Despite its rather simple device, the car battery still remains one of the most complex and incomprehensible parts of a car. Traditional issues related to it correct operation motorists have quite a lot, and one of them is the question of whether it needs to be charged, how often to do it, and whether it is always necessary to remove it for this. Any battery needs periodic charging and, in general, for this you need to remove it - for example, with the obligatory conduct Maintenance.
It will also need charging if he just sat down and is unable to provide adequate strength. starting current... This often happens when an electrical device is working all night in the car - a radio tape recorder, headlights or dimensions, interior lighting. In other cases, there is no need to charge the battery. Subject to regular monitoring of the battery voltage, which it is recommended to carry out 4-5 times a year... To do this, it is enough to use an ordinary ammeter. In cold weather, the frequency of monitoring can be increased.
Battery charging - remove from the car or not
In general, it is much more convenient to charge a battery that has been removed from the vehicle. So it can be carefully inspected for damage to the case, cleaned, checked the electrolyte level and its density - and all in a comfortable environment. But the owners of cars with a huge amount of complex electronics try not to do this, motivating possible problems with electronics arising after the charged battery returns to its place. In fairness, it should be noted that such fears are well-grounded.
The fact is that most sophisticated onboard electronics are extremely sensitive to power outages. There are many known cases when a newly supplied battery disabled sensors, controllers or on-board computer... Owners of such cars by hook or by crook try to charge the battery without removing it from the car. Or they go to the other extreme - they do not charge the installed battery at all, hoping that the on-board charging system will do it.
Far from it. The fact is that while the engine is running, the battery is recharged by the generator. But at the same time, it is required to ensure maximum safety for the process. In order for the gas evolution process to remain under control and not exceed normal values, a special regulator is located near the generator, which is responsible for ensuring that the charging current does not exceed 14 V, while 14.5 V is required to fully charge the battery. Thus the battery in the car is never 100% charged
Charging the battery correctly without removing
So, the answer to the question is it possible to charge the battery without removing the terminals - yes. Therefore, you need to understand how to do it correctly, quickly and safely. For a start, it is worth keeping in mind the fact that even the ignition key removed from the lock does not block the supply of energy to some devices. Fine, the supply voltage of all car electronics does not exceed 12 V, while the charging current for the battery is 1.5-16 V. Therefore, if you are not sure that all electronics are de-energized, it makes sense to remove the negative terminal from the battery - this will save the devices.
When charging the battery without removing it from the car, proceed as follows:
- release the battery from the protective cover, remove the metal bolts, clean the upper surface, including the terminals;
- check the electrolyte level, if there is a lack of it, be sure to fill the deficiency with distilled water - otherwise there will be no 100% charge;
- prepare a charger - it must be disconnected from the network, when connecting, strictly observe the polarity;
- connect the charger to the network.
Attention! With this method of charging the battery, it is unacceptable to use home-made or outdated models of chargers, since it is extremely important to ensure "high-quality" current and accurate maintenance of the required voltage. This is the only way to charge the battery without removing it from the car.
How long does it take for high-quality charging
If you can charge the battery without removing the terminals, it is definitely possible, but with the time it takes to fully charge everything is not so simple. The time it takes to charge each battery is different. Thus, especially powerful batteries take much longer to charge than small-capacity batteries. The time of full charging is also influenced by the degree of its discharge - if there is no energy in the battery, it will take a lot of time to charge it. Of course, the strength of the charging current, the ambient temperature, and the charger itself matter. You can watch the practical charging process and its time in the video:
The purpose of the charge also matters. For example, if you urgently need to charge the battery without removing it from the car, then in order to start the engine, you can proceed as follows:
- disconnect the wires from it;
- connect the charger, then plug it in;
- set the current value to the limit;
- wait 15 minutes;
- disconnect the "charger", connect the wires and start the car.
Such a measure is forced, and too often it is not worth resorting to it. For a better and more complete charge, it is better to remove the battery. After completing all the necessary preliminary steps (cleaning, checking and adjusting the electrolyte), leave it connected to the charger for the whole night. Do not just forget to leave the plugs unscrewed. The end of a charging cycle is best judged not by time, but by the charger.
Important! The arrow of its indicator should be located on the left side, either at 0 or below.
New battery - should it be charged
A newly acquired battery can also be charged without removing the terminals, but many motorists are concerned about the question - is it necessary to do this. It is worth starting with the fact that it will be new only for the buyer. Until the moment of purchase, it could "gather dust" in the store for many months, and if after purchase it is immediately installed in a car, its power may very soon be insufficient to start the engine, especially in winter. That's why it would be more correct to first charge it, and only then start operation.
Regardless of which battery is being charged and how - when removing from the car or not, all precautions must be taken, since improper charging can end very badly. The first thing that is important to pay close attention to is good ventilation. In the process of "feeding" the battery releases into the ambient air a huge amount of chemical compounds that are extremely corrosive to humans. These include sulfur dioxide, arsenous hydrogen and many others, and besides this, a huge amount of hydrogen, when combined with oxygen, forms an explosive mixture.
In addition, it is only necessary to work with the battery with gloves, since sulfuric acid can cause deep chemical burns of the skin. Naturally, if you start the charging process with the cans closed, the battery will explode. In the event that the charge is carried out homemade devices, it is necessary to remember about the approximate time of the end of the charge, since overcharging is also harmful to the battery, as well as a full discharge.
