Battery : Theory and Practice

Introduction The battery is an electrochemical device. It converts chemical energy into electrical energy. The battery produces electricity to operate the starting motor and ignition system while starting the engine. Discharging : Charging : Battery changes chemical energy into electrical energy - Current flow out of the battery Electrical energy is converted into chemical energy - Battery stores the energy until it needed

The function of Battery To operate starter motor ignition system E!I relays during cran"ing of the engine #upply all of the electrical power for the car whenever the engine is not running $elp the charging system in providing electricity when demand is above the output of the charging system #tore electrical energy for e%tended periods &ct as a voltage stabili'er that smoothen the current through the vehicle electrical system To allow dynamic memory and alarm system to remain active when the vehicle is left for a period of time (nly the battery is the power supply )hen engine is stopped the battery operates all electrical devices )hen engine is started the battery operates the starter motor discharged current flows from the battery

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)hen only the alternator is the power supply &fter the engine starts the alternator operates all electrical devices * recharges the battery at the same time - charging current flows into the battery

)hen both are used as a power supply +ight after the engine is started if the electrical load is too great for the alternator the battery contributes electrical power - discharged current flows from the battery

)hile the car is running almost all power is supplied by the alternator.
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 Battery,s main function is to start the engine. &n imbalance in the relationship between the battery and the alternator may cause the battery to become discharge

Construction of the Battery &n automobile battery contains -. diluted sulphuric acid /. positive plates 0. negative plates

Internally a battery is separated into several cells 1usually si% in the case of automobile batteries. and in each cell there are several battery elements all submerged in the electrolyte
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The positive plates and negatives plates are each connected together by separate plate straps These groups of positive and negative plates are then placed alternately separated by separators and fibreglass mats. The plates separators and mats are called a battery element 2rouping the plates in this way serves to enlarge the contact area between the active materials and the electrolyte allowing a greater amount of electricity to be supplied thus the battery capacity is increased

3ositive 3lates 4ead pero%ide 1brown colour. as active material formed on mesh 5 grid framewor" #trap together to form positive plate group
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 #tandard car battery has -.6/ mm grid thic"ness (ne plate less as a common practice 7egative 3lates 3ure lead 1grey colour. sponge lead as active material formed on mesh 5 grid framewor" #trap together to form negative plate group #tandard car battery has -.89 mm grid thic"ness (ne plate more as common practice #eparator Insulated and corrosion resistant material such as 3:C paper based glass fiber ;ust have correct pore structure for the electrolyte passage 3revent positive * negative plate from touching

2rid To conduct electricity to and from active material and to support the active material
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 2rid is made of lead < antimony = but promotes electrolyte gassing 1loss of electrolyte. 2rid of lead < calcium is used for maintenance free battery minimum loss of electrolyte

Electrolyte #ulfuric acid * distilled water Electrolyte that are used in batteries today have a specific gravity 1#.2. of either -./> or -./? 1at /9@C. when the battery is fully charged 1 The difference is due to the particular ratio of distilled water to sulphuric acid - the electrolyte having a #.2 of -./> contains >6A distilled water and 06A sulphuric acid while the electrolyte having a #.2 of -./? contains >0A distilled water and 0BA sulphuric acid

Specific Gravity (S.G) The ratio of the density of a substance to that of water. Water has a specific gravity of 1.0, so a substance with a specific gravity of less than 1 is less dense than water and one with a specific gravity greater than 1 is denser than water.

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Specific Gravity Container 5 battery case 3lastic container corrosion resistance material It is divided into si% compartments or cells Cpper and lower electrolyte level mar"ers are provided on the translucent battery case showing electrolyte level readily The plates are raised up off the bottom of the case with ribs to prevent them from shorting out if any of the active materials should happen to fall from the plates

:ent 3lugs :ent plugs are caps for the holes that are used for adding electrolyte
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 They are also designed to separate the hydrogen gas 1from when the battery charges. and sulphuric acid mist that are present in the air inside the battery by allowing the hydrogen gas to escape through the vent holes and the sulphuric acid mist to condense on the sides of the vents and drop bac" into the battery

Battery Identification Codes Batteries that are made in Dapan are given a battery identification code according to a Dapan Industrial #tandard 1DI#. The code indicates the battery capacity dimensions and the position of the positive terminal 1right or left side. Information of the ID Code

3erformance

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This indicates the battery,s capacity indirectly. The chart shows the relationship between battery identification codes and battery capacity. The capacity is e%pressed in ampere-hours

Battery )idth and $eight

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The battery,s width and height combination is indicated by one of the eight letters 1& to $.

