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HOW DOES A LEAD ACID BATTERY GENERATE ELECTRICITY? A lead acid battery stores chemical energy. The chemical energy is created
by the chemical action between the materials which form the positive and
negative plates of the battery and the electrolyte (sulfuric acid). When
the battery is connected to an external load such as a vehicle starter,
the acid reacts with the battery's plates and the chemical energy is then
converted into electrical energy.
THE CHARGING/DISCHARGING CYCLE Just as in a flashlight type dry cell, the lead acid battery chemicals are consumed when electrical power is extracted. When a lead acid battery is discharged, some of the sulfate from the acid adheres to the plates and is lost or consumed. This causes the sulfuric acid to gradually lose strength. But unlike the dry cell battery, the chemical changes in a lead acid battery can be reversed by charging. WHY DOES A LEAD ACID BATTERY GO BAD? Age: Although charging causes the sulfate deposited on the plates to return to the acid, the process is not perfect. A small amount of sulfate insulating residue (sulfation) remains on the plates of the battery. With each charge/discharge cycle of the battery this residue accumulates. This process eventually results in diminished electrical conductivity of the plates as well as permanently diluted sulfuric acid and eventually the battery will no longer maintain a charge. Premature Failure: One common cause of premature battery failure is loss of electrolyte due to under hood heat or overcharging. Other causes, though less common are deep discharges (leaving your lights on), using an undersized battery, undercharging, loose alternator belt, or excessive vibration due to loose hold-down clamp. Sometimes it is not just the sulfation, but the occurring mechanical damage that causes premature failure. Shorted cells, open inter-cell connectors, plate erosion and plate expansion are examples of mechanical damage causing premature failure. WHAT IS A BATTERY'S STATE OF CHARGE? A battery's state of charge is the open circuit or unloaded voltage across the positive and negative terminals. Under unloaded conditions, with no surface charge, a battery displaying 12.7V or above is considered to be fully charged whereas a battery displaying 11.8V or below is considered to be fully discharged. HOW DOES A CARBON PILE TESTER WORK? Until recently, the most effective way to determine the condition of
a battery was to measure the voltage drop while draw-ing hundreds of amperes
(almost a short) from a near fully charged battery. To achieve this load,
large resistors (carbon piles) are applied across the battery's terminals
for a short period of time (approx. 15 seconds) and the resulting voltage
is read. Typically, the voltage on a good battery will not drop below 9.
7 Volts at 80°F (9. 1 V at 30°F). Although widely used, this method
can permanently damage a battery, cause potentially dangerous sparks and
requires an adjustment to the reading to compensate for low ambient tempera-tures.
As explained above, a battery loses its capacity as its plates gradually
become coated and/or damaged. The model B-200 determines the condition
of the battery by electronically measuring the degree of plate loss caused
by this process. Using less than 1 amp from the battery, the circuitry
then computes, and displays the value of "load volts" for a load drawing
200 to 300 amps. Both the electronic B-200 test method and the older carbon
pile method result in basically the same readings on a fully charged battery
at 800F. However, the B-200's readings are independent of temperature and
a nearly fully charged battery is not required to properly test the battery.
HOW DOES THE B-200 TEST DISCHARGED BATTERIES? The B-200 eliminates the time consuming task of recharging and re-testing
discharged batteries by employing a new method that utilizes the battery's
State of Charge value. Once the State of Charge value obtained from the
unloaded (open circuit) battery voltage is dialed in, the circuitry computes
and displays the proper loaded voltage regardless of the battery's state
of charge.
CAN THE B-200 TEST SIZE ANY SIZE (CCA) BATTERY? The B-200's "intelligent" circuitry is designed to test batteries from
150 to 1400 CCA (cold cranking amps.) without the need to input the CCA
value. This simplifies battery testing since the CCA rating of many batteries
does not appear on the battery label.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONSIN VEHICLE TEST STEP 1: CHECK ALTERNATOR CHARGING VOLTAGE:
CHECK BATTERY CONDITION
SELECTING PROPER BATTERY SIZE Use the battery manufacturer's guide for the recommended CA and Group # for a particular vehicle model. There are two other battery ratings that should be considered depending on the climate where it will be used: CCA (Cold Crank-ing Amps) and RC (Reserve Capacity) . In colder climates higher CCA ratings are more important. CCA - Discharge load measured in amps that a fully charged battery at 0 ° F can deliver for 30 seconds while maintaining its voltage above 7.2V RC - Number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80.F can be discharged
at 25 amps until the voltage drops below 10.5 volts.
REMOVING AND INSTALLING BATTERIES
Every effort has been made to provide our customers with reliable, superior quality products. However, in the event your instrument requires repair, the purchaser should contact Battery Sales for a return authorization number, and return the instrument UPS prepaid with proof of purchase to: SERVICE DEPT.
To provide for a quick turn around on products returned for service,
defective products will be either repaired or replaced at the discretion
of Battery Sales.
The B-200 Battery Analyzer is warranted to be free of defects in materials
and workmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase. This
warranty applies to all repairable instruments that have not been tampered
with or damaged through improper use.
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Copyright © 2009 Battery Sales USA, Inc. |
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