Batteries are very important. From the battery in your car to the one in your smartphone and other tech items, batteries play a very important role in ensuring that you are able to use your property for what it was intended to do. Despite how ubiquitous batteries have become, motor vehicle batteries are a distinct type of batteries, especially when one considers their importance and the particular purpose they are used for, as opposed to watch batteries or smartphone batteries. The battery of a car or van is designed to be able to run some functions on its own even if the engine of the car is turned off. These functions include running the radio, mobile charger and others.

Battery Maintenance Tips

The battery of any vehicle is usually located just under the hood, in a place where it will be easily accessible in case the owner of the vehicle intends to carry out maintenance or repairs. In order to ensure that the battery, and thus the vehicle, are in good working condition, there are some basic maintenance tips that any vehicle owner should keep in mind and implement.

The first thing that you need to keep an eye out for is the cleanliness of the battery, specifically whether it has corrosion on it. In the event that you spot small crystals or white powder on your car or van battery, it is very crucial that you immediately clean them using a wire brush.

When you have a need to handle a battery, you should do it with the utmost caution, while taking all the prescribed safety measures in order to avoid a situation in which you may suffer injury. The reason for this can be found in the composition of the battery itself. Often, 12-volt batteries are made up of two six volt batteries which have positive and negatively charged plates and separators. The solution in the cell is an electrolyte, and the interaction of the lead plates is what produces the chemical energy, which in turn produces electricity for your car or another automobile to start and run well.

Ensure that you do not light matches or even use electric appliances in close proximity to your battery. Doing that is risky, because the battery likely produces certain gases that can be highly volatile and explosive. As such, it is best to use a torch instead of a match for anything that requires heat.

Using Your Battery for Jumpstarting

There are many different issues that a car, van or automobile could be facing that could prevent it from starting or running properly, and all those issues have their own diverse solutions. One of the most common solutions, however, is to use a well-charged battery to jumpstart the vehicle. This is done by attaching the positive cable to the positive terminal of the working battery, and then repeating the same sequence on the negative side of things.