Battery length The length of the battery is indicated roughly in centimetres 1cm.. E/0F in battery identification code means that the battery is about /0 cm 1/09mm. long

3osition of the 3ositive Terminal

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The position of the positive terminal of a battery is indicated either by + 1right side. 4 1left side. or blan"

!or Century Battery

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 The electromotive force 1E;!. generated by one cell is appro%imately /.- : regardless of the Guantity or si'e of the plates #ince automobile batteries have si% cells that are connected in series their nominal output E;! is about -/ : Discharging The flow of current in the cell produces brea"down of the acid,s sulphate #ulphate leaves and combines with the positive * negative plates to form lead sulphate - so both plates are no longer dissimilar (%ygen leaves the positive plates and returns to the electrolyte to form water Charging Current is force through in the battery - opposite direction to normal DC is reGuired to recharge If battery is -/: higher voltage is reGuired - -8: Charging action !low of current brea"s up the electrolyte Electrolyte o%ygen moves to combine with lead of the positive plate to form lead pero%ide Both plates give sulphate to form sulphuric acid The negative plate form spongy lead-both plates are altered chemically and concentration of the sulphuric acid increases
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Chemical reaction equation Discharging Charging

PbO2 + 2 H 2 SO4 + Pb 2 PbSO4 + 2 H 2 O

2 PbSO4 + 2 H 2 O PbO2 + 2 H 2 SO4 + Pb

Factors Affecting the Voltage of a Battery -. Concentration of the acid in the electrolyte as a rule of thumb the cell voltage is about 9.?8 < value of the relative density &cid density -./? -./8 -./9 -.-6 -.-/ Cell voltage /.-/: /.9?: /.98: -.HH: -.H>: Battery voltage -/.B: -/.6: -/.0: -/.9: --.?: A charge -99 B9 69 /9 9

/. Terminal voltage must not be below -.? : 1minimum allowable discharge. acid almost turn to water * lead sulphate crystal grow ma"ing it very difficult to recharge the battery 0. Temperature #tandard temperature are Guoted at -6@C #2 falls by 9.99B per -9@C rise above -6@C #2 rises by 9.99B per -9@C fall below -6@C E%ample: )hat is the #2 of an electrolyte at 86@C if the reading at /6@C was measured at -.// &ns: #2 at 86@C I -.// = 1/%9.99B. #2 I -./9> 8. E%treme temperature
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 Chemical reaction slowed down - will not produced as much current Engine difficult to start - thic" oil poor fuel atomi'ation heat loss Battery Capacity Rating &ll si% cell storage batteries have the same voltage but they may have a different capacity. Capacity is a measure of how much current it can produced and how long it can sustain this current 0 methods of defining battery capacity: -. Reserve capacity rating Defined as the time in minutes for the fully charged battery voltage to fall to -9.6 : with a constant load of /6 & at /6@C - how long the battery can sustain a /6 & discharge /. Cold cranking amps !A" Cranking #erformance . The current that the battery will give at --?@C for a specified interval of time when the battery voltage falls to an end voltage - three standard = B# 1British #tandard. DI7 12erman #tandard. and #&E 1#ociety of &utomotive Engineers. #tandard B# DI7 #&E Duration >9 seconds 09 seconds 09 seconds Battery si'e #tandard 7#89J&4 7#>9 7#B9 7B9 66D/0 DI7 0. Ampere$%our rating
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End :oltage ?.8 volts H.9 volts B./ volts

