Produced By Mike Hartlen Automotive Battery THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT AUTOMOBILE SYSTEMS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY Mike Hartlen TEACHER OF AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY AT EASTERN SHORE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL

Produced By Mike Hartlen What is the automotive Battery? The automotive battery is an electrochemical devise that produces voltage and delivers electrical current.

Produced By Mike Hartlen The purpose of the battery Energy from the battery is used to power accessories, lighting and other electrical systems when the engine is not running. To supply the ignition, fuel and starting systems with the necessary power to start the vehicle. When the engine is running, power from the battery may be needed to supplement the charging system depending on the vehicles electrical demands.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Wet cell – Dry cell Batteries Wet cell batteries contain a liquid electrolyte solution which consists of sulphuric acid and water. Wet cells will produce 2.1 Volts each and 6 cells connected in series (+ - ) allows them to produce the (12) Volts used by the automobile. Dry cell batteries will only produce 1.5 Volts per cell and can be connected in series (to produce more voltage) or parallel (to produce more reserve.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Battery Cells

Produced By Mike Hartlen Cell Plates The amount and size of plates in a battery cell, determine the capacity of the battery.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Wet Cell Battery Construction

Produced By Mike Hartlen Spiral Cell Batteries A modification of the lead-acid battery. A gelling agent is added to the electrolyte to reduce movement and gassing. The spiral design provides more plate surface area allowing for more power from a smaller size.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Deep Cycle Batteries Deep cycling simply means completely discharging then recharging fully. Automobile batteries are not meant to be deep cycled. This will destroy the battery very quickly. Deep cycle batteries are constructed with thicker, heavier plates to prevent warping for the heat generated when a battery is deep cycled.

Produced By Mike Hartlen What Happens The electrolyte of the battery constantly changes to a (more acidic solution) or (less acidic solution) as the battery charges or discharges. More watery as the battery discharges means it could freeze in cold weather conditions. This will cause the liquid in the battery to expand and destroy the battery. (swelling causes plates to short and insulators to wear through)

Produced By Mike Hartlen Special Handling The electrolyte in the battery is very corrosive and under the proper conditions also very explosive. Protect your face, body and clothing when working around a battery. Always disconnect the battery when removing or repairing electrical components. (disconnect negative cable first and connect it last) No spark around the battery and be careful not to drop them.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Post Identification The positive post of the battery is larger than the negative post, can be identified by the + sign or have the letters POS next to it.

Produced By Mike Hartlen

Capacity Ratings Battery ratings tell the consumer the quality and ability of a particular battery. It is important to know how powerful the battery is when you are purchasing one. Dollar value and battery capacity should run hand in hand.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) This rating indicates the ability of a battery to deliver a specified current at low temperature. The rating is determined by the amount of current a fully charged battery can supply for 30 seconds at 0°F or -17.8°C without having the battery voltage fall below 7.2 Volts

Produced By Mike Hartlen Cranking Amps (CA) Same rating as CCA except at a higher temperature. 0°C or 32°F Be careful not to confuse this rating with the CCA rating. A battery will have a much higher CA than CCA rating because a batteries efficiency depletes rapidly with colder temperatures. This rating was intentionally meant to confuse (mislead) the public.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Reserve Capacity Rates in minutes the amount of time the vehicle can be driven after the charging system fails. A constant discharge of 25 amps is assumed. This rating is the amount of time the battery can withstand the 25 amp draw at 80°F – 26.7°C before battery voltage drops below 10.5 volts.

Produced By Mike Hartlen Ampere Hour This rating is the amount of current the battery can deliver for 20 hours without having the voltage drop below 10.5 volts at 80°F – 26.7°C If a battery can deliver 4 amps under these conditions it is considered to be an 80 AH battery – 4 amps X 20 hours = 80AH. BE SURE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES WHEN PRICING NEW BATTERIES!