6 Ways to Check if Your Car Battery is Still Good, Recognize the Signs

In addition to gasoline and oil, the battery is one of the important components in a car, so it needs to be checked regularly. Checking whether the car battery is still good or not is very easy to do, whether using tools or not.

6 Ways to Check if the Car Battery is Still Good or Not

Here are easy ways to check the condition of your beloved car battery, so when its condition starts to weaken, it can be recharged or replaced.

1. Using a Battery Tester

You can check whether the car battery is still good or not using a battery tester. A battery tester can be used to check the battery's strength without removing it from its place, making it effective for knowing whether a wet battery is still in good condition or not.

The way to use it is by looking at the needle direction. If it points to the green area, it means the condition is still normal; yellow means the battery needs to be recharged or replaced, while if it points to red, it must be replaced immediately because if not replaced, the car will stall.

2. Using an Avometer

An Avometer is a tool for measuring resistance, voltage, and electric current, and is widely used as a measuring instrument in automotive electrical fields and other electronics. The first step to check using this tool is to drive the vehicle for about 30 minutes, then turn off the engine and turn the key to position II or ON.

Next, turn on the electrical load such as headlights, rear window heater, or AC blower for about 60 minutes. After that, position the key to OFF and turn off the electrical load. Once done, use a digital avometer to see the negative and positive voltage readings of the battery. If the voltage is below 12.5 - 12.9 volts, it needs to be recharged.

3. Through the Electrolyte Indicator

The battery contains electrodes, which are in gel form and can be checked through the battery electrolyte indicator light at the top. You can check the battery by observing the indicator light. If the indicator light is blue, it means it is still functioning well, so there is no need to recharge or replace it.

4. Through the Indicator Light

The next method is to check with the indicator light located on the battery body. If the indicator glass shows blue, it indicates that it is still in good condition and can still operate normally.

However, if it shows white, it means the voltage is starting to drop, so it needs to be recharged. Meanwhile, if it shows red, it means the cell is damaged and needs to be replaced immediately.

5. Honking the Horn

The easiest way is to honk the car horn; if the horn sounds normal and loud, it means the voltage is still in good condition. Conversely, if the horn sounds faint, it means the battery voltage is decreasing.

6. Starting the Car

A battery that is no longer good generally becomes heavier when starting. So when the car is difficult and heavy to start, it indicates that you need to replace the battery with a new one.

Impact of a Weak Car Battery

This issue should not be taken lightly, as a weak and drained car battery can lead to several impacts, including:

1. Disrupted Electrical Performance

If the voltage is below normal, it can disrupt electrical performance. When the ECM is damaged, it is possible for the vehicle owner to spend millions of rupiah to replace that component.

2. Damaging the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) System

If you force the vehicle to keep running, it could potentially damage the ECU system. Not only that, the electronic control system in the car can also get locked.

As a result, the vehicle becomes difficult to start, especially when cold. This is because the battery cannot power the starter motor when the voltage is weak.

Checking whether the car battery is still good or not is very easy to do, so you can be vigilant when the signs above occur in your vehicle.

Tips Sahabat