DVA 31064 AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL TECHNOLOGY

Assignment 2: Battery

Name : Muhammad Kamil Bin Azman

I/C Number : 010831140389

Class : DAF 3B

1. Battery terminal connections are being discussed.

Technician A says when disconnecting battery cables, always disconnect the
negative cable first.
Technician B says when connecting battery cables, always connect the negative
cable first.
Who is correct?
A. A only C. Both A and B
B. B only D. Neither A nor B

2. A customer’s battery is always dead when she attempts to start her car in the
morning. After jumping the battery one time in the morning, the car will start
throughout the day with no problems. All of the following can be the cause
EXCEPT:
A. The starter motor is drawing too much current.
B. Th e glove box light is staying on.
C. A computer is not powering down.
D. A relay contact is stuck closed.

3. The specific gravity of a battery has been tested. All cells have a corrected
reading of about 1.200.
Technician A says the battery needs to be recharged before further testing.
Technician B says the battery is sulphated and needs to be replaced.
Who is correct?
A . A only C. Both A and B
B . B only D. Neither A nor B

4. When charging a battery:

A . Connect a voltmeter across the battery terminals while the battery is charging
and keep the charge rate at fewer than 10 volts.
B . Disconnect the negative battery cable before charging to prevent damage to
the alternator and computers.
C . Charge at an amperage rate of 50% of the CCA rating.
D . All of the above.

5. Which statement concerning the battery leakage test is correct?

A. The test is used to determine if the battery can provide current and voltage
when loaded.
B. A voltmeter reading of 0.05 when performing the test is acceptable.
C. Both A and B.
D. Neither A nor B.
6. The open circuit test is being discussed.
Technician A says the battery must be stabilized before the open circuit
voltage test is performed.
Technician B says a test result of 12.4 volts is acceptable.
Who is correct?
A. A only C. Both A and B
B. B only D. Neither A nor B

7. A maintenance-free battery has failed the capacity test.

Technician A says if the voltage recovers to12.45 volts, the battery is still
good.
Technician B says if the voltage level does not return to 12.4 volts, recharge
the battery and repeat the capacity test.
Who is correct?
A. A only C. Both A and B
B. B only D. Neither A nor B

8. Technician A says the best way to charge the HV battery by allowing the
engine to run. Technician B says usually an onboard jump assist method is
available to start the engine if the HV battery SOC is too low. Who is correct?
A. A only C. Both A and B
B. B only D. Neither A nor B

9. While jump-starting a vehicle, a puff of smoke is observed and the engine

ground cable is burned.
Technician A says this happened because the two vehicles were touching.
Technician B says this was caused by connecting the negative jumper cable
to the disabled vehicle’s engine ground.
Who is correct?
A. A only C. Both A and B
B. B only D. Neither A nor B

10. Ice crystals are found in the electrolyte. This can because by:
A. A discharged battery.
B. Use of tap water
C. Reversed battery connections.
D. Improper hold downs.

11. Charging a battery with a battery charger is being discussed.

Technician A says that battery-charging voltage should never exceed 15 volts.
Technician B says that a battery can be considered fully charged when its
open circuit voltage exceeds 12.1 volts after it has been stabilized.
Who is correct?
A. Technician A C. Both A and B
B. Technician B D. Neither A nor B
12. Technician A says that a battery terminal test is performed by placing voltmeter
leads between the positive battery post and the negative battery terminal.
Technician B says that the total amount of voltage drop between the negative
battery post and the negative battery terminal should not exceed 300 mV.
Who is correct?
A. Technician A C. Both A and B
B. Technician B D. Neither A nor B

13. Technician A says that an ammeter is used when performing a battery leakage
test.
Technician B says that a fully charged battery will have a specific gravity of at
least 1.265.
Who is correct?
A. Technician A C. Both A and B
B. Technician B D. Neither A nor B

14. Technician A says that the 3-minute charge test is performed after a battery has
failed a capacity test.
Technician B says that if battery voltage is below 15.5 volts at the end of the 3-
minute charge test the battery is probably sulphated.
Who is correct?
A. Technician A C. Both A and B
B. Technician B D. Neither A nor B

15. The battery current drain test is being discussed.

Technician A says that an ammeter that can read as low as 20 mA should be
used.
Technician B says that a current drain caused by an internally shorted battery
could not be measured with an ammeter.
Who is correct?
A. Technician A C. Both A and B
B. Technician B D. Neither A nor B

16. A 12-volt lead-acid battery has:

A. cells connected in parallel, plates connected in series
B. cells connected in series; plates connected in parallel
C. cells connected in series; plates connected in series
D. cells connected in parallel, plates connected in parallel

