1. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Battery Testing and Maintenance

2. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  Always wear eye protection and safety gloves!  Inspect the case and terminals for physical damage  Check the electrolyte level or indicator eye  Clean the battery terminal connections  Clean the battery top  Check the battery hold-down and tray

3. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Inspecting Battery Condition Visually inspect batteries for these kinds of problems

4. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Battery Leakage Test  Checks for current discharge across the top of the battery

5. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Battery Cleaning Wash with baking soda and warm water, and do not let debris enter filler openings Video Demo

6. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Removing Battery Cables Different methods of removal

7. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Cleaning Battery Posts and Cable Ends Rotate female end of brush on post Use male end of brush on cable end

8. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Reconnecting Battery Cables Before reconnecting, apply petroleum jelly or white grease to help prevent corrosion from battery gases

9. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Battery Voltage Test  Connect a voltmeter across the battery terminals  Turn on headlights for a light load  A fully charged battery should have a voltage of 12.5 volts

10. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Battery Chargers  Force current back into the battery to restore the charge on the plates  Change 120 volts AC to 14–15 volts DC

11. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Slow Charger  Often called a trickle charger  Feeds a small amount of current into battery  Charging time is relatively long (about 12 hours)

12. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Fast (Quick) Charger  Forces high current into the battery  Allows an engine with a low battery to start in a few minutes

13. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Charging a Battery  Make sure charger is OFF before connecting to prevent sparks  Make sure charger is connected in proper polarity  positive lead to positive terminal (red)  negative lead to negative terminal (black)  Maximum charge rate 35 amperes

14. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Side Terminal Battery Use adapters when connecting a charger to a side terminal battery

15. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  One of the best methods of checking battery condition  Measures the current output under load  Used on batteries with open circuit voltage of 12.4 volts or higher

16. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Load Tester The most accurate method of determining battery condition

17. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only  Disconnect the cables, negative first  Loosen the battery hold-down  Using a battery strap or carrier, carefully lift the battery off the tray  To install; gently place the battery into the tray and tighten the hold-down  Connect the cables, positive first  Video Demonstration Video Demonstration

18. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Battery Installation Do not overtighten cable terminals

19. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only Battery Carriers If you drop a battery, acid could splash out, causing eye or skin injury

20. © Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only The End