The main source of electrical energy when the car engine is not running is the storage battery (AKB). In addition to providing power for lighting devices and multimedia equipment in the passenger compartment, this device performs important function - activates the starter of the car engine, which ensures its start. Therefore, it is important to know exactly how and in what sequence the battery is connected to on-board network vehicle.
1 The main reasons for removing and installing the battery on a car
- Failure of the old battery due to long-term operation and exhaustion of the reserve.
- Installation of additional electrical equipment, alarms, lighting devices on the vehicle.
- Charging the battery if a discharge has occurred, for example, in case of inattention, when the driver did not turn off the lighting devices.
- Repair or replacement of components and assemblies, access to which is difficult due to the presence of a battery.
- Long break in vehicle operation, for example, during cold seasons.
If the battery is installed due to the replacement of an old one that has expired, it is imperative to visually inspect the battery that is installed in the car before purchasing. Pay attention to the location of the terminals on the battery cover. On different models cars, they can be located diametrically opposite. That is, either on the right side of the battery, or on the left. Having bought a battery with the wrong one (for this car) the location of the terminals, a situation may arise that the wires connected to the terminals simply do not reach them.
In addition, the height of the battery should be measured. A high battery may simply not physically fit into the standard seat and there will be a risk of touching the terminals on the inner surface of the car hood, which will inevitably lead to a short circuit and, as a result, failure of the car's electrical wiring and even a fire. Thus, in order to correctly connect new battery to the car, you need to take into account some of the nuances of this process.
2 Removing and installing battery - tools and materials
- Open-end wrench for loosening the terminals. The vast majority of cars use 10 mm wrench nuts.
- Socket head or 12 spanner wrench for removing the battery retaining plate.
- Rubber gloves and goggles.
- Baking soda solution - 1 tablespoon of baking soda per liter of water.
- Fine-grained sandpaper.
- A file for metal with a round section no more than 8 mm in diameter.
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When replacing the battery, remember that chemical processesflowing inside the battery, explosive gases are emitted, moreover, poisonous to humans. Therefore, you need to carefully inspect the old battery for damage to the case or leakage of the plugs. If any, the replacement procedure should be carried out outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
In addition, even an incompletely charged battery is dangerous in terms of damage electric shock... This is especially true for batteries with a capacity of more than 70 amp-hours. The charge of such a battery is enough to cause a limb injury or a 2nd degree burn to a person.
The electrolyte in the battery is a very aggressive solution containing sulfuric acid. Therefore, these products must be handled with extreme care. In case of contact with open areas of the skin, you must immediately wipe these areas with a solution of baking soda, which neutralizes the acid. If you get into the eyes, you should immediately consult a doctor.
3 Sequence of actions for removing and installing the battery
- Remove the key from the car ignition.
- If there are airbags in the car, you must wait 10-15 minutes to prevent them from being triggered as a result of a short circuit of residual currents in the car's wiring.
- Loosen the nuts on the battery terminals using a 10 wrench, turning them counterclockwise 2-3 full turns.
- Remove the wire from the negative terminal by loosening it around the battery terminal. The wire suitable for this terminal is black.
- Remove the positive lead from the battery terminal in the same way. It is red in color. Care must be taken to ensure that this wire does not accidentally touch the metal parts of the vehicle. Otherwise, the on-board wiring of the machine could be damaged by short-circuiting the residual currents.
- Unscrew the 2 nuts on the rods holding the battery pressure plate using a 12 or 13 socket, depending on the car model.
- Remove the pressure plate and remove the retaining rods from the seats (if removable).
- Gently pull the battery out of the landing platform while holding it firmly as the weight can be up to 20 kg.
- Clear the platform from dirt, dust. If there are signs of oxidation, treat with fine-grained emery paper, then wipe with a solution of baking soda.
- If there are traces of oxidation and a greenish coating on the wire clamps, it is imperative to clean them with sandpaper, and the inside with a metal file with a round cross-section. Also, after that, it is advisable to treat the clamps with a special antioxidant agent, which must be purchased in advance at a car shop.
- The terminals of the new battery must also be cleaned with fine-grained emery cloth, without much effort.
- Place the new battery in the vehicle on the landing platform, carefully observing the location of the terminals.
- Correctly insert and secure the retaining rods into the seats on the sides of the battery and put the pressure plate on them. Tighten the nuts on the rods and tighten with a wrench. Care must be taken not to tighten the nuts with too much force, otherwise the battery case may be damaged and its tightness will be compromised.
