Whether you suspect that your car battery may be unable to keep a charge, you’ve had it for quite a while and would like to make sure it’s still healthy, or you’re just generally curious about its condition, it’s always a good idea to check your car battery’s voltage from time to time.
In the event that you’re in Centennial, Aurora, Denver, or Parker and you’ve never performed this vital aspect of automotive care before, Mile High Honda has provided you with this step-by-step guide. Follow along to learn how to do it safely and efficiently.
The Importance of Checking Car Battery Voltage
It’s generally recommended that you check your battery every six months. This is necessary because a battery is made up of several cells that all start to die at different times as your battery ages.
Your Supplies
While this is a fairly simple procedure, there are a few items you’ll want to be sure to have at your side. These are as follows:
- Protective gloves
- Safety glasses
- A digital multimeter
Step 1: Locate the Battery
The first thing you’ll want to do is turn off the car if it isn’t already off. Next, find the battery. You’ll usually see it near the front fender. Some vehicles store it in the trunk. If you’re having trouble, take a look at your owner’s manual for its exact location.
Step 2: Inspect the Battery
Once you’ve found the battery, give it a quick examination to make sure there’s no erosion. If there is, you can take care of it yourself by scrubbing with baking soda and water. If your battery is leaking, you’re going to want to take it to a technician to have it replaced as soon as possible. If everything looks good, make sure screwdrivers, wrenches, and any other metal objects that can cause a short are not touching the battery terminal.
Step 3: Attach the Multimeter
When connecting the multimeter leads to the battery cable, remember that red means positive and black means negative. Therefore, you’ll be attaching red to red and black to black. After this is done, set the multimeter to DC volts.
Step 4: Interpreting the Results
See below for a key to understanding the reading you will receive from the multimeter:
- 12.66 volts – 100% charged
- 12.45 volts – 75% charged
- 12.24 volts – 50% charged
- 12.06 volts – 25% charged
- 11.89 volts – 0% charged
If you’re getting a reading that’s higher than 12.45 volts, the battery is considered to be fully charged.
Be Sure to Regularly Check the Voltage of Your Car Battery
If you’re a driver in Centennial, Aurora, Denver, or Parker and you have any questions about the above steps for checking car battery voltage, don’t hesitate to give us a call here at Mile High Honda. Our certified technicians will be happy to talk you through the process. If you’d like to have this procedure performed by the experts in our service center, contact us to schedule your appointment today.