Car Battery Testing

The battery used to supply electric energy in an automobile is a rechargeable battery. It is often referred to as a SLI battery, which stands for starting, lighting and ignition. Car batteries have two terminals, positive (+) and negative (–). Though rechargeable, most of the batteries have a life of 3 to 5 years, after which they need to be replaced with new ones. Proper maintenance, can ensure that your car battery is usable for 3 to 5 years. Most of the car starting problems are related to battery, and therefore it is of great help to know how to test a car battery.

Car Battery Testing
While testing a car battery, make sure that you follow the manufacturer's instruction. You need to take some safety precautions during battery testing. Wear protective glasses on your eyes, the sparks flying in the hood can hurt your eyes. Avoid wearing jewelry, as they are good conductors of electricity. The foremost thing to do, is to disconnect all the cables. More importantly, always keep in mind that the car battery has enough power to give you an intense shock.

Test Car Battery With a Multimeter
The easiest way is to use a multimeter for battery testing. In order to get a precise reading on your multimeter, restart it and set it to 50 volt scale. The lead should be connected to the post of the battery, instead of the cable, for an accurate voltage reading. The red lead in the multimeter should be connected to the positive (+) terminal, while the black lead should be connected to the negative (–) terminal. After 15 seconds note the reading on the multimeter gauge. If you have a 12 volt battery, the reading should be at least 9.6 on the multimeter for the battery to take charge. If it's less than 9.6, then it's time to opt for a new battery.

Shorting the Battery
Take a conductive object and hold one end to one terminal, while you brush or swipe the other terminal with the other end. Make sure that it's a short lived, quick contact. As prolonged contact can give a high volt shock, which may even result in death. If you notice a spark while you brush or swipe the terminal, then it means that the battery is still charged. Owing to its hazards, one should be careful while using this method to test the car battery.

Other Simple Methods of Car Battery Testing
You can also determine whether your car battery is dead by observing a few things in your car. Check whether the lights in the car, including warning lights, illuminate properly. Check whether your car audio system is working after you turn your ignition switch to ON or ACC. If the radio is working, but the car doesn't start, it is a sign of a low battery. In some case the fault can be with the cables connected to the battery, so it's wise to cross check them before jumping to conclusions. If you feel that the car battery is low you can check the voltage with a multimeter.

Regular maintenance will ensure that your car battery runs for its full term, and all your car problems are kept at bay. Safety measures, such as using a terminal protecting spray, help in optimizing the life of the battery. Car battery testing knowledge can save you a trip to the car repair shop, thus saving your valuable time as well as money.