12 Sep Car Battery Care | DIY Or Use The Best In Jacksonville, FL
Motorists across the country rely on their vehicles to perform 24/7. But sometimes, we forget that cars require routine maintenance to achieve the many tasks we ask of them. Car battery care is one of those chores that may not be on your radar as often as it should. While caring for your car battery is not hard, it can take some patient diligence to address the inevitable corrosion and inspect the battery tray and hold-down strap during a Jacksonville, FL, summer.
DIY Car Battery Care
For the Do-It-Yourself car enthusiast, car battery care is pretty straightforward. You can complete it over an hour or two on the weekend without breaking a sweat (unless it’s a stupid hot summer in Jacksonville, FL). Remember always to use protective eyewear and gloves when performing battery maintenance.
Clean Battery Terminals
Rust, scale, and corrosion on the battery terminals can reduce its performance and shorten your car battery lifespan.
- First, make your cleaning solution with an equal amount of cool, clean water and baking soda.
- Next, identify the positive terminal with the red cap, then disconnect the negative side first.
- Loosen the bolt connecting the cable to the negative terminal counter-clockwise and gently lift the connector off.
- Repeat the process for the positive side. Don’t touch the two cable connectors to any metal car parts or each other.
- Coat a (non-metallic) firm-bristle brush into the paste and gently scrub both battery terminals.
- When clean, wipe the terminals down with a clean, wet rag.
- Always reconnect the positive side terminal first.
If the cables are difficult to remove due to excessive corrosion, do not try to pry them off. Instead, gently clean the cable connections, one at a time, to remove some of the crust. Once the tops are cleaner, try removing them again.
Check The Car Battery Tray
Before reconnecting the battery cables:
- Check the battery tray.
- Start by removing the battery hold-down strap.
- Use the battery handle or gently lift it out with gloved hands.
- Be careful and move it slowly – battery acid is dangerous.
- Don’t drop it, but carefully place the battery on the ground so it cannot tip over.
Once the battery is removed and stored safely out of the way, clean the battery tray with your left-over baking soda solution. Replace the tray if it’s cracked or badly corroded. Batteries are heavy and need solid support while in your engine compartment.
Anti-Corrosion Terminal Spray
Once you are ready to reinstall your clean battery, you can coat the battery terminals in an anti-corrosion terminal spray (which you can purchase from your local auto parts store) to prevent future build-up.
- Follow the product’s instructions. Only use products designed for car battery terminals to prevent fire hazards and dangerous chemical reactions.
Tighten The Hold-Down Strap
The final step in reinstalling your car battery is to tighten the hold-down strap or bracket. A well-secured car battery should not move or shift around. Excessive vibrations or tipping can damage your car battery. To ensure the hold-down is tight enough, you should not be able to move the car battery around with your hands. If the battery still wiggles, use a socket wrench and rotate the bolts clockwise to tighten them.
- Different vehicles may use different types of hold-downs. The most common type uses a bar across the top of the battery.
- If the hold-down strap or bolts are damaged, immediately purchase a replacement.
Check Battery Fluid Levels
Your wet-cell car battery works through a chemical reaction inside it. Some car batteries have removable caps to check fluid levels and add more distilled water when it’s low. The fluid inside should cover the battery plates for these types of batteries. If it doesn’t, follow these steps:
- Remove the refill caps (Helpful hint: You may have to use a flathead screwdriver to help pry the caps off.)
- Add distilled water (not tap water – which contains dissolved minerals that may affect the battery’s performance) until the battery plates are covered and the fluid reaches the bottom of the cell refill holes.
- Wipe off spilled fluid with a rag – wiping away from the cell opening to prevent dirt or other debris from getting inside your battery.
- Replace the vent caps securely.
- Check the car battery fluid levels every time you do an oil change, or twice a year (when the seasons change).
Check the Battery Condition
If you have a wet cell battery, you can test the electrolyte in each cell with a hydrometer. These nifty electrolyte testers use calibration, assuming a battery is 80 degrees F. You will need to know the current air temperature while testing. Add .04 to each result for every 10 degrees above 80 degrees F and subtract .04 for every 10 degrees under 80 degrees F.
- A fully charged car battery will have a reading of 1.265 or higher.
- Replace the battery if you get a cell result that differs from the others by .05 or more.
- If all the readings show fair or low (1.200 is low) but are consistent, charge the battery.
Maintenance-Free Battery Check
If you have a no-maintenance battery, there are no removable caps for refilling. But there should be a small charge indicator window.
- If the color inside the window is green, the car battery is good.
- If the color inside looks dark, the car battery needs recharging.
- If it looks yellow inside or has no discernible color (use a flashlight if necessary), replace the car battery.
Check Battery Charge
To extend your car battery life, keep it charged to 12.6 volts at all times. When the car battery falls below this level, its performance and lifespan can decrease. Use a voltmeter to check your car battery’s charge. Connect the red positive lead to the battery’s red positive terminal and the black negative lead to the black negative terminal. After a few seconds, the meter will produce a reading.
If the charge is below 12.6 volts:
- Recharge your car battery with a battery charger.
- Attach the negative lead to the negative side battery terminal first, then connect the positive lead to the positive terminal.
- Recharge the battery to 12.6 volts.
Trickle Charger
Attach a trickle charger to your car battery if you store your vehicle or use it seasonally. A trickle charger plugs into a household power outlet and provides a stable charge to the car battery. This practice extends the lifespan of your car battery and keeps it at the correct charge – even when you don’t drive your car often. To use, connect the negative lead of the trickle charger to the negative terminal first, then connect the positive lead. Finally, plug the charger into the power outlet. Leave it attached until you need to drive your car again.
Car Battery Care in Jacksonville, FL
If, after reading through all those helpful tips above, you’d rather bring your vehicle to a trusted service station for car battery care, JJ’s Auto Care in Jacksonville, FL, is happy to help. We are a family-owned and operated company working in our community since 1991. Our team of mechanics will tackle all your car battery concerns, including corrosion and a loose hold-down strap.
Schedule Car Battery Service
Call us at (904) 721-6646 or visit us online to schedule your vehicle’s car battery service today!