Bowl Out Battery Bother

Batteries are the lifeline of our vehicles and proper maintenance is required to ensure that the vehicle starts in the first instance.

Batteries are the lifeline of our vehicles and proper maintenance is required to ensure that the vehicle starts in the first instance and does not leave us stranded. The first and most likely indication of a low battery would be a hard starting problem caused by slow cranking. If the battery seems weak or fails to crank your engine normally, it may be low. To find out, you need to check the battery's 'state of charge'.

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The charge level depends on the concentration of acid inside the battery. The stronger the concentration of acid in the water, the higher the specific gravity of the solution, and the higher the state of charge. Some sealed-top batteries have a built-in hydrometer to indicate charge. The charge indicator only reads one cell, but usually shows the average charge for all battery cells. A green dot means the battery is 75 per cent or more charged and is okay for use or further testing. No dot (a dark indicator) means the battery is low and should be recharged before it is returned to service or tested further. A clear or yellow indicator means the level of electrolyte inside has dropped too low, and the battery should be replaced.

Your charging system should be capable of recharging the battery if it is not fully discharged. Thirty minutes or so of normal driving should be enough. If your battery is completely dead or extremely low, it should be recharged with a fast or slow charger. This will reduce the risk of overtaxing and damaging your vehicle's charging system. One or both battery cables should be disconnected from the battery prior to charging it with a charger. This will eliminate any risk of damage to your vehicle's electrical system or its onboard electronics.

Average battery life is only about four to five years under the best of circumstances – and sometimes as short as two to three years in places like Delhi, where one needs to use the air-conditioning a lot and there is a lot of stop and go traffic.