DID you know in order to determine if your battery is fully charged, you will need to measure your battery’s state of charge with a voltmeter? Expert says that you can use an analog or digital voltmeter, but a digital meter will give you an easier-to-see, more accurate reading.
If you are a do-it-yourself, remember to always wear a pair of rubber gloves and goggles whenever you service your battery. This will protect your hands and eyes from acid. Here are some steps you can use by website www.pepboys.com to test your battery.
Before you begin testing, make sure the ignition key and all of your vehicle’s lights are off. Connect the red or positive voltmeter test lead to your battery’s positive terminal. Then, connect the black or negative voltmeter test lead to your battery’s negative terminal.
Compare your reading to this chart:
Always remove the negative terminal first. If the battery terminals do not come off easily, use a battery terminal puller to remove them. Do not use a screwdriver to pry the terminals off because it can break the internal connections of the battery post.
Take your battery terminal cleaning tool, which should have different extensions for different sized terminals, and use it to clean off the terminals and posts.
Good vs bad battery
- Here are some tips on how you can you tell if the battery is good;
- Accepts and holds charge;
- Easily recharges and returns to service;
- Above 12.4 volts reading; and
- Under four years old.
Tips on how you can tell the battery is bad;
- Will not accept or hold a charge;
- Under 12.0 volts reading;
- Cannot produce adequate cranking amps; and
- More than five years old.
The website reported that the only way to know if your battery is good or bad is to test it.
