What tool is used to measure the specific gravity of a battery? Surely this question has crossed your mind. Let's find out more about what this tool is by paying attention to the following review.

What Tool is Used to Measure the Specific Gravity of a Battery?

As is known, a battery is one of the important components in a car. This component plays a very important role, as it functions as a storage and supplier of electrical energy needed by the car's electrical system. This energy is stored in the battery in the form of chemical compounds.

In order for the battery to function properly, it needs to be charged like a smartphone battery. This is because the electrons in the battery can decrease if the battery is frequently used. In fact, if depleted, the battery can become damaged, which would cause the car's electrical system to fail.

So, what tool is used to measure the specific gravity of a battery? The tool used to measure the specific gravity of a battery is a hydrometer. When translated into Indonesian, a hydrometer means a liquid measuring instrument. However, from its function, a hydrometer serves as a tool to measure the density (specific mass) of a liquid.

A hydrometer is made of glass in the shape of a tube, with the bottom designed to have a larger diameter than the top. This design is intentionally made so that the hydrometer can float upright when placed in a liquid.

In addition, at the bottom of the hydrometer tube, there is lead. When the hydrometer is dipped into a liquid, a density force arises, and the specific mass can be determined by the scale marked on the hydrometer. For measurement units, the hydrometer uses kg/liter (g/ml) or SP. Gr (Specific Gravity).

How to Measure the Specific Gravity of a Battery Using a Hydrometer

If you intend to measure the specific gravity of a battery using a hydrometer, you need to pay attention to the following steps.

1. Ensure the cleanliness of the hydrometer before use

Before you measure the specific gravity of the battery using a hydrometer, you need to ensure that the tool is clean from any dust and dirt. If the tool is dirty, it will cover the scale marked on the tool, thus obstructing your view when reading the scale.

2. Calibrate the hydrometer first

Once cleaned, you need to test the calibration of the hydrometer using a liquid other than the battery, such as water. Observe the calibration results; if you calibrate using water, the test result should show 1 kg/cm3.

3. Perform the measurement

Before you measure the specific gravity of the battery, you need to fully open the battery cover. Then you can press the pipette part of the hydrometer and release it so that the electrolyte liquid from the battery enters the hydrometer. Later, this liquid will fill the float and glass tube of the hydrometer.

Additionally, before performing the measurement, you must understand what the colors of the measurement results mean. Here are the meanings of the colors in detail.

• Clear color = neutral, and valued at 1. This color is usually obtained when you measure the specific gravity of water.
• Red color = the battery condition is starting to drop or there is a disturbance during the charging process, making the charging process less optimal. The measurement scale is between 1.100 and 1.225 g/ml.
• White color = the battery condition is still safe from battery replacement. In this condition, the battery rating scale is between 1.220 and 1.250 g/ml.
• Green color = the battery condition is considered very good, as the specific gravity scale is still between 1.300 and 1.750 g/ml.

4. Read the measurement scale to know the result

Next, you can determine the measurement result by reading the measurement scale on the hydrometer tube. For the specific gravity measurement of the electrolyte, it is said to be standard if it is between 1.260 and 1.280 g/ml. You can retake the measurement to be more confident in the results provided.

How easy is that? Are you interested in measuring the specific gravity of the battery on your own?