- After making sure the battery is firmly in place, connect the positive clip (red wire) to the "+" terminal of the battery. Connect carefully, avoiding the red wire touching metal parts of the machine.
- Put the black wire clamp on the terminal with the "-" sign of the battery.
- Tighten the nuts on the clamps using a 10 spanner. After the procedure, the clamps should not rotate on the terminals at any force. It is when this condition is met that the best contact of the battery terminals with the car wiring will be ensured.
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After installing the battery, it is necessary to check the operation of the vehicle lights. To do this, without starting the engine, turn on the near and high beam headlights, alarm, check the operation of the wipers windscreen... Subject to the above rules for installing the battery with these devices, there should be no problems.
Many modern cars have an on-board computer that controls all components and assemblies of the car, including the engine internal combustion... When the battery is disconnected, the computer is reset and the vehicle systems start to malfunction. This can be seen already during the first trip. The vehicle may start to behave too "aggressive", or vice versa "sluggish", with a delay in responding to the driver's commands, consume a lot of fuel, not gain momentum. This could cause the engine error indicator on the instrument panel to light up.
On-board computers of some car models "adjust" to the previous operating mode after 200 - 300 kilometers of run automatically. For others, this does not happen. Therefore, if after the specified mileage the car still has not returned to normal and the driver feels uncomfortable, you must visit the station maintenance and "train" the on-board computer. This procedure takes a few minutes, but is of great importance.
Installing the battery on the car takes a little time and does not involve any particular difficulties. But still, if the driver has a lack of confidence in his abilities, for example, if the driver is a woman, it is more expedient to do this procedure at a service center.
In the AKB77 store you can order the installation of a battery on a car of any complexity. Below are the prices for the main car models.
Audi A4, A6, A8, Q5, TT - 500 rubles.
Audi Q7 - 1500 rubles.
Bentley - 1500 rubles.
BMW 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, X1, X2, XZ, X5, X6 - 700 rubles.
BMW X5 (with compressor removal) - 1000 rubles.
Cadillac cts, Escalade - 700 rubles.
Chrysler Sebring - 1500 rubles.
Chrysler RT Cruiser - 700 rubles.
Chevrolet Trail Blazer, Cruze, Orlando - 500 rubles.
Chevrolet Trail Blazer - 700 rubles.
Citroen picasso, C3, C4, DS4, Berlingo - 500 rubles.
Dodge Journey, Stratus - 1500 RUB.
Ford C-Max, Focus II, III, IV, Galaxy, Mondeo iii, IV, V - 500 rubles.
Kuga, S-Max - 600 rubles.
Hyundai i20, i30, i40, ix55, Genesis - 400 rubles.
Hyundai Equus - 700 rubles.
Hummer H2, H3 - 500 rubles.
Infiniti (all models) - 700 rubles.
Jaguar XJ, XK, X-Type - 1000 rubles.
Jeep grand Cherokee since 2010 - 1000 rubles.
Kia venga, Soul - 500 rubles.
Land rover, Range rover (All models) - 700 rubles.
Lamborghini Gallardo - 1000 rubles.
Lexus LX, LS, IS, ES, GS - 500 rubles.
Lexus RX (in the trunk) - 500 rubles.
MB E, G-classe, M-classe, C-classe, GLK-classe - 500 rubles.
MB GL-classe, R-classe, ML, S-classe - 1200 rubles.
Mini cooper, Clubman, Countryman - 500 rubles.
Nissan Murano, Teana (with removal air filter) - 500 rubles.
Opel Vivaro, Insignia, Zafira, Astra - 500 rubles.
Porsche Cayenne - 1500 rubles.
Porsche panamera - 1000 rubles.
Peugeot 307, 308, 3008, 408, 4007, 508, Partner, Boxer - 500 rubles.
Renault Latitude - 700 rubles.
SsangYong Action, Kyron - 500 rubles.
Smart - 600 rubles.
Toyota Prius - 700 rubles.
Volvo S40, XC90, XC60, XC70 - 500 rubles.
VW Touareg, Phaeton - 1500 rubles.
Standard battery installation made easy!
The cost of a standard installation is 300 rubles.