17. The gases given off by a lead-acid battery nearing the end of its charge are:
A. oxygen and nitrogen
B. oxygen and hydrogen
C. helium and hydrogen
D. nitrogen and hydrogen

18. A lead-acid battery should be topped up with:

A. sulphuric acid
B. distilled water
C. sulphuric acid and distilled water
D. electrolyte at the correct relative density
19. The electrolyte for a fully charged lead-acid battery has a relative density of
approximately:
A. 1.000
B. 1.100
C. 1.280
D. 1.500

20. The duration of a high rate discharge test should not exceed about:
A. 10 seconds
B. 30 seconds
C. 50 seconds
D. 70 seconds

21. When a battery is disconnected, the earth lead should always be disconnected
first because:
A. the circuit would still be a closed circuit
B. the mechanic could receive a shock
C. it reduces the chance of a short circuit
D. the battery will discharge quicker

22. Connecting and disconnecting the battery leads with electrical systems switched
on may cause:
A. a reduced risk of arcing
B. damage to electronic components
C. discharging the battery
D. low resistance connections

23. When using a high rate discharge test on a 40 amp/hour capacity battery the
current should be set to about:
A. 1 amp
B. 4 amps
C. 40 amps
D. 120 amps

24. An ideal charge rate for a battery is:

A. 1/10th of the reserve capacity
B. 1/10th of the amp/hour capacity
C. 1/40th of the reserve capacity
D. 1/40th of the charger capacity

25. When discussing the reasons why a change from 12 V to 42 V batteries is likely
in the future,
Technician A says this will produce an increase in power for an increased range
of accessories.
Technician B says this will provide an increase in power but also an increase in
maintenance. Who is right?
A. A only
B. B only
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
Short-Answer Essays

1. Describe what a ‘lead-acid’ battery means.

2. State the three ways in which a battery is generally rated.

3. Make a clearly labelled sketch to show how a 12 V battery is constructed.

4. Explain why a battery is rated or described in different ways.

5. List six considerations when deciding where a vehicle battery should be

positioned.

6. Describe how to measure the internal resistance of a battery.

7. Make a table showing three ways of testing the state of charge of a lead-acid
battery together with the results.

8. Describe the two methods of recharging a battery.

9. State how the ideal charge rate for a lead-acid battery can be determined.

10. Explain why the ‘energy density’ of a battery is important.

1.Describe what a ‘lead-acid’ battery means.
=The battery which uses sponge lead and lead peroxide for the conversion of the
chemical energy into electrical power, such type of battery is called a lead acid
battery. The lead acid battery is most commonly used in the power stations and
substations because it has higher cell voltage and lower cost.

2.State the three ways in which a battery is generally rated.

=1.Energy capacity – The energy capacity of a battery is measured in watt-hours
(Wh), and it is calculated by multiplying the watts discharged by the number of
hours.
2.Cycle life – The cycle life of a battery is the number of times it can be fully
charged and discharged before its performance slows or fails. The actual time a
battery will last depends upon the depth and rate of the cycles.
3.Charge voltage – The voltage of a battery when it is charged to full capacity
is its charge voltage.

3. Make a clearly labelled sketch to show how a 12 V battery is

constructed.
4.Explain why a battery is rated or described in different ways.
=Current is the strength of the electricity discharged by a battery under use, and it
is measured in amperes, commonly referred to as amps. However, the battery’s
rating is based on its capacity, which is measured in amp-hours (Ah).The rated
capacity of any battery expresses the average amount of current it releases over
a period of time under normal use. This means that a battery with a rating of 200
Ah can deliver 20 amps of power at a constant rate for 10 hours.Generally,
batteries with highly active electrodes and a high volume of electrolytes will have
higher ratings than small batteries with inactive electrode material. For instance,
a standard AAA battery has a much lower rating than a lithium-ion car battery
does.An analogy that is very helpful in understanding rating is that of a moving
car. In this example, the current and capacity of a battery are like a car’s speed
and range. For instance, if the car moves at 20 mph for eight hours, its range is
160 miles. Likewise, a battery discharging 20 amps for eight hours has a rating of
160 Ah.