Recently I wrote an article - about, in it I pointed out that there is one old "old-fashioned method" of checking. We just throw off the terminal when the engine is running (any, but it is more convenient minus one) and if the car does not stall, then the generator is alive. And I immediately received comments that it was impossible to do this, that everything would burn out (in the sense of wiring and other electricians). Is it really possible to do this? Also, many of my readers are interested in the question - is it possible to remove the battery for a long period, say for several months, for example, for the winter, if the car is not in use? So let's figure it out ...
Before talking about a running engine, I want to start with a prolonged removal of the battery, for example, for the winter, because many novice drivers do not move, say, in winter, that is, they put the car in a kind of parking lot. First, do you need to remove the battery at all
Why remove the battery for the winter
The guys here everything is simple - they shoot so as not to "kill" the battery! If the machine is not in operation, but the terminals are thrown over the battery, then the discharge microcurrents are still present, of course, someone has a lot more leakage, someone has much less, but it is present in any case (by the way, like hers). Also, do not forget about self-discharge currents, even the most ideal battery can be discharged by itself during a long idle time. Yes, to be honest, batteries are not always clean on top, that is, they may contain dirt, moisture (for example, precipitation, evaporation, etc.), antifreeze and much more. All this can drain the battery, albeit slowly, but surely.
Can I shoot for a long time?
Let's just say after three to four months the battery can lose 25% of its capacity, and after six months about 50%. If such a discharged battery remains under the hood of the car for the winter, then it will, moreover, in such a way that it may rupture the case.
Therefore, removing the battery from the car, even if it is a foreign car or our VAZ, GAZ, UAZ, etc. Take the battery home, leave it in the vestibule, closet, on the balcony in the end and occasionally, at least once a month or two, check its voltage. Recharge if necessary.
Of course, if you leave the car for two or three weeks, then there is no need to remove it, here, this will be enough.
What happens to the car if you remove the battery for a long time? There is such a myth - that all settings will go wrong, everything will be reset, to such an extent that almost a new firmware will need to be downloaded!
Guys, I can say with responsibility, this is a MYTH, and nothing more. All basic settings are sewn into the on-board computer and forever! And they are energetically independent! IT IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND. If you follow the logic of "such users" if you throw off the terminals from the battery (for a long time, for example - for a week), then all information from the ECU, including the mileage, will be discarded. After all, now it is electronic and is located in the electronic control unit. BUT IT DOES NOT RELEASE, all because, I emphasize again, there is NO ENERGY DEPENDENCE!
Of course, you will reset the radio settings, time, date, audio equipment settings, but all this is quickly configured and this data is not important for the car's operation. Adaptation from modern automatic transmissions will also be thrown off, but after 50 - 100 km, after starting, the automatic transmission will again remember your driving style, these are the so-called adaptive automatic transmissions.
Therefore, removing the battery for a long time from the car, ABSOLUTELY, will not cause any harm to it, THIS IS A FACT. Do not believe the tales of grief professionals.
It's fair to say - that there are complex, expensive (often representative brands of cars, for example, Infiniti, Lexus and others), removing the battery from them is difficult and it is not always recommended to remove it for a long time. This is because they can have up to several control units in their car, and if the main one is non-volatile, then the rest have built-in small batteries that need to recharge the main one. If you remove the battery for a long time, from 2 to 6 months, then these small batteries may not be enough. After starting the car, various functions may not work, such as automatic rear seat adjustment, etc. Of course, this is also not critical, BUT NOT PLEASANT!
There are not so many such machines out of the total mass (literally a few percent), AND THE BATTERY REMOVAL PROCEDURE IS FREQUENTLY IN THE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS WITH RESTRICTIONS! This is worth remembering. BUT in the remaining 95 - 98% of cases, you can shoot without fear.
Can I shoot with the engine running?
There are two camps here - some say that it is possible and nothing terrible will happen, others that everything that is possible will burn!
Personally, I think that you can remove the battery for a short time, for example, to start a neighbor's car "completely dead" (and there are no wires for lighting), then quickly remove it and put it back.
By the way, this way you can check the generator's performance, watch my video (if you don't want to wait, wind it right away at 14:21 minutes).
BUT it is worth doing everything VERY CAREFULLY, let's point by point:
- Short circuit ... Actually, when the engine is running, the generator generates electric current, respectively, plus goes to the plus terminal, and minus to the minus terminal. If you remove the battery, IT IS IN NO EVENT TO ALLOW the positive terminal to come into contact with the car body, otherwise a strong short circuit will occur, and then all the wiring and electronics may burn out! After all, the generator can produce sufficiently strong currents. That is, the positive terminal must be isolated from the metal parts of the body, because it is through it that the mass goes, that is, the negative part is connected.
- Voltage drops. Many wrote to me that - "when the terminal is removed, the entire electrician can burn out (and it's not even a short circuit), but simply from a voltage surge." As I think it is to say "not true" to put it mildly. Why? I justify - look, the generator is a "not stupid" dynamo machine, it is, in fact, a very smart unit, it has a special "". What he does, he trite stabilizes the voltage, that is, he does not allow it to exceed the bar of 14.5 Volts. Indeed, in fact, the generator at high speeds can produce 15 and even 17 Volts, such a voltage will be destructive for most devices, and so, this regulator "stabilizes" by cutting off excess voltage from above. So if we remove the battery, then again nothing terrible will happen, the voltage in the network, as it was from 13.8 to 14.5 V., will remain so. PANCAKE WELL FROM WHAT DOES IT RUNNING? If you want to play it safe a little, you can give a load in the form of headlights, a stove, heated windows and seats, then the voltage will drop to about 13.7 - 14 V., that's all! And in fact, the battery is nothing more than a consumer of current (load), if it is undercharged, it receives charging from the generator, if it is charged, it does not receive anything! WHY DO YOU NEED TO BURN THIS, EXPLAIN, PLEASE?