Standard battery installation takes less than 10 minutes and includes the following list of activities:
- disconnecting the terminals (first "-", then "+")
- removing the old battery (unscrew the fastening bolt or bar)
- cleaning contacts from dirt and oxides
- installing a new battery
- disposal of the old battery
Please pay your attention! Installation is considered standard only if the dismantling of the old battery is not difficult and there is no need to remove additional elements of the car (filter cover, air duct, plastic parts etc)
In other cases, the cost of work is determined by the installer on the spot. The price can vary from 500 to 1900 rubles, depending on the car brand and its design features.
Why is it difficult to replace the battery?
- The battery is under the hood, but hidden from direct access.
Several additional parts need to be removed to access the battery mount. For example, on a Ford Focus 2 or Infiniti FX-37, the battery is installed in a special niche under the windshield. In the first and second case, the standard procedure involves the dismantling of the protective plastic pads. Parts are fragile enough and require skillful handling. As a result, installation time increases, the work becomes more difficult and the cost increases.
- The battery is installed in the trunk or in the passenger compartment.
Every year engines modern cars are getting more complicated. They are overgrown with an additional number of units and assemblies. The arrangement of parts under the hood is often so tight that there is no room for the battery. Therefore, on some machines, the battery is installed in hard to reach place: under the dashboard, in the trunk or under the driver's seat.
- Requires a backup power connection
Expensive cars are crammed with sophisticated electronics. In some cases, reinstalling the battery may result in complete shutdown power supply and reset the settings of all systems of the car, activate the security code, and sometimes - to block the ECU or "computer brain". To avoid undesirable consequences, a backup battery or a battery from the UPS is pre-connected to the vehicle electrical system.
- The mounting bolts are corroded, the battery terminals are oxidized.
It often happens that the battery fastener does not loosen due to severe corrosion. In such a situation, special liquid products like WD-40 are usually saved. For old cars, another problem is relevant - some plastic fasteners can lose elasticity and become fragile. Additional manipulations with parts of the car that are in improper condition can take a relatively large amount of time from the installer.
Car batteries have to be changed periodically, but this procedure does not require a mandatory visit to the service station. After all, the process of replacing the battery is quite simple and may well be carried out by the car owner independently.
You should first find out which of the terminals is positive and which is negative. For this, there is a marking on the battery. The color of the wires will also help. Black is "minus"and red is positive. Black should be shot first minus the wire. After all, it is connected to the "mass" of the car, that is, to its body, therefore its deactivation eliminates the risk of a short circuit.
Using a 10 key, loosen the nut of the clamping bolt of the terminal, and then swing the terminal from side to side. It must be removed from the negative terminal of the battery.
Machine battery replacement technology
After purchasing a new battery, you must install it in its original place in the car. Experienced car owners know where the battery is located and how it is attached to the car body. For beginners, it is better to read the operating manual of the machine in order to quickly determine these nuances.
A necessary tool.
The tools must be prepared before starting all work. Although dismantling an old battery is not a difficult operation, it will not be successful without a tool. Most often, this will require a pair of wrenches: 10 open-end wrenches, as well as 13 end-type wrenches with a wrench. But it is better to look at the battery connection or in the manual. It is possible that on a particular model, the battery terminals and the battery itself are fastened with other bolts and nuts.
Determining the location of the battery
Then you can open the hood and find a battery under it. Most often it is installed on a special shelf in the left or right corner of the engine compartment. If the battery is not found, then you should look better. But maybe he really isn't under the hood. Sometimes, to save space, manufacturers mount batteries under seats, in the trunk, and other places. Again, the machine's manual will help.
Safety when connecting the battery
So, the battery is found, and the tool is ready. But you need to remember every minute about the safety of personal and automotive electrical appliances. The ignition key must be turned to zero or simply removed from the lock.
External inspection of the installed battery
An old battery can be damaged and there is a risk of burns. After all, battery electrolyte is nothing more than diluted sulfuric acid. Therefore, if there are cracks in the battery, no plugs, drips on the surface of the battery, it is better to wear thick rubber gloves.
Disconnecting the battery terminals
Removing the battery
To remove the battery, you must remove its fasteners. Most often, it is held on a special shelf using a pressure plate on a pair of tie bolts. To unscrew them, a socket-type wrench is needed. Although sometimes a cap will help. It must be remembered that the battery is heavy (14-17 kg), therefore, removal is carried out with caution.
Installing a new battery.
