Carsut – Understand cars and drive better

Tag: battery

  • How to Disconnect a Car Battery

    Often, there are times where you need to store your car, reset the computer or work under car hood. Whether it is for storage, upgrade, reparation or other purposes, you need to disconnect the car battery in the correct way. Disconnect a car battery wrongly could risk electrocution and nobody wish that to be happened. Therefore, it is vital to learn how to disconnect a car battery and reconnect correctly when you want to use it.

    Tools to disconnect a car battery

    Basically, you just need a few simple tools to disconnect a car battery. They are:

    • Socket wrench
    • Socket wrench extender
    • Safety googles or protective eyewear
    • Insulated gloves

    Steps to disconnect a car battery

    Step 1: First of all, make sure you turn off the engine and remove your car key from the ignition. Make sure your vehicle is in Park (see also: Learning to drive an automatic car).

    Step 2: Open the hood and put a pad over the fender to protect it from corrosive battery acid.

    Step 3: Locate the negative terminal. Usually there will be a black cover. You can also see a negative (-) sign near to the connector post. The positive terminal usually has a red cover and a positive (+) sign near to the connector post.

    Disconnect a car battery

    Step 4: Prepare the right sized socket on your wrench and remove the nut from the negative terminal. Use a wrench extender if you need a longer wrench to reach the nut.

    Step 5: After the nut on the negative terminal is loosen, pull the negative terminal away from the battery.

    Step 6: Repeat step 4 and step 5 to remove positive terminal. It is vital to keep the positive connector away from any metal part of the car. Thus, remove is carefully. You can now reset the computer or work on your car without to risk electrocution. It is recommended to remove the car battery from the car if you are doing this for storage. See also How to winterize your car.

    To reconnect the battery when you want to use it, reconnect the negative (-) terminal first and then positive (+) terminal.

    How to disconnect a car battery without losing memory

    You will need an extra battery and a set of jumper cables if you want to disconnect your car battery without losing memory.

    Step 1: Connect both the positive and negative terminals from the extra battery to your car terminals using jumper cables. Negative to negative and positive to positive.

    How to disconnect a car battery without losing memory

    Step 2: Disconnect the negative terminal from your car battery but make sure it is still connected to the extra battery that is healthy.

    Step 3: Disconnect the positive terminal from your car battery but make sure it is still connected to the extra battery.

    Step 4: Remove every bolt or screw that are holding the car battery in place. Remove the old battery from your vehicle and replace with a new one. Clean the tray if it is dirty. Connect the positive terminal and then negative terminal to the new battery.

    Step 5: Now you can remove the jumper cable. Remove the positive cable (Red) and then only remove the negative cable (cable).

    car battery

    Almost 99 million wet-cell lead-acid car batteries are manufactured every year, thus, it is a must to dispose your old car batteries in proper way. The best way is bring it to a recycling center that accepts batteries.

  • Nissan Leaf: Electric Car With No Gas Needed

    Nissan Leaf Electric Car

    Nissan Leaf is believed the world’s first affordable electric car. No emission, no exhaust tailpipe, and no gasoline is needed. We say “the” is because Nissan Leaf is currently the one and only practical electric car available in the automobile market today. From the exterior, the Leaf looks like an ordinary gasoline-powered car. The only thing couldn’t find from the exterior is the exhaust tailpipe and gas cap. Let’s forget about our ordinary car reviews. Today, we will talk about LEAF – Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, and Family car.

    Nissan Leaf Electric Motor
    Nissan Leaf Electric Motor – It looks like an ordinary combustion engine but it has 100 miles range per charge.