A battery is required to start a vehicle's engine. Its serviceability makes the mechanism work stable. Car downtime, which often occurs during winter period do not have the best effect on the condition of the battery. Storage rules in the cold season will help keep it working.
- dry-charged - designed for self-filling with electrolyte, after which the battery is ready for use without requiring additional charge;
- filled with electrolyte during production (maintenance-free) - equipped with special elements that absorb moisture and prevent electrolyte from flowing out of the case;
- gel - the electrolyte is contained in a thickened state (they are resistant to heavy loads, fast charge and endurance to deep discharges);
- motorcycle - electrolyte is absorbed into the absorbed fiberglass.
Photogallery of accumulators
Motorcycle batteries are subject to high electrical stress 
The gel battery is the safest and most durable of all types of batteries. 
Maintenance-free battery does not allow checking electrolyte level, but requires periodic charging 
A dry battery requires periodic checking of the electrolyte level and the addition of distilled water
Is storage required in winter?
Some car enthusiasts remove the battery at night and take it home. Is there a need for this or is it a relic of the past? Only one thing can be said for sure - there is no point in performing such a procedure every day. In winter, if the frost does not drop to 30 degrees, and the car is regularly used, it is enough to remove the battery twice a month to recharge it.
It is also possible that the battery is already old, so it cannot withstand an overnight stay outside in winter. In this case, you also need to take care to bring it into the warmth. Although in a situation like this, it is better to purchase new battery, because it is troublesome to constantly remove it and bring it home.
Owners who rarely use the car in winter should take care of keeping the battery warm. Even if it is completely serviceable, it will sit down in idle mode in literally two weeks. Bring the battery to a warm place at night if severe frosts are expected. In this case, you should not take risks and leave the device in the car, otherwise it may simply not start in the morning. If the car is not used at all in winter, the battery is removed and stored separately from it during the entire cold season.
Preparatory work
To prevent the battery from discharging during idle time, it is necessary to disconnect one terminal from it. In this case, the loss of charge will be, but insignificant. However, the best option would be to store the battery in the winter. warm room... When the battery is removed, the car will painlessly perceive the lack of voltage. You can even say that it will benefit him.
When removing the battery, first disconnect the negative and then the positive terminal, which avoids a short circuit Dry battery
Dry battery preparation is performed in the following way:
- The jar caps are unscrewed, and the electrolyte level is measured through the holes using a glass tube. Its quantity can also be estimated by the marks that are present inside each jar. If the battery is transparent, the electrolyte level is visible from the outside. In this case, the marks are usually made on the battery case. The electrolyte level should be within 12 mm. If the value obtained is less, you need to top up with distilled water.
- The density of the electrolyte is checked, its indicator should be 1.25–1.29, but not differ by more than 0.01. If this condition is not met, you need to achieve an average value. When the density is higher, distilled water is added, at a lower value, battery acid is poured.
- The surface of the battery is washed with a solution baking soda to neutralize the acid, and the terminals are treated with conductive grease.
- The surface of the case is checked for damage.
- The battery is charged, wrapped in plastic wrap or a cloth to avoid possible external influences, and placed in the storage space.
If it is not possible to charge the serviced battery, fill it with a boric acid solution (5%). You will need to perform actions in the following sequence:
- The battery is fully charged.
- The electrolyte solution is drained within 15 minutes.
- Distilled water is poured inside, the battery is thoroughly washed 2 times.
- Boric acid solution is poured.
Filled with electrolyte
To prepare the device for storage, the following sequence of actions is performed:
- The state of charge of the device is assessed - if it is low, then it is increased using an external charger.
- The battery is removed from the machine, the terminals are disconnected in the correct sequence.
- The body of the device is cleaned from traces of contamination.
- The battery is wrapped in a cloth or plastic wrap and sent to storage.
Gel
These batteries are maintenance-free devices. In addition, they are resistant to atmospheric and other types of external influences. To prepare your device for winter storage, you must:
- Charge the battery if it is low. It should be remembered that gel batteries are very demanding on voltage. During the charging process, it should remain unchanged, not exceed 14.4 V.
- Remove the device from the vehicle.
- Allocate storage space for the battery and place it in any position.
The gel battery can work even with a damaged case, but it still doesn't hurt to check it.
For motorcycle
Before sending a motorcycle battery for "wintering", you need to prepare it:
- The device is removed from the motorcycle.
- The battery heats up at room temperature and is fully charged. It is important to pay attention to which electrochemical system is used in it. Modern motorcycles are equipped with lithium-iron or lithium-copper batteries. It is not recommended to charge them yourself. Considering that devices of this type have a lower capacity than car batteries, in this case a special charger is used.
- The battery is examined for damage and sent to a dry, dark place for storage.
Home storage rules
There are several rules that must be followed in order to ensure the complete safety of the battery. Each type of battery has its own nuances and storage characteristics.
Do not place batteries near hygroscopic materials, as acid fumes can be damaging to them.
