Ways to check a working car battery
A car consists of a variety of mechanical and electrical components. The mechanical parts comprise of the moving parts of the car which help car to move while the electrical parts help in powering a variety of accessories in the car. While the importance of mechanical parts like the engine is crucial for the movement of the car, a similar kind of importance is also given to a car battery when it comes to the electrical components of a car.
A car battery is essential to drive the assistive functionalities of a car. Common examples include lights, powering up the car, managing the AC and many more. Car batteries, the most essential part of a car, just like any other battery need regular maintenance to extend its service life. A regular inspection or testing helps to maximize battery life and maintain its optimum performance. Taking regular care of the battery is essential for the smooth working of the car.
If you are living in Singapore and face any kind of battery-related issues, feel free to reach out to Swift Battery Specialist. We offer 24hrs car battery service all over Singapore.
There are times when a car breaks down and checking it makes it crucial at the said point of time. With that in mind, here are some of the ways to check the battery status of a car:
1. Visual check:
This is one of the easiest ways to detect the problem with the car battery. Several signs like oil level, battery status, light status are often displayed on the dashboard. Checking the dashboard signs easily lets you determine the battery status of a car. This is due to the fact that modern car batteries come with a unique kind of gel-substitute in its composition which directly links with the car dashboard by a gauge link.
The gauge indicator which is connected to the gauge link reads the battery levels from the car and shows the battery level of a car with different colors according to different battery levels. As soon as you power up your car, the dashboard indicator will begin to read the voltage count. If turns to green your battery is in a good condition if its orange then your battery levels are low and if it turns red, your car battery levels are highly critical and the battery is in need of an immediate charge.
However, if you happen to have an old car with an old battery system; the only way to diagnose the car battery would be to open up the bonnet of the car.
2. Device assistance:
If you are technical person, you can get into specific checking methods as well. The voltmeter is one way to get things done. Voltmeter readings would give an idea about the health of the car battery. Anything below the 12.2v mark is unfit for the battery health when the car is not running. The optimal count of a standby car battery is usually between 12.4 to 12.7 volts.
Testing the car battery involves two steps. The first step focuses on the analysis of the volt passage with the engine turned off while the second one checks for the volt count when the car engine is running. Battery volt levels often in the range of 14.7 to 13.4 volts when the car engine is running show signs of a healthy car battery. Ensure that the measuring device is set to measure Direct Current (DC) voltage. Make sure that the car battery is not fully discharged during the measurements.
3. Load test analysis:
This procedure involves pushing the engine to analyze car battery health. It is done with the aid of a Multimeter at hand. The procedure involves connecting the Multimeter to the car engine and observing the voltage results. Maximum and minimum voltages are primarily focused during the observation process.
This battery test helps in checking the real-world performance of your car battery. This is because the car battery is heavily strained during the process. The test is successful if the car battery holds a minimum charge of 9.6 volts for a time duration of about 15 seconds. The load can be sequentially raised by turning on electrically operated car accessories.
Read More: Car Battery Voltage Guide
4. Electric test:
This is a special kind of car battery check. It requires the use of a unique electronic test device. A car battery consists of a variety of chemicals and corresponding cells in its composition. This test device determines the health levels of the cells inside the battery. It does this by sending a returning signal for outcome analysis. This kind of test is usually less preferred since it needs the test device to be calibrated for each car battery according to its size and voltage capacity.
The state of the battery can be determined by the outcomes gathered by the test device. Signal of “healthy state” gives you a confirmation of a good car battery.
5. Fluid check:
Hydrometer can also be used to check the health of a car battery. A car battery is comprised of several chemical fluids that have a gravity they hold for the charge. The hydrometer is used to check the gravity level of fluids for holding the electric charge in the cell. This helps in determining the strength of the battery fluids. This method is obsolete in the case of sealed batteries.
Battery fluids are heavily affected in case of extreme weather conditions. Places like Singapore often have such weather conditions, forcing the car battery to push to its maximum limits. If you happen to be stuck with a dead or discharged battery in the middle of the night, feel free to reach out to Swift Battery Specialist. We offer 24hrs car battery service across Singapore.
These are the most useful ways to check a working car battery. Regular inspection of car batteries ensures a seamless car operation. It helps your car keep up without any kind of hiccups in the middle of the day. For any kind of car battery services in Singapore, reach out to Swift Battery Specialist today.
