Battery troubles can cause a lot of anxiety for individuals who rely on their cars to get them to work, school, and other important commitments.
Depending on where you live, keeping your battery in good working condition can be as simple as keeping your car in the shade and running the engine regularly.
Sometimes, though, you need to do a bit more to ensure that your battery will last and get you where you need to go. Regular battery testing can help you with battery maintenance.
Wondering how to test a car battery at home? We’ll show you how you can test your battery at home.
Check the Battery Terminals
Testing a car battery at home is one of the most important preventative maintenance steps. You can start by checking the battery terminals. Remove the terminals from the battery and brush the terminals with a wire brush to remove any dirt or corrosion.
Make sure the terminals are clean and secure in place. Assess the battery’s overall condition by looking at the terminal posts, cable connections, and case, checking for any signs of corrosion, weakness, or physical damage. Taking the time to check the battery terminals at home can greatly extend the life of your car battery.
Check the Battery Voltage
To test the car battery at home, you will need to obtain a multi-meter with battery testing capabilities. Start by setting the multi-meter to the 20 V setting and then disconnect the negative and positive battery terminals, while making sure to disconnect the negative cable first.
For the next step, insert the multi-meter probes into both terminals, firmly and securely. Then, record the reading. The battery voltage should be approximately 12.6 V when the engine is off and be higher than 12.7 V when running.
If the reading is lower than 12.5 V when the engine is off, then it is time to consider replacing the battery. Alongside this, you should also observe the physical shape of the battery if it is corroded or swollen, it also indicates that it needs to be replaced.
Check the Battery Cable Connections
Checking the battery cable connections is an essential part of testing a car battery at home. These connections must be checked because they are responsible for the transfer of energy from the battery to the car. If the connections are poor, the car may not start or have difficulty starting.
To check the connections, first, remove the battery cable clamps from the battery posts and examine the cables for any signs of corrosion or damage. If necessary, clean the battery cable clamps and terminals with a wire brush or steel wool. Finally, securely reinstall the battery cable clamps to the battery posts and tighten the clamps.
If your car won’t start after checking everything, it’s time to call a car battery jump start service.
Learn to Test a Car Battery at Home
Testing a car battery at home offers convenience, cost savings, and safety. With the right supplies and some know-how, anyone can test their car battery to make sure it’s running properly.
Learning how to test a car battery might just save you from an unnecessary breakdown someday. If you want to find out more, visit your local auto parts shop for more information.
For more reads aside from car batteries, visit our blog.