The storage area should be dark, dry and well ventilated. The optimum temperature is 0˚С. During storage, the battery must not come into contact with textiles and other products. In addition, you need to protect the battery from direct sunlight, as they can destroy its coating, which will lead to the loss of its original properties. Do not forget to check the state of its charge every month in order to increase it if necessary.
The serviced battery is stored vertically. Its plugs are wrapped tightly so that moisture does not get inside. The housing of the device must be dry and sealed. When storing such a battery, it is necessary to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from heating devices. The plugs should be checked periodically - if they have come off, they will need to be tightened again, after which the battery can be installed in its original place. It is advisable to store the device on a stand.
Maintenance-free
Storage requirements for a battery filled with electrolyte practically do not differ from the conditions in the case of dry-charged batteries. True, you don't have to check how tight the plugs are. The device is also placed in a dry room with low humidity and good ventilation, installed vertically. It is recommended to avoid sudden changes in temperature, as this may negatively affect the performance of the battery later. If the battery has been used for less than a year, it does not always require additional charging. Otherwise, the device is usually charged every three months.
Gel
Gel batteries require recharging much less frequently than other types of batteries. It is enough to do this once a season, sometimes more often. The main thing is not to interrupt the process, but to bring it to the end. For example, if you stop at 70%, the device will not be able to collect the required capacity the next time. Therefore, a fully charged battery must be brought to the storage room. If it is working properly, most likely, you will not have to carry out any manipulations with it. Although, periodic checking will not hurt. Gel batteries can withstand temperatures from -35˚C to + 60˚C, they can be installed in any position. The room does not require additional ventilation.
Motorcycle
If the motorcycle is parked in a dry, heated garage with a temperature of at least 15 ° C, the battery does not need to be removed. It is enough to limit yourself to disconnecting the negative terminal so that the device does not self-discharge. If the conditions are not suitable for storing the battery, it will have to be removed and taken to a warmer place. During the winter, you will need to recharge 3-4 times.
Restoration of working condition
At the end of winter, the battery should be prepared for use. First, a solution poured in the fall is drained from it. It is worth noting that this must be done slowly, at the same pace at which it was flooded. It takes about 20 minutes to drain the acid. Then the device is rinsed from the inside with distilled water several times. It is advisable to let it sit in the battery banks for 10 minutes to get the best effect. When the battery is thoroughly washed, electrolyte is poured into it and left for 40 minutes. This is necessary to check that its density has remained unchanged. Otherwise, you will need to correct this indicator, focusing on the marks.
After completing these steps, the device is completely ready for use, it can be installed in vehicle... The terminals are connected upside-down as compared to removing the battery.
If you adhere to the established rules for storing the battery and use it correctly, it will last a very long time.
In winter, many car enthusiasts abandon personal transport completely or go on trips with it much less often than usual. There are several reasons for this, and the main one is the presence of snow on the roads. At the same time, not all drivers care about preserving the battery in the winter, leaving it connected to the terminals as usual for weeks or months. Such negligence can lead to a complete discharge of the battery or its failure due to a short circuit of one of the cells. To prevent this from happening, you should attend to the question of how to store the battery in the winter.
Should the battery be removed from the car in winter?
It is believed that car batteries must be removed in winter in order to maintain their maximum charge. This statement is true, but not always; in some cases, less radical solutions can be dispensed with.
In a "warm winter" (when the air temperature at the place of storage of the car does not fall below -10 degrees), in order to maintain the maximum charge of the battery and not bother with the transfer of the battery, it is recommended to reset one of the terminals on-board network from a power source. We recommend to avoid the risk of positive ground and short circuit of the on-board network. By removing one of the terminals from the car battery, it will be possible to greatly reduce the discharge process of the power source.
If the temperature in the place where the car is standing has dropped significantly below -10 degrees Celsius, you should think about moving the battery to a warmer room. At the same time, do not forget that from the on-board network of the car, the settings of the electronic systems will be reset.
How to store the battery in the winter?
The main thing that should be remembered in terms of battery safety in winter is its position in space. Never store the battery vertically or "on its side". The power supply, dry-charged or filled with electrolyte, must always stand horizontally.
To store the battery in winter, you must choose the right place according to the following criteria:
- The battery case must not be exposed to direct sunlight. That is why, if there is a choice between storing the battery in the closet or on the balcony, it is better to give preference to the closet or any other "dark" room where the sun's rays do not fall. The danger when sunlight hits the battery during storage is that they can cause deformation of the case, and this will lead to malfunctions of the power source after connecting to the car;
- The temperature at the storage location of the battery must be above -5 degrees Celsius. You can leave the power source for the winter in a cellar or basement, where the temperature, if it drops below zero, is not much;
- The room should be well ventilated and free from high air humidity. This is due to the fact that during self-discharge, the battery emits a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen, which is explosive. During long-term storage, self-discharge is inevitable, and its value depends on the air temperature - the higher, the more.
Storing a battery with electrolyte requires not only the correct selection of the room, but also its preparation for "wintering". Many forums write that the electrolyte should be drained from the battery for its better preservation in winter - this is a lie. Moreover, before storing, it is necessary to check the electrolyte level in the battery. If it turns out to be low, then add distilled water to the battery, and then charge it as much as possible.
Attention: The battery can only be filled with distilled water. Never add tap water or acid, as this can cause unwanted reactions that will damage the power supply.
