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 temperatures.