Automobile batteries

Automobile batteries are the electrical batteries that provide the electric energy to the automobile. It is to be noted here that most of the automobile batteries that we find in different types of automobiles like cars etc are the Sli batteries. It means that they are Starting-Lighting-Ignition batteries. Let us understand this term in detail. The automobile batteries are starting batteries as they provide the necessary power for starting the motors. They are the lighting batteries as the different types of lighting instruments like real lights, indicators, music systems, front lights, parking lights etc are provided the necessary power by batteries only. They are also the ignition batteries as they provide required power to the ignition system of the engine of the vehicle or the traction batteries. Traction batteries are those batteries that are used basically for the power source for the electric vehicle.

AUTOMOBILE BATTERIES SPECIFICATIONS

Automobile battery specifications depend upon the type of battery that has been used. There are different types of batteries that are used in different types of automobiles. For example, in cars, the automobile batteries that are used are the lead-acid batteries and these batteries provide the required 12-volt current to the engine and the other type of instruments. The current is produced by the automobile batteries by way of potential difference that is attained by connecting six cells in the battery. Each of these cells can produce about 2 to 2.1 volt current. The plates used in the automobile batteries for producing the current are made up of lead and the lead oxide, which are submerged into the sulfuric acid solution. The strength of this solution is generally 35%. Apart from this, there is also electrolyte solution that is used in the automobile batteries and the strength of this solution is about 65%. As a result of the chemical reactions that take place inside the battery, electrons are produced, which produces electricity. It is to be properly understood here that the above chemical reactions are reversed when the batteries are charged. Since charging current is continuously supplied to the batteries by the engine, these batteries get automatically recharged. This also explains why the automobile batteries run for a longer period of time. We often see that the surface of the lead plates changes as the batteries are installed in the automobile. This happens because of the fat that as the discharging of battery takes place, the lead plate material react with the acid present in the battery. Let us now discuss the various types of batteries that are found in the market.

TYPES OF AUTOMOBILE BATTERIES

There are different types of automobile batteries that are found in the market. These batteries are used for different types of purposes. The various types of automobile batteries are made by alloying the lead with different elements like cadmium, calcium, strontium etc. Doing this changes the hardness, density and the porosity of the batteries respectively. This also makes the plate manufacturing quite easier.

The shallow cycle type battery has been designed so as to provide energy for the quick bursts and thus, to start the engine. The plate count in these batteries is usually more so that large current can be provided for short time period. Increasing the number of plates increases the surface area and hence the electric current produced. Once engine is started by giving large amount of current, the battery is recharged continuously.

The deep cycle type of automobile batteries is used for providing continuous power for longer periods of time as opposed the shallow cycle batteries that provide current for short period of time. These types of batteries are used in the battery electric vehicles and other automobiles like the golf cart. The plates in such types of automobile batteries are usually thicker so that the capacity of the battery can be increased and the battery can easily stand larger number of cycles.

Automobile batteries of course require maintenance. In the absence of it, these batteries may stop providing necessary current. The fluid level in the batteries has to be maintained. Though in the present time, most of the automobile batteries are maintenance free, there are also some batteries in which a person can easily open the detachable tops and cells are filled with distilled water or the de-ionized water. It must be clearly understood that a person should never fill these cells with tap water or rain water because these can reduce the performance of batteries as these contains minerals.

In almost all the automobiles, there is alternator fitted. This device charges the battery and also provides necessary current to all the electrical systems by means of engine power. When the alternator stops functioning, the automobile battery may get discharged soon. There are many methods of recharging the automobile batteries and the most common is trickle charging. Other methods of recharging the automobile battery are the show charging and the quick charging.

In case the automobile battery has been discharged and there is no nearby shop to get it recharged, a person can easily start the automobile by way of "jump starting".

THUS, AUTOMOBILE BATTERIES ARE VERY IMPORTANT

Automobile batteries are very much necessary for the functioning of an automobile. These are of different types and are used as per the applications in different types of automobiles. Most of the automobile batteries available today are maintenance free. But in case a person has maintenance required battery, he has to fill in distill water in each of the cells of battery for the proper functioning. Even, regular check ups of the distilled water should be made so that the battery does not get discharged. The current is produced by the automobile battery by way of production of electrons as described above. Alternator fitted in the automobile helps to recharge the battery as well as supplied current to different types of electrical devices fitted in the automobile. In case of emergency, the automobile can be started by using the battery of another similar automobile, which is called as jump-starting. So, there are many aspects of automobile batteries that have to be understood properly.

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