Long-term storage of the battery using boric acid without refueling
As a last resort, if it is not possible to regularly charge the battery to the limit values in winter, boric acid should be used to lower the self-discharge. Likewise, you can store a “spare” power supply for your car in your garage or apartment for months to come. To reduce self-discharge, a 5% boric acid solution is poured into the battery according to the following system:
Attention: Boric acid is susceptible to temperature changes, therefore, store a battery filled with it in a relatively warm place at temperatures above 0 degrees Celsius. However, do not forget to keep out of direct sunlight on the case of the power supply.
A "canned" battery can be stored for more than 15 years at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius. In warmer conditions, its shelf life becomes shorter. Experts do not recommend storing the battery for more than 9 months without testing at temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius.
To restore the battery to working condition after storing it with boric acid, follow the instructions below:
- Boric acid is slowly drained from the battery - within 15-20 minutes;
- After complete draining of boric acid, the required volume of electrolyte is poured into the battery, which is a mixture of sulfuric acid with distilled water with a density of 1.83 g / cm 3. The electrolyte should be topped up at a temperature of 15 to 30 degrees Celsius;
After renewing the electrolyte in the battery, it is necessary to make sure that its density does not decrease. To do this, it is better to leave the battery for 40 minutes, and then measure the density of the electrolyte. If everything is in order, the battery can be installed on the car and be sure that at the most inopportune moment there is no need
Removing the battery from the car is a task that every car owner faces. This may be required for replacement of the battery itself, its maintenance or temporary storage, for example, in winter in a warm room.
To quickly remove and then install the battery is quite within the power of an ordinary motorist, and for this, as a rule, special skills are not required. You just need to know a few rules and adhere to a certain order of actions.
What can the wrong shutdown order lead to?
Errors and negligence when removing the battery can lead to both the failure of the battery itself and damage to the car electronics. If a damaged battery can be replaced with a new one without great expense, then damage to the on-board computer as a result of a short circuit can be extremely costly.
How to properly remove the battery from the car
To properly remove the battery, you must follow the exact procedure.
Preparation for work
To begin with, if you suddenly do not know yet, find out exactly where the battery is located in your car. In a modern car, the battery can be located in various (sometimes unexpected) places: in a niche in the trunk floor, under back seat, under the front seat, in the floor under the feet of the passenger.
If, after opening the hood, you did not find a battery there, then look in the trunk and lift the floor panel - if it is not there, then Google will help you, as they say.
Further, if the battery is closed with a cover, remove it. Use a brush (not a metal one !!) to brush off accumulated dust and dirt. Find out which bolts are used to tighten the battery terminals and prepare the appropriate wrenches or caps (in most cases they are 10 or 13 mm in size).
Video - how to remove the battery from Mitsubishi car ASX:
The battery will be secured in its compartment. Inspect and figure out how to remove the mount and what tools are required for this.
What conditions must be met
Before unscrewing and removing the terminals from the battery, you need to:
- turn off the ignition of the car (it is better to remove the ignition key and put it in your pocket);
- turn off all working electrical appliances in the car (light, radio, headlights and other things that can function when the ignition key is pulled out). This is necessary to ensure that all electronics connected to the ignition switch are turned off;
- close all windows in the car, carefully close all doors and trunk (if the battery is in the trunk, then, accordingly, the hood);
- if your car is equipped with a power switch, turn it off.
Some car alarms have a habit of automatically blocking all doors in the event of a power cut to the car. It's good if at such a moment, the ignition key is in your pocket, and not inside the car.
If you have an original manual for your car in stock, then check: there may be instructions on what and how to do exactly in your car before dismantling the battery.
When all the preparations are completed, you can start removing it.
Which battery terminal to remove first
Remember: the negative terminal of the battery is always removed first! You can determine where your battery has "plus" and where is "minus" by the color of the wires (plus is always red) or by the "+" and "-" marks on the battery itself.
This requirement is true for all types of cars: injection, carburetor, with alarm, immobilizer or without them.
Do not believe if you read somewhere or hear that it makes no difference which terminal to remove first: "plus" or "minus".
The negative contact of the battery is connected to the body of your car - "ground". By removing the terminal from the minus, you, respectively, disconnect the battery from the car body. In the future, if, when removing the positive terminal, a wrench accidentally jumps off or falls out and touches any metal part of the body or engine, nothing will happen. The circuit: "minus battery - car body" is broken and a short circuit will not happen.
If you start to remove the positive terminal from the battery first and accidentally touch the metal part of the car body or engine with the key, a short circuit will occur, as a result of which, due to a strong current surge, even disconnected electronic devices in the car may be damaged.
Remember: a modern car has electronic components that NEVER turn off and always remain energized. They are the ones that are most often damaged in the event of a short circuit on the battery.
Prolonged contact of the "plus" of the battery with the case may even lead to a fire and a fire.
Procedure
- we loosen the fastening nut on the negative terminal, without unscrewing it completely;
- remove the terminal, set it aside and fix it;
The wires on the battery terminals are thick and resilient, so if they are not secured, the terminal may accidentally "jump" back onto the contact and cause a short circuit. For fastening, you can use wire or plastic fasteners.
Video - how to remove the battery from VW Polo Sedan:
If, when the terminal is removed, a spark jumps between it and the battery contact, then this means that you have some device left on (or a malfunction of the car's wiring).
- we loosen the fastening nut of the positive terminal without unscrewing it completely;
- remove the positive terminal and also fix it away from the battery;
- remove the battery mount itself.