The accumulated dirt and other debris should be removed from the shelf, and then the inner planes of the wire ends should be cleaned with fine-grained sandpaper. Providing excellent contact with the terminals, a host of future problems can be solved in one fell swoop. Some car enthusiasts prefer to treat the wires with a water-repellent mixture.
Before installing a new battery, you should also clean its terminals. The new battery must be installed by analogy with the old one. Next, cover the pressure plate and then tighten the pressure bolts. In this case, do not over-squeeze them, because you can damage the battery.
Connecting a new battery to the car
When connecting, follow the reverse sequence. First, connect the "positive" wire, and then the "negative".
It should be noted that specially manufacturers make battery terminals of different diameters. This prevents accidental polar reversal. As a result, the terminals are simply not slipped on or attached to the wrong terminals.
Through these simple actions, it is possible to replace the old battery with a new one.
There comes a time when you need to replace the battery in your car with a new one.
So you've bought a new battery. You should definitely check it in the store. load fork, write out a warranty card, in which to indicate all the verification data, including the name, capacity, polarity, date of sale.
Attach a receipt to the warranty card, seal the store and give it to you. If a warranty situation arises, you can then make a claim to the trading organization.
Installing a car battery.
When choosing a new battery, you need to pay attention to a number of the following indicators: nominal capacity, starting current, dimensions and, of course, polarity.
This is the last parameter and we need to talk in more detail.
Some car owners consider it secondary, but once you mix up the polarity when installing the battery, you can face a lot of troubles: short circuit, equipment fire, malfunctions on-board computer and generator.
How to determine the polarity of the battery?
The battery must be turned to face you and pay attention that the down conductors are closer to you.
There are only two options here:
1. The positive terminal is on the right and the negative terminal is on the left. This polarity is usually called reverse (European) and denoted by the number 0.
2. If the positive current output is on the left, and the negative current output is on the right, then the polarity is called direct (Russian) and is indicated by the number 1.
No difficulties!
FROM technical point vision, there is no difference between reverse and direct polarity. Different types - the location of the current leads and nothing more.
The battery type is not tied to the country of manufacture, but is often determined by the layout of the engine compartment.
To simplify the concept of battery polarity, the terminals are indicated by the signs: "+" and "-", as well as by color: red indicates the positive current terminal of the battery, and blue or black - the negative current terminal.
Now imagine that you come across an unmarked battery pack. In this case, there are several ways to determine the polarity:
1. Note that the positive down conductor always has a slightly larger diameter than the negative one.
2. A multimeter will help us. Switch the instrument to DC voltage measurement mode. Touch the appropriate test leads to each battery terminal. If you hit the negative terminal with the positive probe, the sign “-“ will appear on the display in front of the readings.
If you connected the multimeter correctly, then there will be no additional signs in front of the readings.
Suppose that you urgently need to start the engine, and only the battery is at hand without any polarity markings. But if you connect an unknown battery incorrectly, then you will disable the battery itself, and electronic system car. How to determine the polarity with the help of improvised means?
You can use one of the "folk" methods.
Method for determining the polarity of the battery No. 1
I think easier way impossible to think of. We take any container and pour ordinary tap water into it or even from a puddle. We attach two multi-colored wires to the current leads of an unknown battery and lower the bare ends into a container with water. At the negative terminal, as a result of water electrolysis, gas evolution begins.
Method for determining the polarity of the battery No. 2
Surely you can find raw potatoes at home or in the garage. We cut it in half and stick the bare wires from the battery into one of the halves. If you wait about 5-10 minutes, you will notice how the color of the potato changes to light green near the positive wire.
Method for determining the polarity of the battery No. 3
You can determine the polarity of your constant power supply using a fan from your home computer.
The fan has two colored wires - black and red. Sometimes there is a yellow wire, but we will not use it. If there is a plus on the red wire and a minus on the black wire, the fan will start spinning. The fan starts rotating at a voltage of 3 V.
If we didn't guess, then the fan blades will not rotate.
So the polarity of your battery is an important characteristic!
It even determines the very possibility of operating the car. And if you install the battery incorrectly, then in order to eliminate the consequences, you will probably have to contact an auto electrician and spend money !!!
But what if you do not know the polarity of the power wires of your car?
The terminals do not say how to determine - you don't know. The surest way is to find a negative wire. It is always attached to the vehicle body. In practice, the negative wire is screwed to the body close to the location of the battery itself.
