22 Years' Battery Customization
APR 12, 2023 Pageview：417
Batteries have become the most reliable power storage devices in the world today. It is hard to imagine where the world would be, considering the large number of devices running on batteries.
However, there are different battery types with certain features that make them more useful. You need to understand your battery properly to get the most from it.
Battery-specific gravity is one of the terms you must know if you are using a flooded battery. It can help you get the best from your batteries as you expose them to the perfect user conditions.
Today, we will introduce you to battery-specific gravity testing and how to do it. We will also look at the tools you need for the process and why it is important to test your battery.
Battery Specific Gravity Test
The battery-specific test is one way of discovering the health of your battery. People use this test to determine how much charge their battery has in order to plan proper use.
The test is quite important as it allows you to set your battery in perfect operating condition. You will always find a way to keep your battery safe and avoid getting stuck in the middle of nowhere if you know exactly what the battery can do.
Also, it is a great way of finding the right battery for your machine. As you may already know, different items are designed to use different batteries, and it’s crucial that you know these differences.
What is Battery Specific Gravity?
Before we look at the battery specific gravity test, we need to understand what specific gravity means. It might not be a very common term to many people.
Specific gravity is a term used to describe the state of charge of a battery. Generally, it is the ratio of the solution’s weight to the weight of an equal amount of water.
Thus, it is the ratio of sulfuric acid to water inside the batter. This ratio constantly changes, affecting the density of the electrolyte activity. That means the specific gravity affects how the battery performs in the long run, which explains why testing it is very important under certain circumstance.
Battery Specific Gravity Testing
The lead-acid battery we use today in cars comprises different parts, the main ones being plates, lead, lead oxide, and electrolytes. The primary solution consists of 65% water and 35% sulfuric acid.
As the battery discharges, the specific gravity or weight of the solution decreases. It increases when the battery is charging.
The reason why the weight decreases is that sulfur moves towards the plates, away from the solution. And when charging, the sulfur moves from the plates back to the solution, hence, increasing the specific gravity.
The 65% 35% ratio of the necessary chemicals determines the electrolyte’s specific gravity. This will allow the chemical reactions to take place effectively.
But as stated above, the ratio is affected by the volume of sulfuric acid and the temperature inside the solution. When the temperature drops, the electrolyte contracts, increasing in weight. And when the temperature increases, the electrolyte expands, affecting its optimal ratio and specific gravity.
Testing the specific gravity is an excellent way of discovering the battery’s state of charge. We have already mentioned above how the specific gravity decreases linearly with amp-hour discharged. That is why the weight increases when the battery is recharged.
Procedure and Requirements
You need a hydrometer to test for the battery specific gravity. But that can only be helpful if you know what to do and how to use the given tools.
Here are some of the tips that can help you:
The specific gravity test is only done on flooded batteries.
Do not add water when you want to do the test.
Fill and drain the hydrometer about 2 to 4 times before taking the sample.
You will need enough sample electrolytes in the hydrometer to support the float properly.
After taking the sample, read it, take a recording, and return it back to the cell.
You want to take the electrolyte from each cell and follow the procedure mentioned above.
Ensure all the cells are properly checked, and then restore the caps.
Wipe off any electrolyte spillage on the battery and ensure it is completely cleaned.
The correct readings should be at 80F, where you add .004 degrees to the readings for every 10 degrees above 80F and subtract the same from every 10 degrees below 80F.
Compare the readings and use the readings table to get the right readings.
The correct readings should be and are now below the factory specification of 1.277 +/- 0.007. For any readings below this, check the voltage record of your battery, charge the battery completely, or check the voltage reading again.
Battery Specific Gravity Meter
The battery specific gravity meter is an important tool used in measuring the specific gravity of a battery. A hydrometer is designed to take such measurements.
The measurements should be registered as indicated above. In case of low recordings, your battery could be too old and approaching the end of its life, or it was left in a state of discharge for an extended period. Another reason could be that the electrolyte was lost due to spillage or that you have a weak cell developing.
Measuring the specific gravity is a sure way of keeping your battery in the best conditions. It can help you create the best environment even for the device.
Battery Specific Gravity Test Hydrometer
A hydrometer is an instrument used to determine the state of charge of each cell inside a battery. It is also used to measure the specific gravity of the electrolyte.
A hydrometer is simply a bulb or tear drop syringe that can be used to extract the electrolyte. It is calibrated with a float for reading the specific gravity.
The most common range is between 1.160 and 1.325 for the floats. The specific gravity, on the other hand, can be between 1.250 and 1.280, where the battery is fully charged in most climates.
A higher specific gravity is often better than a lower one. However, it can decrease the service of your battery.
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