If the terminal is stuck
If one or both terminals are covered with a white coating, then before removing them, they must first be cleaned with a brush (preferably hard, but not metal).
If the terminal "stuck" to the contact, you can use the WD 40 solvent. Treat the terminal with it, then gently pick it up from below with a large screwdriver and shake it a little. Then try twisting the terminal slightly from side to side until you can remove it.
Important: Avoid heavy efforts to avoid damaging the battery contacts.
How to remove correctly
After removing both terminals from the battery, release the battery from the retaining clip. The battery can then be gently pulled out.
When removing the battery, try to keep it upright to avoid possible acid spillage. Despite the good tightness of modern storage batteries, this sometimes happens.
Features of removal from a car with an on-board computer
When the battery is removed or disconnected, the on-board computer loses all stored data received from the sensors in various modes of the vehicle.
Accordingly, after installing a new battery, it will be necessary to test the car in different modes so that the computer again writes down and saves the necessary parameters in memory. If this is not done, then the engine may malfunction.
Possible problems when removing the battery
With alarm
When the battery is disconnected, the alarm of your car may malfunction, namely:
- loss of one or more keys / remotes;
- failure of any additional alarm functions.
If this happens, then in order to restore the operation of the alarm, you will need to contact a specialized service.
It should be noted that malfunctions of the alarm when the battery is disconnected are quite rare.
With radio / radio
Before removing the battery, check if your car radio is equipped with a security PIN code. If so, make sure you have the correct PIN.
After disconnecting, all radio settings will be reset and when reconnecting you will need to re-enter the PIN code and tune the radio.
Do's and don'ts with the battery
- damage the case;
- damage the plugs of the filling holes and their necks;
- turn over or strongly tilt the battery;
- damage the contacts (for example, trying to force unsuitable wire terminals on them);
- store a discharged battery (especially at sub-zero temperatures);
- add acid.
Precautionary measures
Remember — the battery is heavy enough. Hold it firmly and try to avoid impacts so as not to damage the battery case.
Important! If battery acid gets on your skin or clothing, rinse the area with a solution of regular baking soda. If there is no baking soda, just rinse the acid sites with plenty of water.
If you have alkaline battery, then if alkali gets on clothes or skin, they will need to be washed with an acid solution. (For this, ordinary citric acid or a 10% vinegar solution is suitable).
It is best if you wear protective gloves when removing the battery.
When the battery is operating, hydrogen is released from it through the ventilation holes. This gas is extremely explosive. Even a small spark from an accidental short circuit can lead to an explosion under certain conditions. Therefore, it is best to work with the battery in a well-ventilated area or outdoors.
How to properly connect the battery to the car
Important! When installing the battery in its place, pay attention to the location of the "+" and "-" contacts, so as not to put the battery the other way around: with the positive contact to the negative wire.
There will not be much harm from this - the dimensions of the positive and negative contacts are different and it simply will not work to put the negative terminal on the positive contact without using a hammer.
If you have completely tightened the fixing nut on the positive terminal, and it still loosely dangles on the contact - check if you put the positive terminal on the negative terminal.
The battery is installed in the reverse order:
- put the battery in its place in the car;
- secure it carefully with a standard mount;
- firmly put the positive terminal on the corresponding contact;
- tighten the fastening nut;
- then repeat the same with the negative terminal of the battery.
If the contacts or terminals are covered with a characteristic white coating, remove it with a hard brush (non-metallic). You can also use a special cleaner for electrical contacts.
Attention! Do not use hard metal brushes to clean the contacts or terminals! They leave deep scratches on the battery contacts and on the terminals, which leads to their heating during operation.
Before tightening the fastening nuts, you can grease the terminals special oil for electrical contacts or technical petroleum jelly.
Easy care
Every time you look under the hood, do not forget to check the condition of the battery terminals and clean them if you see that they are covered with a white coating.
If you do not have time to remove the terminals, you can alternatively just cover them with baking soda and hold for 15–20 minutes. Then wash off the resulting dirt with water.
In addition to the contacts and terminals, the ventilation openings must be cleaned regularly. They are located in the plugs of the middle battery cans.
Conclusion
Despite the simplicity of the work on disconnecting and replacing the battery, in some modern car models, stuffed to the brim with complex electronics (for example, VW Faeton, the operation of components and mechanisms of which are controlled by 5 on-board computers and another, sixth, which controls the work of the first five), It is better not to change the battery at all on your own, but to contact the official representative office or service station.
The risk of failure of the on-board computer, resetting the settings or other troubles is very great, and further repair or adjustment will cost much more than the cost of replacing the battery.
Video - how to remove the battery from Citroen Berlingo 2:
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Comments on the article:
Rustam
I faced the situation of how to remove the battery quite recently. My wife and I returned from vacation, went to start the car, but the car would not start, it did not react at all to anything. I immediately began to suspect that the battery was dead. The neighbor turned out to have a charger. I don’t even remember which terminal I removed first - I didn’t even think about it. But everything worked out for me and nothing bad happened. I just charged the battery, put it in its place and began to drive.
Volodya
Recently I was on a hunt, forgot to turn off the headlights, stood for only 20 minutes and the whole car would not start. A passing car “lit a cigarette”, the wires were good, otherwise I would have to cuckle in the forest. I drove to the house normally. For a couple of days everything was normal, then frost hit and everything started, the car stopped. I tried to charge it myself, but it didn't work. I had to take it to a car service. There, the masters did everything as it should be. Now at -30 starts without problems.
