How Does a Car Battery Work?

Your car's battery is a very important part of your car. The battery, although usually inexpensive, is crucial to your cars operation. Without a battery installed, nothing in your car would be able to receive power and therefore would not run. A car's battery is a simple contained unit that supplies the power to everything in your vehicle. If you ever wondered how a car battery worked, here’s how.

• Most car batteries are made to be installed in a gas powered car. This type of battery is otherwise known as a SLI battery which stands for starting, lighting and igniting. A battery’s main job is to start or ignite the car, supply power to the various components, as well as ground any electrical voltages that may be emitted by your cars electrical system. 

• Electrical charge is obtained by your car battery through the use of a chemical reaction. Your battery contains a solution of water and sulfuric acid which is contained into two chambers inside of your battery. This solution is combined with lead and lead oxide plates which cause a chemical reaction. The acid combined with the lead plates that cause a positive charge inside of one of the chambers of your battery. Each time your battery is allowed to drain or recharged the chemical composition within your battery changes. 

• The battery is needed for the initial startup of the battery and cranking system that allows your car to start upon firing. It is provided this power from the battery. In some cases your battery is not needed to run your car after the car is started; as long as you have a working alternator it can supply the power needed to run your car until it is shut off. This is why when you experience problems with your car keeping power, an alternator is sometimes checked for trouble by removing the battery after the car is started. If it remains running, your alternator is working; if it dies out the chances are you need a new alternator, not a new battery.

• Older style batteries where designed in a way that electrolysis occurred causing the battery to lose water through evaporation. It is very important that the lead and lead oxide plates remain submerged in this chemical solution. If you have an older model battery you will want to ensure that your water level is stable in your battery at all times. Regular maintenance on this style of battery will extend the life of the battery.