5.List six considerations when deciding where a vehicle battery should be

positioned.
=1.battery size:Car batteries are divided into group sizes which indicate the
length, width, and height of the battery. You can find out the battery size required
by checking the owner’s manual or consulting with your mechanic and then
making a comparison between car batteries. The right battery size is the one that
fits perfectly in the battery tray securing the battery and preventing damage
arising from vibrations
2.reverse capacity:This refers to the amount of time that the battery can run on
its own power without the engine and before discharge. Having a high Reserve
Capacity helps the car through tough situations such as a noncompliant engine,
alternator failure and accidentally leaving lights on
3.power requirement:This refers to Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) and Cranking
Amps (CA). Cranking Amps is the energy required to start a vehicle at
temperatures of 32 degrees Fahrenheit while Cold Cranking Amp points to the
ability of the battery to start a car at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. CCA applies for cold
climates and batteries with higher CCA are recommended.
4.maintenance:There are two scenarios here: the low maintenance and the
maintenance-free type. The maintenance-free car battery is usually sealed and
the liquid electrolyte can run throughout the battery life with no need for
replacement. Low maintenance batteries are unsealed with caps that allow you to
add distilled water occasionally.
5.battery life:You can check the battery life of your current battery at an auto
parts store or battery specialist. This will help you know if you need a new battery
or just a maintenance procedure.
6.ampere hour:This refers to how much electricity the battery can store
(capacity). A higher Ah means that the battery can maintain a load for a long time
thus chances of the battery running out are less.

6.Describe how to measure the internal resistance of a battery.

=The internal resistance provides valuable information about a battery as high
reading hints at end-of-life. This is especially true with nickel-based systems.
Resistance measurement is not the only performance indicator as the value
between batches of lead acid batteries can vary by 5–10 percent, especially with
stationary units. Because of this wide tolerance, the resistance method works
best when comparing the readings of a given battery from birth to retirement.
Service crews are asked to take a snapshot of each cell or monoblock at time of
installation and then measure the subtle changes as the cells age.There is a
notion that internal resistance is related to capacity, but this is false. The
resistance of modern lead acid and lithium-ion batteries stays flat through most of
the service life. Better electrolyte additives have reduced internal corrosion issues
that affect the resistance. This corrosion is also known as parasitic reactions on
the electrolyte and electrodes. Figure 1 shows capacity fade with cycling in
relation to the internal resistance of Li-ion cells
 7.
Approximat Average Open circuit voltage
e
Rate of Specific 2V 6V 8V 12V
change gravity
100% 1.265 2.10 6.32 8.43 12.65
75% 1.225 2.08 6.22 8.30 12.45
50% 1.190 2.04 6.12 8.16 12.24
25% 1.155 2.01 6.01 8.04 12.06
0% 1.120 1.98 5.95 7.72 11.89

8.Describe the two methods of recharging a battery.

1.Constant voltage =allows the full current of the charger to flow into the battery
until the power supply reaches its pre-set voltage. The current will then taper
down to a minimum value once that voltage level is reached. The battery can be
left connected to the charger until ready for use and will remain at that “float
voltage”, trickle charging to compensate for normal battery self-discharge.
2.Constant current is a simple form of charging batteries, with the current level
set at approximately 10% of the maximum battery rating. Charge times are
relatively long with the disadvantage that the battery may overheat if it is over-
charged, leading to premature battery replacement. This method is suitable for
Ni-MH type of batteries. The battery must be disconnected, or a timer function
used once charged.

9.State how the ideal charge rate for a lead-acid battery can be determined.
=he switch from Stage 1 to 2 occurs seamlessly and happens when the battery
reaches the set voltage limit. The current begins to drop as the battery starts to
saturate; full charge is reached when the current decreases to 3–5 percent of the
Ah rating. A battery with high leakage may never attain this low saturation
current, and a plateau timer takes over to end the charge.The correct setting of
the charge voltage limit is critical and ranges from 2.30V to 2.45V per cell. Setting
the voltage threshold is a compromise and battery experts refer to this as
“dancing on the head of a pin.” On one hand, the battery wants to be fully
charged to get maximum capacity and avoid sulfation on the negative plate; on
the other hand, over-saturation by not switching to float charge causes grid
corrosion on the positive plate. This also leads to gassing and water-
loss.Temperature changes the voltage and this makes “dancing on the head of a
pin” more difficult. A warmer ambient requires a slightly lower voltage threshold
and a colder temperature prefers a higher setting. Chargers exposed to
temperature fluctuations include temperature sensors to adjust the charge
voltage for optimum charge efficiency.The charge temperature coefficient of a
lead acid cell is –3mV/°C. Establishing 25°C (77°F) as the midpoint, the charge
voltage should be reduced by 3mV per cell for every degree above 25°C and
increased by 3mV per cell for every degree below 25°C. If this is not possible, it is
better to choose a lower voltage for safety reasons.

10.Explain why the ‘energy density’ of a battery is important.

=If a system has a high energy density then it is able to store a lot of energy in a
small amount of mass. A high energy density does not necessarily mean a high
power density. An object with a high energy density, but low power density can
perform work for a relatively long period of time.An example of this type of energy
storage is a mobile phone. Its power will last most of the day, but to recharge the
device, it must be connected to another power source for an hour or more.