Paul
The battery turned 5 years old and one frosty morning at -20 the autostart could not start the engine, even with the ignition key I could not breathe life into the car. And how wrong it is! In the evening, I removed the battery (according to the instructions) and set it to charge overnight.
Igor Vasilievich
I think it is not worth paying special attention to the spark that skips at the terminal during removal. The memory in the watch, receiver, etc., puts a little strain on the battery anyway, so there will always be a little spark.
Maria
The other day I faced the problem of how to remove the battery))) my husband left for another city, leaving me our car. And on the street it was just crushed at -30. The car was at auto start all night, and as a result Akum failed. I had to contact my neighbor - a sincere uncle turned out to be))) Everything ended well, the neighbor charged the house and put it back!)
Lucy
I left my car to "spend the night" with the parking lights... To go to work .. Good brother helped out, changed the battery. She herself did not dare to take off)
Anya
I live in the north, we have very strong frosts (up to -50), so I suffer with the battery almost every day. But recently I was told that if the density of the electrolyte of the battery is slightly increased, then even in such frosts it is possible to start the car. And it turned out to be true! The car is difficult, but to start, I advise you to use this advice for operating batteries in cold weather)
Anton
With all the external simplicity of working with the battery, there is always a pair important points... Yes, remove the negative terminal first. Remove and charge it before the cold weather begins. 4-5 years is the average battery life, after that you need to think about buying a new one. If in cold weather it will stand on the car completely discharged for several days, then you can irrevocably lose it. For the winter, fill the engine with winter oil, it will be much easier for him. Well, when buying a new one, there are nuances with the location of the terminals and the size of the installation site, so it is better to go to the store by the car on which the battery will be installed.
novel
I remember when I was young I did not attach any importance to simple rules when removing a battery from a car. Therefore, its service life was reduced. V modern cars the designers place the battery (either in the trunk or in the floor). I prepare the keys and look at the connectors and gradually release the terminals (I start with a minus one). It must be remembered that the battery is heavy and if you do not hold it, it will be damaged and become unusable. I take out the battery slowly. If the on-board computer in the car will need to be tested after its installation, the electronics and there may be problems with the alarm. Nowadays, it is not a problem to contact a car service in case of a failure.
Kirill
Recently, they forgot to turn off the light in the car and left the city for a few days. Upon arrival, an unpleasant surprise awaited us - the battery was discharged. It's good that there are no severe frosts on the street and we always have wires in the trunk. I had to ask a neighbor to light us, but it is worth remembering that you cannot light it if the electrolyte leaked out, the battery emits a strong smell or heats up. Well, the discharge level was not critical and it saved us. Now I always check the light in the car. I don't want to get into such situations anymore.
And I would like to hear feedback about chargers, who uses which?
Nikolay
There is nothing complicated, just in some cars it is not always located in convenient places. But if you do not know all the nuances when removing and installing the battery, then this can lead to a malfunction of the electronics in the car. You need to stock up on keys of the appropriate size and turn off the ignition and remove the terminals from all devices. Again, the negative one is always removed first. Sometimes the terminal will become attached, I use a solvent. I always remember that after removing the battery, the on-board computer can freak out, so after installing a new battery I test the car in different modes and the computer saves all the parameters.
Dima
If the car is without an on-board computer, then you don't even need to be afraid. Just take a look once at how an experienced driver does it or watch a video on the Internet. The main thing in this matter is not to rush, to see where the battery is located, since in modern models it can be hidden in the most unexpected place. Open the niche and use the wrenches to unscrew the nuts and separate the terminals. Pull out the battery slowly so that it does not fall, otherwise it will crack and then you will have to buy a new one. But if there is an on-board computer in the car, then you need to be extremely careful and first of all turn off the ignition and all devices. Yes, and you need to remove it, starting from the negative terminal.
Peter
The most important and important thing when removing the battery is that the ignition key is in the driver's pocket, not in the ignition switch, not on the seat, not in the glove compartment, not on the panel. central locking can block all doors and only a specialist with a "crowbar" can open them, or break the glass of the door. Such cases have been, are and will be. Otherwise, the procedure for removing the battery is simple and after a couple of attempts to remove and replace the battery, the young driver will remember the sequence of actions. Do not leave the battery unattended while charging, do not the best way leave to charge in a closed garage overnight!
Kolya R.
In my opinion, it does not matter which terminal to remove first! How many cars were in twenty years, and these are pretty decent and fresh Land Rover, Passat SS and Honda CR-V, there were no problems. But with battery mounts, especially with those that are screwed on threaded connections sometimes troubles happened. Sometimes they rusted hard, I had to use a rather rough locksmith tool, everything under the hood shines and is almost new, and around the battery the bare metal was covered with rust. One car mechanic said that due to the evaporation of acid from the battery cans, when the electrolyte is actively boiling during prolonged recharging.
Sergey
If you leave the car for a long-term parking, it is advisable to also remove the terminals, clean and seal them (wrap them with a plastic bag on an elastic band) until the next operation to preserve the battery charge. Be sure to remove the battery in winter to prevent freezing and complete destruction. Before moving the device into a closed room, be sure to check for cracks and smudges, it is advisable to clean the joints and put on the caps. We must not forget that a disconnected battery discharges over time - before use, it is necessary to check with a multimeter, if necessary, carry out full preventive measures.
