Battery basics

Motor,  Apr 2002  by Layne, Ken

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*Inspect the battery case and cover for dirt, grease or electrolyte condensation, and clean as necessary.

You can clean a battery with a solution of baking soda and water to remove corrosion and electrolyte deposits. Make sure to keep corrosion and the cleaning solution off painted surfaces. Remove heavy corrosion with a stiff-bristle brush. After removing corrosion, clean the battery with a detergent/water mixture, then rinse with clean water.

Disconnect the battery cables and clean them with the baking soda solution. Scrape battery posts and the inside of cable terminals with special brushes or scrapers. After cleaning the battery and cables, dry them with a clean cloth or lowpressure compressed air.

A battery won't last forever, but proper maintenance and testing can extend its life beyond the normal four to five years-up to seven or eight years in some cases. If you apply some of the basic battery knowledge obtained here, you just might be able to do that for your customers.

Copyright Hearst Business Publishing Apr 2002
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