If you find a negative wire, then the opposite is positive, there can be no other options.
Picture 5
Changing the battery on the car
The battery is a part that should start the engine in winter and summer without any problems. If a car with automatic transmission gears - if the battery is discharged, you will not be able to start the car from the pusher, being anywhere on the shore of a lake or in the mountains.
Therefore, if the battery is more than four years old, then sooner or later it will have to be replaced.
There is nothing difficult in this - both a beginner and an experienced driver can easily cope with the replacement. You just need to know a few nuances.
When replacing the battery, a 10x10 universal wrench, a screwdriver, pliers and two multi-colored wires, each about one meter long, are used.
Most modern cars there is a feature - after removing the battery, the settings of the on-board computer get lost and they need to be configured in the service.
The easiest way to find out is to call your car service center and ask them about the consequences after replacing the battery. If a specialist tells you that after removing the battery, the settings are saved, you can safely disconnect the terminals and remove the battery. When removing, first you need to unscrew the negative terminal, and then the positive one.
This is necessary in case a short circuit does not occur (touching the positive terminal to the vehicle ground).
Often, the terminals are oxidized, you can read more about the terminals and their maintenance in the article:
If you don't have a scraper at hand, you can pour the terminals with one well-known carbonated drink in a red can, which does an excellent job of cleaning.
Also, gently clean the battery seat, then rinse all cleaned parts with water and wipe dry.
Now we install a new battery and connect first the positive terminal, and then the negative terminal.
How to change the battery if the settings of the car's electrical equipment go wrong?
But the next way to install the battery is for those who, when the battery is disconnected, the computer settings get lost. To prevent this from happening, we use two multi-colored wires.
We strip the wires on one side by about 15 cm and fasten the red wire to the positive one, and the black one to the negative current terminal of the new battery.
Accordingly, we connect the second stripped ends of the wires to the corresponding terminals of the car. For good contact with pliers, tighten the twists.
We remove the old battery and install the new battery in its original place, fix it and disconnect the screwed wires.
We start the car and make sure that the computer settings are not lost.
How to properly tighten the terminals on a car battery?
The topic is quite relevant, many motorists are not familiar with the nuances. The question is rightly so - how much do you need to tighten the terminals?
In order to understand what is the essence of the issue, you need to clearly see the battery terminals
Normal
For normal terminals, the distance between the ears should be even, they are parallel to each other.
Pinched
At the clamped terminals, the ears are closed almost to contact, and even if the nut is released, the ears will not disperse. It is better to get rid of such terminals and buy new ones, since they are inexpensive and are considered consumables.
There are motorists who do not tighten the terminals at all, just throw them on the battery current leads and drive, which is why:
1. Poor contact between lead and terminal. Which leads to losses and heating of poorly contacting elements.
2. When driving on an uneven road from shaking, a loose terminal may come off the battery and short to ground.
Why tighten the terminals on the car battery?
Well, first, there is good contact between the current pin and the terminal.
Secondly - so that it does not corny flew off the current output.
In order to have uniform contact, you need to use the scraper, which we talked about in
IN ideal you need to use terminals of two types: lead and copper-plated (brass). They will look strikingly different from each other, and you are less likely to mix up polarity. It is desirable that a 10x10 universal key can be used on both terminals.
Before purchasing terminals, you need to make sure that the terminal design has a special protrusion that prevents the bolt head from turning when tightening. This also allows one hand to be free when tightening.
So we come to the main question - how to tighten the terminals.
After stripping, the terminal must be tightly put on the corresponding current lead and slightly turned to achieve a tighter fit. If you want to protect the terminals from possible oxidation, you can apply a protective grease with a thin layer (Molykote HSC Plus, LIQUI MOLY Batterie-Pol-Fett 7643, Vmpauto MC1710, etc., most motorists use LIQUI MOLY.), But this should be done only after tightening the terminals.
It is not necessary to tighten very much. If, with sufficient force, the terminal does not turn, then do not overtighten.
The terminal must be flush with the current lead or just below the top edge of the lead.
By its properties, lead is an elastic material, and if you pull the terminals, over time, the ears will begin to touch each other and the terminals will have to be replaced with new ones.
Some car owners make such incredible efforts to tighten the terminals that they even bend the down conductors. Also, excessive force during tightening causes the appearance of microcracks around the down conductors, which subsequently leads to the evaporation of the electrolyte and oxidation of the terminals.
