charged every day! The Optima is a Deep Cycle Battery designed with the same purpose. It can take discharge from a big stereo, LED Lights, TV Monitors, ect, and still have the ability to re-charge with no damage! These Batteries can be more than double the cost of a standard Battery, but if you have a show car, with a lot of electronics, it is the best way to
So be good to your Battery, and it will be good to you! Till next time, take it easy!
Candyman
Since I am on the subject of Car Batteries, I wanted to post some common Questions people ask.
Q: How do I tell how old my Battery is?
A: Easy! Most Car Batteries will have a stamp somewhere either on the top, or on any of the four sides just below the top of the casing. This is usually a letter, followed by a number. The letter indicates the month the battery was in a shop ready to sell. A is for January, B indicates February, and so on. The number indicates the year the battery was produced. The number 8 would indicate that the battery was manufactured, and sold in 2008. Occasionally you may see two stamps. These are Batteris that were not sold over a period of time, and were taken back to a Battery Distributer to re-charge assuring the Battery is ready when you need it! So if your Battery has a second stamp, this will again indicate the month, and year the battery was rotated by the distributer.
Q: How long does a Car battery usually last?
A: Most cars today have several small microcomputers built in to do everything from monitor the engine, to keeping the time on the clock on your Stereo. These computers are producing a constant draw on your battery. The more cool electronics you have, the greater the strain on the battery which can have a big effect on the over all life! For the most part, the life expectancy should be around five years, but it depends greatly on the vehicle, maintenance, and how much stuff you are running! Your best bet is to check the date. if it is five years or older, you can most likely expect the battery will be about ready for replacement in the near future!
Q: Can I do anything to maximize the life of my Battery?
A: Yep, you sure can! You can maintain your Batteries life, and performance by doing a little routine maintenance. Most types of Automotive Batteries have two caps on the top of the casing.
You can take a flat screw driver, and pop these caps off. Once you have the caps off you will see six holes which are called cells. look into each cell, and check the water level. It should be approximately 3/4 of the way full, and should look concave in shape like looking at a Contact Lens from the inside. If you see a cell that is low, you need to re-fill the cell with purified water. Once all cells are 3/4 of the way full, replace the caps, and you should be good to go. DO NOT fill the cells full, or you will have battery acid spilling over the top of the battery, and down into your engine compartment. Lastly, it is a good idea to regularly clean your cables with a simple wire brush, and make sure all of your connections are in good working order, and tight. The only type of Batteries that are considered Maintenance free are Sears Die Hard which have no caps on top, and always remember If you live in a warmer climate check your battery more often as water will evaporate faster, and that is pretty much all their is to it. If you follow these easy steps, you can expect a long life from your Batteries!
Q: Why is it important to use distilled, or purified water when servicing a Battery?
A. Simple! If you use regular tap water, the minerals will form a crystallization known as Dendrite. The Dendrite will damage the battery cells causing them to short, thus killing the battery. You can re-charge it, which will burn off the ends of the Crystallization, but your battery will die in a matter of days! So please always use purified, or distilled water when servicing your battery! It will save you many headaches later on!
Q: Are their different types of Batteries for my car, and if so, what are they?
A: Yep, their are two basic types of Batteries available. The first is a regular Lead Acid Battery which is in most cars. These Batteries are great for normal day to day use, however, if you do not drive your vehicle regularly, the draw on your battery will quickly discharge. Once you let your normal Car Battery discharge to 7 volts or less, you will lose half the life of your battery. Let it happen a few times, and you will kill it beyond repair!
The second type is what is known as a Deep Cycle, or Marine Battery. These types of Batteries are specifically designed to be discharged, and re-charged multiple times without damage. These are common in Electric Golf Carts where they can be re-charged every day! The Optima is a Deep Cycle Battery designed with the same purpose. It can take discharge from a big stereo, LED Lights, TV Monitors, ect, and still have the ability to re-charge with no damage! These Batteries can be more than double the cost of a standard Battery, but if you have a show car, with a lot of electronics, it is the best way to
So be good to your Battery, and it will be good to you! Till next time, take it easy!
Candyman
