As summer approaches here in Florida and temperatures are on the rise, the batteries in your car, boat or RV may be getting ready to say their goodbyes. Many times when our customers bring in their dead batteries we find that they have little to no water left in them. This is almost always followed up with, "But it says maintenance free on it." In this article I will try to give a basic explanation of what "maintenance free" means and why it doesn't apply to most situations.
The lead-acid battery was invented in 1859 and while improvements in the manufacturing process have been made, the basic design has changed very little since the 1890's. One major improvement however was the creation of the lead-calcium plate in 1935. Lead-calcium plates have a lower self discharge rate than its predecessor and significantly reduced "off-gassing", which was an issue with earlier design lead-antimony batteries, meaning that even in ideal conditions the battery would need the fluid level maintained. In ideal conditions, the lead-calcium design does not need the fluid level maintained due to the extreme reduction of off-gassing, thus making it "maintenance free."
Let me reiterate, IDEAL CONDITIONS. Under the hood of your vehicle in the middle of summer when the outside air temperature is 95 plus degrees is far from ideal conditions. Batteries tucked away in your boat underneath hatches or in engine rooms with no airflow and extreme temperatures are far from ideal conditions.
While this is far from a comprehensive and detailed history of the lead-acid battery it does answer the question we get on a weekly basis here at Treasure Coast Battery & Alternator, "Is this a maintenance free battery?" Well technically, yes...but realistically, no. The fluid level should be checked on all of your automotive, marine and golf cart batteries on a regular basis regardless of whether "maintenance free" is on the label or not. The only true way to have a maintenance free battery is to purchase AGM or gel batteries which have no free flowing electrolyte inside the batteries. Our experienced battery technicians at Treasure Coast Battery & Alternator would be happy to answer any questions you may have and can get you the right battery for any application.
Nothing is more frustrating than heading out for a great round of golf with friends and be stranded at the 4th hole because of dead batteries! The same goes for a fun-filled afternoon on the boat, there's nothing quite like the embarrassment and hassle of finding out your boat batteries are dead when you arrive at the water! The number one reason we see for premature battery failure here at Treasure Coast Battery & Alternator is LACK OF MAINTENANCE. Maintaining batteries is definitely not on the top of the list of fun things to do, but if you follow these few simple steps your batteries will perform reliably for many years!
- Clean the corrosion from the terminals using a SMALL amount of baking soda. Sprinkle the baking soda on the terminal connections and add a small amount of water to it, the baking soda will foam up and then you can rinse away the corrosion. If the build up is heavy, a small brass brush can help. *NOTE* Take care to NOT get any baking soda INSIDE the battery, it will neutralize the acid and damage the battery.
- Check the water level in the battery. Remove the battery cell caps if your battery has them. The water level should be 3/4 to one inch below the lip of the battery for marine and automotive batteries and up to the bottom of the lip that extends down in to the golf cart batteries. *NOTE* DO NOT overfill your batteries as the acid that spills out could damage battery trays or anything else it comes in contact with.
- Make sure battery connections are tight. Over time, vibration can loosen the battery connection causing intermittent electrical problems and possibly damage the battery terminals. *NOTE* DO NOT over tighten the connection as this could cause damage to the battery post or terminal.
Should you have any questions regarding proper battery maintenance, feel free to contact our staff at Treasure Coast Battery & Alternator at 772-287-0301; however following these 3 simple steps will definitely prolong the life of your batteries and eliminate costly premature battery failure. Remember, take care of your batteries and they'll take care of you!
