good motoring
Make the battery last
H. Kishie Singh

THE other day I went to get a new battery for the inverter. Surprisingly, the salesman said it was out of stock and it would be a few days before he could get me a maintenance-free battery.

The reason for this delay was that a lot of people have switched over from gen-sets to inverters. The new generation of digital inverters works very well and with shorter power cuts, they seem to be the ideal solution. However, you need a battery of good quality to keep the household fans and lights going.

This battery is exactly the same as what you have in your car. Only the capacity differs. And the "maintenance-free" tag can be a little misleading. Whereas your old battery needed a regular topping of distilled water, the maintenance-free one may need it only two or three times a year. But it does need the topping. Our summers are hot and dry and the electrolyte will definitely evaporate. This needs to be topped up.

It’s a simple matter to service your battery and if you decide to do it yourself, here are some points to keep in mind. The innocent-looking plastic box, with concealed openings, can cause serious damage if not handled with care.

A battery uses chemicals to produce electricity and in the process hydrogen gas is produced. Hydrogen is inflammable and explosive. So, there should be no naked flame or lit cigarette or candle around while you service your battery.

Once you have opened the filler plugs to replenish distilled water, do not lean over the opening to peer inside to check the electrolyte level. There could be bubbling due to the mixing of acid and water and it may splash up to the eye level. If this happens, wash your eyes and any other affected area with plenty of cool water. Do not allow the electrolyte to come in contact with the skin, clothes or paint. It will burn and corrode.

Sometimes you may find a white deposit around the terminals. This material should be removed and the terminals cleaned. Remove the cables from the battery-negative cable first, the one with a minus sign. Do not let it touch anything metallic while the positive (plus sign) cable is attached to the battery. Now remove the positive cable. Wash the cable ends by dipping them in a mug of hot water.

The battery terminals and the area around it will need cleaning. Clean up the area with a paper napkin or toilet paper. Discard the paper. Wash the area around the terminals with a mild detergent and hot water using a non-metallic brush. A toothbrush with plastic bristles and a good grip is ideal. Rinse and dry the terminals and cable ends. Clean with a fine sand paper. When everything is clean and dry, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly —not grease—to the terminals. Slip the cable ends over the terminals, positive first, negative last and tighten them well. You may apply a light coat of petroleum jelly on the connectors.

In the latest batteries, there is a plastic cap that fits over the terminals. Make sure that there are no deposits in that cap. Wash clean, dry and refit. And you are set for the next six months.

Happy motoring.