I sincerely hope that the tips in this article will benefit you in your daily life!
And safe road for you !!!
Almost every car owner knows how important the battery is in car system... Its main purpose is to supply electrical energy, which is necessary to start the engine. When the machine is moving, the generator provides energy generation, while recharging the battery. But when the engine is turned off or at idle, the energy supply of the battery is not replenished, but is only consumed to power consumers. And such consumers in modern cars becomes more and more. Hence the growing interest in installing an optional car battery. This will allow you to start the car without any problems if you have previously watched TV in the car, worked on a laptop, used a winch, etc.
Among those who need to install a second battery, you can immediately distinguish SUVs with electric winches... Increasingly, cars can be found with additional electrical equipment: refrigerator, heater, laptop, DVD players, microwave oven and even a coffee maker. In addition, they hang on the long-suffering battery anti-theft systems, alarms, radio channels. And the powerful sound system in the car is a topic for another conversation.
If the generator generates electrical energy while moving, then somewhere at a picnic, listening to music, you can stay there. The battery is not strong enough to start the engine. Take another battery with you? Yes, but it needs to be charged periodically. In addition, we remember about it only when the main battery has sat down. If the battery on the car quickly runs out due to the large number of consumers, then you cannot do without a second battery.
How can you estimate if you need an extra car battery? Let us consider the situation using the example of an average car with a 60–65 Ah battery. The approximate capacity of such a battery is about 4 kW. At the same time, the standard energy consumers in the car have a power of about 2 kW.
Thus, if you are installing additional devices in the car, which in total will have a power of more than 2 kW, you should think about installing a second battery. You can estimate the power consumption of devices according to their passport data.
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Do the car manufacturers themselves offer us anything? Not so much. An additional battery can be found on special vehicles, for example, cash collectors. There, it acts as a backup to ensure the blocking and protection of the vehicle. You can also give an example of the Ford Transit. In this car, the manufacturer puts 2 batteries and a powerful generator to charge both of them. But this can be classified as an exception. If you need to install an additional battery in your car, there are no ready-made solutions. But there are options using third-party equipment. We will talk about these methods below.
As general wishes for installing a second battery, the following can be noted:
- The battery should be installed outside the passenger compartment as it emits vapors during operation;
- It is desirable that the generator has a high power. This will determine how quickly he can restore the charge of both batteries;
- It is advisable to install a second battery of the same capacity as the standard one.
It is desirable that the additional battery can withstand a large number of discharge - charge cycles. If energy consumers are connected to it, then it will often and strongly burst out. Some experts advise using gel batteries that are resistant to this mode of operation. But we must remember that they may have some difficulties with charging from the on-board network.
This method seems to be the most obvious and simplest. The positive and negative terminals are connected, and you can safely use it. But there are certain difficulties and limitations here.
The main problem here is that all vehicle equipment and additional consumers are connected to a standard battery. With such a scheme, electrical energy will be transmitted from the additional battery to consumers only through the main battery.
First, the charge of the latter is consumed, and then it is replenished from the second battery. And this process takes a lot of time. As a result, it is easier to put a second battery in place of the standard battery and start the engine on it.
Connection diagram of two car batteries parallel
In addition, the second battery transfers energy to the main one only until the charges on the batteries equalize. As a result, we have 2 half-charged batteries, with which you will not go anywhere. In addition, such irregular charge-discharge cycles negatively affect the battery life. Therefore, a circuit was developed where an additional battery is connected to the car using a diode insulator. Back to content
In this case, the second battery is connected to the vehicle's electrical network through a diode isolator. It conducts current in one direction and is designed to isolate the on-board network of a car and an additional battery. These devices have different designs and can connect several batteries. The cost of diode insulators starts from several thousand rubles.
Wiring diagram for two car batteries using a diode isolator
With this connection, additional powerful energy consumers are connected to the second battery. You can watch TV, play on a laptop, turn on the heater, etc. In this case, the standard battery does not lose its charge and is always ready to start the engine. When the car is moving, both batteries will be charged from the generator.
But this scheme has its drawbacks. If the consumers are powerful, then the second battery will drain quickly and will need to be recharged before further use. When using the winch, the standard battery may sit down and to start the engine, the additional battery will need to be rearranged in its place.