DI# model 0>B/9 8>B/8 >6D/> >6D066D/0

CC& /B6 0/6 8/9 886 066 0>9

&mount of energy measured in ampere-hours e%pected from a fully charge battery until it become discharged down to -.? : The discharge is measured in /9 hours E%ample: a 69&h battery can e%pect to deliver /.6 &mpere for /9 hours If a higher current were drawn e.g. 6 &mpere the theoretical time would be -9 hours 1in actual it should be less = about ? hours. &h is used to estimate how long to charge a battery 1 not popularly used now. In summary the capacity of a battery is the amount of electrical energy that can be obtained from it. It is usually given in ampere-hours 1&h. reserve capacity 1+C. and cold cran"ing amps 1CC&. E%ample of 2erman #tandard 99- -/: >9&h 099& !irst figure - manufacturer code #econd figure - voltage Third figure - capacity in ampere-hour !ourth figure - cold cran"ing current

Internal Resistance &ll batteries have internal resistance but it is very low. eg. 9.996 ohm for a good condition battery and may be 9.96 ohm for a fair condition battery The internal resistance of the battery causes the battery,s output voltage to decrease as the current passing through it increases Battery with higher plates has lower internal resistance &s battery age internal resistance increase
V = E Ir

: is actual terminal voltage theoretical voltage r is internal resistance

!elf$discharge
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(ver a period of time a battery which is not used will gradually lose its charge due to several factors Internal chemical reaction due to antimony deposits on negative plate trace of iron in electrolyte 4ea"age currents due to dirt and fume to form conducting path #ediment at the bottom of the battery #elf discharge at the rate of 9./A to -A of the battery &h per day depending on the age of the battery temperature antimony content To avoid high temperature discharge #tore in cool place Charge battery every month if not use (nce fully discharge it may not fully recover even after recharge !ulphation Cnder normal discharging fine crystals of lead sulphate are formed on the plates and by charging these are convertible If battery is left discharge for long period the crystal turns into coarse lead sulphate which are not easily convertible #ulphation causes the reduction in battery &h and also impede the charging process causing the battery to become very hot In minor sulphation cases e%tended period of charging at low current will improve but in serious cases the battery is condemned due to internal short circuit

Battery Maintenance & Service

!afety Instructions & #rocedures )hen handling sulfuric acid or when topping-up batteries which are not maintenance-free with distilled water always wear protective goggles and rubber gloves Do not fill up with electrolyte to above the ;&K mar" Do not tilt battery to e%treme angles from the vertical for long periods Due to the ris" of electrolytic-gas detonation smo"ing and na"ed flames are not allowed and spar"s must be avoided when battery is being charged 1connect and disconnect cables in the prescribed order with the battery charger switched off. Battery charging rooms must be well ventilated
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 7ever wear rings bracelets watches or hanging nec"laces around battery 7ever lean over a charging battery Do not charge a fro'en battery or a maintenance-free battery which the charge-indicator dot shows light yellow or clear. The battery could e%plodeL 7ever disconnect the positive cable first. If the wrench slips and ma"es contact between the positive cable and ground a very high current flows through the wrench. This action may heat the wrench and burn your hand and possibly caused the battery to e%plode Battery 'aintenance Battery ;aintenance includes: ;a"ing visual inspection of the battery Cleaning the battery top terminal and cable clamp Testing the battery Charging the battery

