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Automotive Battery. THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT AUTOMOBILE SYSTEMS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY Mike Hartlen TEACHER OF AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY AT EASTERN SHORE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL. What is the automotive Battery?.
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Automotive Battery THIS PRESENTATION ABOUT AUTOMOBILE SYSTEMS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY Mike Hartlen TEACHER OF AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY AT EASTERN SHORE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
What is the automotive Battery? • The automotive battery is an electrochemical devise that produces voltage and delivers electrical current.
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.
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 12.6 - (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.
Cell Plates • The amount and size of plates in a battery cell, determine the capacity of the battery.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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!