And this is again inconvenience and unnecessary movement. As a result, the following option was developed. Back to content
Now on sale you can find devices that allow you to manage several batteries, combined into a single network. They make it possible to control the operation of the battery in automatic and (or) manual mode. With this scheme, energy from both (or more) batteries is taken into the car network. When the voltage in one of the batteries drops, the device switches to the other. Charging is done in the same way.
Connection diagram of two car batteries into a common circuit
Such control devices allow you to manually select which battery to work on at the moment. There are models that warn about a low battery level or turn off consuming devices. It happens that there are special indicators for installation in the salon. According to them, the car owner can see what level of charge remained in the battery.
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On the shelves you can find devices for connection to the general network from various manufacturers. For example, Whisper Power makes WBL battery charge relays rated for 120 or 160 amps, depending on the model. The company also offers WBI battery isolators for connecting multiple batteries.
You can also find products from Victron Energy. They offer battery combiners (eg Cyrix-ct 120A) as well as Argo FET battery isolators. I must say that the prices are not small. Often such devices cost as much as one battery, and advanced ones even more. Back to content
As you can see, it is quite possible to connect the second battery. You just need to think in advance what equipment you need to connect, assess your financial capabilities and estimate whether there is enough space in your car for new equipment.
With financial investments and competent installation of equipment, you will get an excellent circuit of two or more batteries.
And then by car it will be possible to go hiking, fishing, long trip and so on. Everything will be ready to connect additional equipment. Back to content
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When the need for an extra battery in the car is justified
The battery is of the utmost importance to any vehicle. For it is the source of electrical energy to start the engine. When the car is moving, its generator produces energy constantly, but when the ignition is off, at “idle” or with the engine muffled, the energy supply of the factory battery is constant, that is, it is not wasted, not replenished. But with the modern filling of vehicles with various gadgets (video surveillance systems, radio channels and other active protection devices against theft, televisions, even coffee makers and microwave ovens), a large amount of energy resources is consumed. This is why many drivers install an extra battery in their car. This helps to solve several problems. Let's talk about this below.
You can install an additional battery in the trunk
So how exactly can a second source of electricity in a car help? It's simple. An additional battery will help to avoid situations when it is impossible to start a car due to a discharged main unit. That is, you can safely, for example, leave lights or music in the car for a certain period, work on a laptop or use an electric winch. All this will not affect the start of the starter, since the additional battery itself will think about the safety of the charge necessary for this.
And it would seem that the second source is simply necessary for every car, or, more precisely, its owner. But the latter just has the main question that stops many potential buyers: how to charge an additional source? Because constant recharge from the charger is not very convenient, as it takes time to dismantle. And if there is no energy source nearby, then what to do? And in general, is the second battery really obliged to become a faithful companion for the motorist on the way home? In reality, the situation is much simpler. The second battery can be charged directly from the vehicle's electrical system.
The second battery can be charged directly from the vehicle electrical system
Some car manufacturers have thought about their customers in advance and install two sources of electricity already at the factory assembly stage. These include ford and her legendary Transit. In this car model, two batteries are connected in parallel. All in all, it looks like one source with a double dose of energy. But how does such a tandem behave in operation?
This is the case here:
- During continuous active use, the batteries “age” and significantly change their initial parameters. This also applies to the residual voltage at the terminals of a fully charged source.
- The difference in residual voltage across the two batteries leads to the fact that one of them gradually discharges the other. Usually, a “good” source discharges a “bad” one.
As a result, the car owner receives not two fully charged cells, which he, by the way, is usually firmly sure of, but only one.
Design for installing an additional battery
In addition, to start such a system, the energy requires twice as much current, which is solved by installing a generator that is designed for just such a current. In another case, when the installation of an additional battery in the car requires an unexpected power from the generator, you can easily get an overload of the latter. Installation of a more powerful or even a second generator is not only difficult, but also an expensive procedure. In addition, the moment at which one battery discharges the other is also present here. Among other things, do not forget that two batteries can also be drained at the same time. More the right way will be using the switch for the battery.
There are several ways that you can connect an additional battery in the car, if the manufacturer has not taken care of this in advance.
- When installing an add-on device, you can use a trim resistor. In this case, the switching threshold of the switch can be set independently. Here you need to focus on the ignition of LEDs. It is necessary to adjust the switch threshold at least once a year, since over time the voltage on the generator changes significantly.