Tatiana
The battery had to be removed only twice. The infection is heavy - they ate up to the workbench in the garage (my husband had no time). I had to shoot after I forgot to close the driver's door and the car stood in the garage for a week. The battery is completely empty. So I had to buy a new one. The old one no longer held the charge. When I put a new one, I forgot the key with the key fob in the car and when I began to connect the minus, the signal went off. The doors were locked and could not do anything. It's good that in the garage there was a box from under the signaling, and there was a small key in it. She took off the rubber plug on the signaling and turned it off with this key. And then home for the second keychain. Now I never leave the keys in the car and the second key fob in the garage.
Vladislav
I believe that the battery should be removed at least twice a year, especially if it is in the engine compartment. The fact is that sand, old foliage and other dirt can accumulate under it, which practically does not dry out. Accordingly, a center of corrosion appears under the battery and the first holes in the body can begin there. The sequence of disconnecting from the on-board network is clear - the first terminal is negative, then positive. If the nuts are very acidic, or even worse on dead rusted - in no case do not use brute force - roll up the lead terminal, go for a new battery. It is better to cut off the nut with a grinder.
Lyokha
The battery, like any device that can shock you, must be handled carefully and certain safety rules must be followed. If the vehicle is expected not to be used for a long time, the battery must be removed to avoid unpleasant situations.
George
The rule to disconnect the negative terminal of the battery first of all is a guarantee of the safety of the car from a short circuit. It is possible to break this rule if the car has a built-in power switch. Then it doesn't matter which wire to remove first - negative or positive. It is important to understand that the lead terminals of the battery are very soft and when installing the battery back, it does not require a lot of effort in tightening the wire ends, since deformation will occur and with subsequent similar procedures, a strong tightening will no longer work. The tips of the wires will twist and have poor contact.
Laura
I try once again not to climb to the nodes of the car, but there are several things that every driver (including women) must know and be able to do. Removing / installing the battery is just one of those. I had to shoot only once so far, but it was alarming. I've heard so much about high currents and the chance to "kill" the wiring and nodes susceptible to them! I had to call my neighbor and carry out this operation under his control. I remembered that I had to start with the negative terminal, gently shake the stuck contacts, in no case pull the wires and, most importantly, do not drop the heavy bandura on my feet. Well, the neighbor said)). In general, I did it.
Ivanovich
Currently, modern drivers lack that respect for rechargeable batteries, like before. The battery can be easily bought, they are always on sale, cars are used all year round, so few people remove the battery in winter, transferring it to a warm room. But you still have to remove the battery, mainly for recharging, or replacing the battery with a new one. Removal and installation work is really not difficult, on the one hand, but on the other hand, you need to know many of the features of this work. In my youth, I had to break the battery case, break the terminal on the battery, and if I had to often remove and install it, then break the negative terminal wire when removing from careless shooting. The appearance of an injector and an alarm on cars also had to study the features of replacing the battery. Once the alarm, during the battery replacement, tightly closed all the doors for me along with the ignition key. It's good that it happened in the courtyard of my house, I used a duplicate. In general, this work must be carried out more thoroughly.
Oleg
Before removing the battery, you need to understand why? If the battery is out of order, then yes, we definitely remove it. Charge - you don't need to shoot. Needed renovation work, it is necessary to de-energize, it is also not necessary to remove it, we just throw off the terminal. The battery closes access to other parts of the car, then you cannot do without removing it. So we see that it is not always necessary to shoot. But if you really have to, you must remember that if you have a foreign car, where there are electronics, secret police, on-board computer, removing the battery can become a problem. My neighbor in the garage changed the battery to a new one for AUDI 6, and so his brains flew in the car and had to be dragged by a tow truck to service center... Therefore, to prevent this from happening, you must first connect an additional battery through the terminals or the cigarette lighter. Then everything is according to the article: we remove the minus, then the plus, then with the keys the bar holding the battery, then carefully remove it and put it on a flat surface. By the way, the battery weighs from 18 kg, so be careful.
Max
Wires from time to time and on the fly from technical oils can lose their color, it is better to additionally mark them for polarity. By poking, you can get serious malfunctions. And it is better to handle the terminals with specials. spray before each removal and installation.
Alexey
Problems when removing the battery can arise either due to the carelessness of the one who removes (from the wrong terminal), or if the battery has not been dismantled for a long time (the wires "stick"). Unfortunately, in my practice I went through both problems. I still remember my first dismantling - it turned out to be painfully "funny" ...
Olga
I have an old 2108. So I have no problem removing the battery. But her husband has an Audi Q5 and he went on a business trip, and left the car in the garage with the doors open, and when he arrived he could not start it. He took off the battery and took it to charge. Then the car wouldn't start. The service said that a brain failure due to a disconnected battery. They said before you shoot, you need to connect another battery in parallel and only then disconnect the old one. And then I had to reflash my brains.
Helena
I removed the battery, put a new one and the glass lifters stopped working. What's happened???
Kostya
Yes, there is nothing special about removing the battery at all. They wrote correctly in the article, just remove the first negative terminal and there will never be any problems, well, if you have power windows, then do not forget to close the windows to begin with, this is where all the preparations end.
I always remove the battery if it is expected to be below -26 degrees. What's the point of playing the lottery: "whether it starts or not," when you can spend 2 minutes, remove the battery and take it home. The next morning, in any weather, the car is guaranteed to start and you will go wherever you want. And without this it is far from a fact. We have severe winters in the Urals.