    Leading: The five-door hatchback electric car was first introduced in Japan and the U.S two years ago in 2010. Technology find in the Leaf is relatively new. It is powered by an advanced 80kW AC synchronous electric motor that can go an estimated 100 miles range on a single charge without need a single drop of gas. The AC electric motor produces 107hp and 207 lb-ft of torque that makes the car fun to drive and easy to handle. The replacement of the electric motor with traditional gasoline-powered engine brings a brand new driving experience – quiet and smooth drive without any vibration or noise from the engine. Nissan LEAF uses 48 lithium ion battery modules which provide more power and with less weight compared to nickel-metal hydride batteries that is commonly used in hybrid cars. These batteries are stored under the floor boards and nicely hidden in order to create more space for the cabin. The reduced battery weight and the entire design of the car allow it to accelerate up to an impressive top speed of 90mph.

    Environmentally friendly: Nissan Leaf owners no longer need to stop at any gas station to fill up. Their house is the best charging station. With no combustion needed to power the car, it produces zero emission and definitely an environmentally friendly eco car. There will not be any air pollution if everyone in the town is driving a Leaf.

    Affordable: With no gasoline needed in the future, Nissan Leaf is starting at $35,200 MSRP for the basic SV model. Consumer can also go for Nissan Leaf SL model which starting at $37,250 MSRP. The SL model has everything SV model features but it comes with extra features such as quick charge port, fog light, RearView Monitor System, Photovoltaic solar-panel rear spoiler, and cargo cover. One major concern electric car owners always have is the battery lifespan. Nissan USA provides 36-month/36,000-mile basic coverage and an 8-year guarantee or 100,000 miles Lithium-Ion Battery coverage. Yes, that’s eight years on the battery itself. That’s why we said it is affordable!

    Family car: Nissan Leaf or The Electric Car has a spacious cabin to carry five adults comfortably. Second row is design to fit 3 passengers. Legroom at the back is roomy even for tall passengers. Once again, it is an affordable electric-powered family car.
    Nissan Leaf Cargo
    Nissan Leaf Cargo – The space can fit the sixth passenger!

    Fuel Economy Electric Economy

    The EPA estimates Nissan LEAF has the equivalent of 92 mpg highway and 106 mpg city. The amount is currently one of the best cars consumers are able to get in the market.

    How much is a Nissan Leaf in Japan?

    The price of the Nissan Leaf electric car inJapanstarts at ¥3.76 million (approximately US$47,000 as of August 2012).

    Nissan Leaf’s competitor or similar cars

    Nissan Townpod Concept, Citroen C-Zero, Mitsubishi I MiEV, Chevrolet Volt, Honda Fit EV, Ford Focus Electric, Tesla Model S, Coda Sedan, and Ford Th!nk.

    Conclusion

    In a nutshell, the Nissan Leaf requires no gasoline to travel up to 100 miles per charge; it is affordable to purchase at less than $40,000; the charging station is not any gas station but your home; it is able to carry five passengers comfortably; it’s a zero emission electric car with 280 Nm of torque; the cost to run the electric car is super cheap. Most important, Nissan Leaf is the first mass produced electric car that anyone and everyone can buy. What else to expect? If your choice is electric car, go ahead, we will vote for the Nissan LEAF for sure.

    Nissan Leaf Gallery

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  • How to test a car battery (Video)

    [cvg-video videoId=’12’ width=’570′ height=’333′ mode=’playlist’ /]
    This is a ~two-minute video showing you how to test a car battery using a car battery tester (voltmeter or volt gauge). The voltmeter has a digital reading and it comes with a universal car cigarette lighter power plug. Make sure you have left your car in the garage more than 12 hours if you want an accurate result.

    Step 1: Locate your car cigarette lighter power socket.

    Step 2: Connect the voltmeter to your cigarette lighter socket.

    Step 3: Turn on the ignition.

    Step 4: The first reading (not yet starts the car engine):

    • 12.60 V means the battery is 100% charged.
    • 12.35 V means the battery is 75% charged.
    • 12.10 V means the battery is 50% charged.
    • 11.95 V means the battery is 25% charged.
    • 11.70 V means the battery is discharged.

    Step 5: Start the car engine. The reading should be in between 13.8 V and 14.4 V.

