In this day and age, it is hard to find a family who doesn’t have a car. If they don’t, there’s a good chance that they would really want to acquire one as soon as possible. Living in any urban area in the world would be better if you have your own vehicle. Public transportation can be a pain, although this is a reality that most people face everyday. However, if you are given the chance, wouldn’t you rather have your own ride? It makes travelling faster and easier and you don’t have to have rigid time schedules to just make it to the bus stop or station.
However, owning a car is also like having a new family member: It needs work and care for it to function properly.
Most people are really unaware of how to properly maintain for their own car. This is surprising since it is commonly used by most people nowadays. It isn’t just limited to cleaning and scrubbing its surface once in a while. You also need to check under the hood and make sure that every internal process is functioning well. You should know how your engine works and what each part of the car does for your entire driving experience. It may be a small part but it can affect even starting the machine itself.
One of the most important parts of the car is its battery. You might think that it is just for the accessories like your air conditioning system and stereo. However, it is also responsible for your ignition. Once you run out of battery, everything stops and you can’t even turn it on. It also maintains other functions like the internal clock while the automobile is not running. It might look insignificant with all the other parts under the hood but it is vital to the entire driving process. Learn more about basic car mechanics here: https://auto.howstuffworks.com/car.htm.
Two Types of Car Batteries
There are two types of car batteries, the lead-acid and AGM or absorbed glass mat batteries. The most common one is the lead acid, and this is the one that you need to pour water in. It may not be as frequent compared to the older variations, but it needs it nonetheless. It is also far more affordable than AGM but it doesn’t last as long. Absorbed glass mat batteries, on the other hand, is a safer battery because it is less likely to spill its contents compared to the lead acid battery. It also charges on a shorter time but it is more expensive than the former.
No matter what kind of battery you might have, maintaining it is pretty much universal. You need to check it from time to time to make sure that it still has enough. It is advised to check its battery levels every year. However, if you are living in areas with colder climate, the battery life lasts much longer. This means that you do not need to check the battery as often. Also, familiarize yourself with the model since you will need to change it. After all, battery life doesn’t last forever, even if it’s the most expensive brand that you bought.
There will come a time that you might need to change the battery on your own. You can bring it to the repair shop if you don’t know how to do it yet. However, why waste some cash if you can just do it by yourself? Take note though that this is not your regular kind of battery change. You need to have proper equipment and skills in order to execute this task perfectly. There are guides on how to do it properly online. You can go to this blog to find out the proper way of doing it.
Tips Before You Even Try To Change Your Own Battery:
Familiarize yourself with your car and battery brand.
It might sound a bit weird, but you really do need to know the brand of your car and the battery that it’s using. Each brand of automobiles and batteries has their corresponding way on how to remove them. For most automobiles, it is usually the same process as most of them follow the same design. However, there are certain models that need extra work. GM cars tend to have extra bolts around their batteries, so you need to have additional equipment.
Also, your battery terminal might differ from other cars so you need to open the hood and review for yourself. Batteries also come in different shapes and sizes so make sure that the battery that you will buy will actually fit in the hood of your ride.
Prepare all the materials that you need including safety gear.
There are certain tools that you need to have before you can even begin removing the battery from your car. You would need two pairs of wrenches or pliers, working gloves and safety cords to tie up the wires for your safety. Speaking of which, you also need to wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from any kind of discharge from the battery. Take note that lead batteries have fluid in them and you don’t want it near your eyes or even your mouth. Also, wear something that you don’t mind getting soiled by grime. You may have some difficulty removing all of it from your clothing.
Always remember that a car battery is filled with electricity.
This is one thing that most people forget is all batteries have electricity in them. Of course, as most people only handled the small ones like AAA’s so they do not mind it. Typically, car batteries can have up to 720 Watt-hours worth of electricity. This can lead to a fatal shock for an average adult. Also, it is advised not to wear anything metallic when you are trying to change the batteries as this would allow the flow of electricity to your body. This can result in burns or even electric shock. If you are working outside, make sure that the environment is dry because water and electricity will lead to accidents.