Battery :isual Inspection 4oo" for: Electrolyte lea"age Electrolyte level

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 Crac" in the case 1may result from overtightening the hold-down clams. or top 1may result from using wrong wrench. 4oose or missing hold-down clamps 4oose terminals 1may result from overtightening the cable bolts. Terminal corrosion Cleaning the Battery Corrosion around the terminals and clamps can be cleaned by using a battery-terminal brush 1with a solution of ba"ing soda and water. Battery Testing and Trou(le Diagnosis The two main causes of battery troubles are overcharging and undercharging (vercharging Causes damage to the plate and shortens battery life. The high voltage can also damage other electrical and electronic components !or a vent-cap battery - shown by freGuent addition of water !or a maintenance-free battery = shown by low electrolyte level (ther signs of overcharging: :oltage M -6 volt Electrolyte dry too fast :igorous bubbles 3ungent smell #urface always wet Bulb always burnt Battery buldge Cndercharging 3ossible causes include: Charging system malfunction Defective connections in charging system E%cessive load demands on battery Defective battery #elf-discharge resulting from battery sitting idle for long periods E%cessive "ey-off current drain
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Testing the Battery Testing is done to determine whether a battery: -. Is in good condition /. 7eeds recharging 0. Is defective and should be discarded To test the state of charge hydrometer for vent-cap battery charge indicator for maintenance-free battery To test for performance - battery load test (pen-circuit :oltage Test !or maintenance-free battery that has no charge indicator (C: can be used to measure the state of charge. ;ade by measuring terminal voltage with digital multimeter (C: -/.8 volts and above = enough charge for load test (C: less than -/.8 volts charge the battery first $ydrometer Test Ball hydrometer = put the rubber tube into the electrolyte. #Guee'e and release the bulb. Electrolyte will be drawn into the tube. If the balls float the battery is fully charge. If none ball float the battery is discharge !loat hydrometer = The same procedure applied. ;ar"s on the float stem show the electrolyte #.2. The more fully-charged the battery the higher the float

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Charge-indicator Condition It is a built-in hydrometer to show the condition and state of charge of the battery. If the indicator is light yellow or clear the electrolyte level is low. Install a new battery

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Battery 4oad Test &fter the battery passes the state of charge test chec" for the performance by battery capacity test or battery load test. This measures terminal voltage while the battery is discharging at high rate To perform the testN The load is applied using a tester that includes a voltmeter an ammeter and a carbon-pile resistor. The applied load is indicated on manufacturer,s specification. #ome manufacturers recommend removing the surface charge by applying a 099-ampere load to the battery for -6 seconds. )ait -6 seconds before applying a load eGual to one-half the cold-cran"ing amps. &fter -6 seconds read the voltage and remove the load. Battery voltage should read H.> volts or higher. If below the minimum recharge the battery and retest it. If fails again discard the battery Battery Charging & battery charger must be used if the alternator cannot charge the battery adeGuately due to long period of no use #low Charging & slow charger feeds small amount of current into the battery. Charging time is longer 1about -/ hours at -9 amps.. The chemical action inside
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the battery is improved and the active materials are plated bac" on the battery plates better. !ast Charging 5 Boost Charging & fast charger forces a high current flow into the battery for rapid recharging. !ast charging allow engine starting in a matter of minutes. & high charging current can be used below the gassing voltage. If e%ceeded the battery starts to gas and leads to water loss in battery. Done for emergency case only because it can cause damage to battery #tart &ssistant with Dumper Cables 5 Dump #tart The battery from another vehicle can be used to provide start assistance. The procedure can only be used if the batteries are installed in both vehicles. !or efficient starting assistance use only standardi'ed Oumper cables 1DI7 B/660. with conductor cross-section at least -> mm / from petrol engine and /6 mm / for diesel engine. Both batteries must have the same nominal voltage. T 3rocedure for Dump #tarting Connect the positive terminal of the discharge batter y to the positive terminal of the e%ternal power source Connect the negative terminal of the e%ternal power source to a bare metallic surface away from the battery 1e.g. the engine ground strap. on the vehicle receiving assistance Chec" that battery Oumper cable are firmly attached #tart the vehicle with the sound battery. &fter a brief pause also start the disabled vehicle (nce start assistance is complete disconnect the cable clamps in the reverse order Battery !torage !or new batteryN Cnfilled : unlimited !illed conventional : 0 1ma% >. months !illed completely maintenance-free : -? months Battery must be stored in a cool and dry place and in a good state of charge
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 Do not stac" batteries on top of each other without additional support because the weight can collapse the case and the plates in the bottom battery Removing and Replacing Battery To remove a battery: Disconnect the ground cable from the battery Cse a bo% wrench or battery pliers to remove a nut-and-bolt cable clamp 4oosen the clamp bolt then pull the clamp from the terminal If the clamp stic"s use a battery-clamp puller #Guee'e apart the ends of the rings with pliers to detach the spring-ring cable clamp Disconnect the insulated cable from the battery 4oosen the hold-down clamps and remove battery To install the battery: Do not reverse the terminal connections +econnect the insulated cable first then the ground cable Tighten the hold-down clamps but do not over-tighten

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