Lead Acid Battery Testing: Is It Really As Simple As 1,2,3 ? |
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Elliott Turner
28 August 2008
One of the most popular uses for lead acid batteries is their use in automobiles. Your car battery is a lead acid battery. You should have your car battery tested periodically for function so that you do not get stranded on the road one day if it dies.
Some car batteries today have a lifetime warranty, but that does not mean that you should not have them tested. A good rule of thumb for lead acid battery testing is to have the battery tested every time you take it to get the oil changed. This should keep the battery in good shape and any recharging that needs to be done can be done at the time.
Older lead acid batteries do not have a lifetime warranty. Because they contain toxins, they have to be disposed of in a certain manner. You cannot just toss them in the dumpster. You can dispose of them in designated areas. Car dealers will often dispose of lead acid batteries for a price.
You can also test your own car batteries at home. If you work on cars in your spare time, you might want to invest in a lead acid battery testing product. These are relatively inexpensive and in some cases, you do not even have to remove the battery from the car.
Most mechanics who work out of their home have some way they use for lead acid battery testing. This is because many of the problems that people experience with their cars are due to the battery running down. If you turn the ignition switch and cannot get the car to even turn on, chances are that the battery is dead. A battery can go dead for many reasons. The most common reason for a battery going dead is that someone left the lights on in the car all night long. This tends to allow the battery to run down and thus, go dead.
The battery can be recharged, but in some cases, it must be replaced. This is determined on the age of the battery and if it has ever been recharged. If you employ lead acid battery testing every once in a while for your car, you can then make sure that the battery is always in good condition so if there is a mishap where the battery does run down due to lights being left on, you have a good chance of not having to replace your car battery.
Lead acid battery testing usually only takes a few minutes. Most car dealers may not even charge you to perform this task. However, the best thing you can do to maintain your vehicle and the battery in the car is to get your own battery testing device so that you never have to worry about the battery running down and being stuck on the road somewhere.