- You can also use more current when installing the battery accessory. And when the starter is triggered, both mechanisms (both standard and auxiliary) are combined into a monolithic battery. This method makes it possible to apply the energy of the second device practically in in full exactly to start the starter.
- After installing an additional source, it starts charging immediately from the vehicle's on-board network. But the main (factory) battery must also be sufficiently charged. And all the electrical equipment of the car should not consume the maximum amount of energy. This is how the charge of the main device will be enough both to meet the needs of the vehicle and to charge the second source of energy.
- You can also install additional device, having previously separated it from the main one using a relay.
Installing an additional energy source is not so difficult and carries a lot of positive aspects, as well as insures against possible troubles if you do not want to limit the capabilities of your own car.
A good battery is an essential part of every vehicle. Your car will not function properly if the battery is not in good shape. Good battery can serve you for many years if you keep track of it properly.
Battery failure occurs from time to time. There can be many reasons why the battery deteriorates, such as corrosion, overcharging or trickle charging. It is important to note that modern car systems have a small but permanent effect on the battery. For the same reason, if your car is left stationary for a long time, your battery may be weak or stop working altogether.
Your battery needs to be replaced sooner or later, for whatever reason. Battery replacement is not difficult. Below we will discuss some key points to help you replace the battery yourself (by the way, if you need alternators and starter repairs, check out mygenstar).
- Adjustable wrench,
- New battery,
- Pure water,
- Primer,
- Terminal cleaner or wire brush,
- Cleaning solution (for battery),
- Anti-corrosion solutions.
- Make sure the engine is off. Open the front hood and find the battery. Remove the negative cable terminal by loosening the clamp of the negative battery cable.
- Remove the positive terminal of the battery cable in the same way.
- Using a wrench, unscrew the battery by pinching it with pliers. They are held in the hands from the side or from below.
- Be careful, the batteries are heavy. Lift the battery up while supporting it on the bottom. Some of them have handles that can be easily lifted.
- Clean the area under the battery with clean water. Make sure there is no corrosion or any other contamination. You can use a primer to avoid future corrosion.
- Using a special brush will help clean various wires from corrosion.
- Take a new battery and put it down carefully. Tighten all clamps tightly with a wrench.
- First connect the cable to the plus and secure with the clamp. Then, attach the negative terminal of the cable to the connector.
- We take lithium grease and thoroughly process the terminal cover with this.
- Check ALL connectors again and close the front cover. Turn on the engine and you can drive.
- It is important to work outdoors. Do not smoke while working. Make sure there is no flame nearby.
- Batteries contain highly corrosive acid. Take extra care when handling the battery.
- You need to connect the battery cables to the right terminal; otherwise, it could result in serious damage to the vehicle.
- It's quick and easy work that takes 30 to 45 minutes.
Additional rechargeable batteries - usually installed to power audio and video equipment. Everything is logical: even when the engine is turned off, the main battery is not discharged, and you can safely continue watching a movie or listening to music. But connecting an additional (second) battery - requires taking into account important nuance... Having made a connection "in parallel", even using a diode, we will get an excessive load on the auto generator.
That is, we can conclude that parallel connection of the battery according to "scheme 1" is allowed, and the generator will have to be replaced. The capacity of the two batteries connected to the generator should be approximately the same.
There is another option, when in the gap of the "positive" wire, from which the additional battery is charged, a special the electronic unit... There is a relay inside such a block, when it is closed, charging occurs. It seems that the connection according to this scheme is permissible without replacing the generator (since the load on it will not exceed the permissible values). At least that's what the manufacturer's instructions say.
In conclusion, we note that connecting a second battery - in any case, requires the following rules:
Additional battery capacity - should not differ significantly from the main battery capacity (measured in A * h);
As an additional battery, it is recommended to install a special type battery that will withstand a large number of discharge cycles.
Starter batteries that use all-lead plates are almost never produced today. Antimony or calcium is added to lead. As a result, there are now three types of batteries: antimony, calcium, combined. The scope of their application is different.
The worst thing is to use a calcium-type battery as an additional battery. Such batteries do not allow complete discharge. The combined battery in this case is better suited. Well, an intermediate option is to use antimony batteries.
When connecting the battery, you should select the correct cross-section of the power cable. The charging current may differ depending on the type of battery, sometimes it reaches tens of amperes. Here it is better to "play it safe" and use a wire with a large cross-section (or even better - to turn to the services of experienced specialists).
