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2026
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Break the bad habits of using the car and don't add 'burden' to the battery
When it comes to batteries, truck drivers are surely not unfamiliar with them. As an important component of trucks, batteries play a crucial role. But do truck drivers really understand the purchase and daily maintenance of batteries? The editor has compiled some information about batteries, hoping that this article can help truck drivers in using and maintaining their vehicles.
● Matching the battery model is important; it should suit yourself.
A battery is also called a storage battery, and its working principle is to convert chemical energy into electrical energy. The batteries we use on trucks can mainly be divided into two categories: traditional lead-acid batteries and maintenance-free batteries that have become popular in recent years.
Lead-acid batteries are composed of positive and negative plates, separators, a casing, electrolyte, and terminal posts. Their discharge chemical reaction relies on the active materials of the positive and negative plates under the action of the electrolyte (dilute sulfuric acid solution). The grids of the plates are made of lead-antimony alloy. During the use of traditional batteries, liquid loss occurs. This is because the antimony on the grid contaminates the lead on the plates, causing excessive decomposition of water, with large amounts of oxygen and hydrogen overflowing from the positive and negative plates, respectively, leading to a decrease in the electrolyte, which requires regular replenishment.
As the name suggests, maintenance-free batteries are batteries that do not require maintenance by the vehicle owner. They are made of lead-calcium alloy. Because the battery uses a lead-calcium alloy for the grid, the amount of water decomposition during charging is small, and the evaporation of water is also low. In addition, the outer casing is designed with a sealed structure, so the amount of sulfuric acid gas released is minimal. Compared with traditional batteries, it has the advantages of not requiring any liquid top-up, causing less corrosion to the terminals, wires, and vehicle body, having strong overcharge resistance, high starting current, and long energy storage time. In recent years, it has been very popular in China.
However, in order to reduce costs, freight vehicles currently generally use lower-cost lead-acid batteries, while passenger cars almost exclusively use maintenance-free batteries.
We often hear about 150 batteries, 165 batteries, 195 batteries… So what exactly do these numbers represent?
These numbers represent the battery's capacity, which is expressed in ampere-hours (Ah). An ampere-hour is a unit used to measure the capacity of a storage device. Simply put, 1 ampere-hour means that the device can work continuously for 1 hour with a supply current of 1 ampere.
The so-called ampere-hour rating refers to the amount of electricity a fully charged battery can deliver to an external load over 20 hours at room temperature at a 20-hour discharge rate. For a 12-volt battery, the typical passenger car battery is 36Ah or 45Ah, small trucks are 90Ah, 105Ah, or 120Ah, and large trucks reach 150Ah, 165Ah, 195Ah, or even 200Ah.
● Properly Maintain Your Battery to Extend Its Lifespan
Generally, the normal service life of a battery is about three years. If the battery is well maintained and cared for according to the following points, its lifespan can be correspondingly extended.
1. The first charge of a new battery before use is called the initial charge. The initial charge is extremely important to the battery's performance in future use. The characteristics of the initial charge are a small charging current, a long charging time, and a sufficient electrochemical reaction. The initial charging operation of a new battery should involve one to three charge-discharge cycles.
2. Each starting time should not exceed 5 seconds, the interval between starts should be more than 15 seconds, and a maximum of 3 consecutive starts is allowed. Frequent discharging of the battery in a short period can cause significant damage to the battery.
3. Many truck drivers use high-power electrical appliances such as kettles and rice cookers inside their vehicles. It is best not to use these devices when the vehicle is turned off, because doing so can easily drain the battery, which not only damages the battery itself but also poses a risk of overheating the wiring due to excessive current, potentially causing a fire.
4. If a driver's car is not used for a long time, it is best to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery. This is because even when parked, there is a small current consumption in the vehicle's electrical system, and leaving the vehicle idle for a long time will lead to the battery being drained.
5. Regularly remove dust, oil stains, and white oxide powder from the positive and negative terminals of the battery. You can apply a small amount of grease or Vaseline between the battery terminals and the battery clamps to prevent white oxide powder from forming on the terminals.
6. Choose a battery with a corresponding capacity based on the generator's output. If the generator cannot meet a battery that exceeds its rated power range, it will cause the battery to remain partially charged for a long time, and long-term undercharging will greatly shorten the battery's lifespan.
7. The clamps of the battery and the terminal post must be installed firmly to avoid damage to the terminal post caused by loose connections.
8. When using the battery in winter, special attention should be paid to keeping it fully charged to prevent freezing. When adding distilled water in winter, it should be done during charging to prevent freezing. The battery's capacity will decrease in winter, so it is best to preheat the engine before starting. Due to low temperatures in winter, charging the battery can be difficult, so the battery's charge status should be checked frequently.
● Editor's Note:
Good maintenance not only extends the battery's lifespan but also avoids the troubles caused by battery failure while driving. Therefore, we would like to remind everyone to pay proper attention to the use and maintenance of the battery.
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