    Step 6: More than 14.50 V means overcharging. More than 12.60 V means no charge.

    The battery is needed to be replaced if the reading is lower than 11.0 V all the time.

  • Car Battery Tester – Test Your Car Battery

    Car Battery Tester
    In the market today, there are many types of car battery tester available from the cheapest $10 up to few hundred dollars. The reason some battery testers with higher price tag is they have extra capabilities including higher measurement range, bad cell detection, high/low voltage to test both the battery and starter. Some advance tester provide high amp charging function and engine start assistance too. However, as a normal user, we normally just need a battery tester that shows the available voltage power.

    Here we have go a cheap car battery tester (you can called it voltmeter or volt gauge) purchased from Autobacs. It cost $22 dollars and we got it for $7 during a sales promotion. This gauge comes with a digital reading, a protective cover, and a universal car cigarette lighter power plug and lead wire. We recommend using this voltmeter to test your car battery because you don’t have to care about the DC or AC reading and you don’t even need to open up your car hood. It is 100% safe for people who know nothing about cars. Moreover, the digital reading is more accurate and easy-to-read. (more…)

  • Walmart car battery prices

    Car Battery
    As far as I know, Walmart car battery prices may vary depending on the store location. Customers may end up paying different price for a same battery at different store location. I came across this because I am a regular customer of Walmart. Walking into their automotive store and check out the car battery prices has become one of my hobby. Surprisingly, many people actually do not know Walmart is selling car battery and has hundreds of different types of batteries sitting in their store. Moreover, Walmart car battery prices are often cheaper than some other stores especially during promotions period.

    Walmart car batteries can be found under Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express section. In Walmart store, one of the most sought-after car battery brands is the EverStart. This is because EverStart batteries are exclusively available only in Walmart. EverStart offers a few types of lead acid batteries that are suitable to use for cars, trucks, SUVs, or heavy-duty vehicles at affordable price with great performance. Many of the EverStart batteries provide adequate starting power that meets manufacturer’s specifications and suitable for all-weather climates.

    Warranty wise, some of the batteries such as EverStart 96R, 86FT, 36-R-3, 51R-4, 58R-3, 51-4, and 41-4 comes with 24 months free replacement. Consumers who prefer a little bit more security have an alternative to try another famous battery which is Champion. Most of the Champion car batteries come with a 36-month free replacement warranty including Champion CHAM-24F, CHAM-65N, CHAM-75N, CHAM-H6, CHAM-34N, CHAM-35N, and others. In the recent years, some of the warranty period has dropped to just 12 months. This is one reason why there are some car batteries come with only one-year warranty. Other than EverStart and Champion, Walmart sells EXIDE, BOSCH, DieHard, and AAA. All these batteries are manufactured by few famous manufacturers including Johnson Controls, East Penn, JCI, and Exide.

    Besides car batteries, Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express section also has some other parts that are important to maintain a car well. These include battery charger, battery box to protect the battery, booster cables, heavy-duty battery terminal, battery cables, jump start cables, and battery monitor.

    When is the best time to buy a car battery from Walmart?

    The best time to buy a car battery from Walmart is when a particular store is clearing out the overstock battery, which means a great promotion or a good discount. This happens when a manager lowers the price for a particular item to clear stock. In order to know when will be a next promotion, it is recommended to join Walmart customer mailing list.

    Why buy from Walmart?

    • Without doubt, Walmart provides one of the most convenient ways to get a car battery replaced.
    • Walmart provides a free installation by professionals.
    • Walmart offers a core charge – they take in old battery and a discount will be given on the new battery.
    • Prices for batteries in Walmart are from $29 up to $350 depending on the brand, model, performance, and size.

    In conclusion, Walmart has over 2,400 stores across United States. As a Walmart customer, I used to charge my car battery at one of the store in L.A. for just $2.50 when my car alternator is giving problems. How convenient it is! If you have never buy a battery from Walmart, ill strongly suggest you to do that at least once.