How To Properly Disconnect Car Battery | Steps To Follow
If you have any technical faults with the battery, you may be left stranded on the road. It is thus one of the most important parts of the car that allows the vehicle to work properly. There are two major functions of the battery including to start the power of the car and also to provide an adequate charge to all the electrical units of the battery. However, it is also important to keep a note of your battery health. Just like all other components, the battery also requires periodical maintenance that keeps the health in check.
So it is mandatory to bring out the battery, diagnose the health, and then complete a proper service multiple times in a year. There may be so many reasons for removing the battery.
Proper Way To Disconnect Battery?
1. Turn Off Ignition
The first thing that you need to do is to turn off the ignition completely. You can either do this by removing the key from the ignition or by turning it off. However, if the vehicle that you are using has an automatic transmission, make sure that it is in the Park position. This should be in the first gear and there should be a handbrake in a proper position. Since the car battery can come with an electric charge, it is recommended that you can easily take the help of gloves and goggles to be completely safe.
2. Open Up The Hood
The next thing that you need to do is to open up the hood. Pull down the lever only when the engine is completely turned off and it is not heated much. If you cannot find the lever just under the dashboard, you can take the help of the manual guide of your car to get the complete details.
3. Locate The Terminals
The car battery should be located under the front hoods. So go to the front of the car and then you can easily open up the hood. You can take the help of the rod to keep the hood stagnant in an upright angle making it easier for you to work.
To locate the terminal, you need to know where the battery is positioned. If you can’t find it, take the help of the manual. This terminal must have a black cover which indicates that it is the negative terminal. You can crosscheck with the battery repair manual to know if this is the right terminal in hand.
4. Remove The Negative Terminal
The negative terminal is charged. Before you start to touch the battery with your bare hands, consider keeping your hand completely dry and you can take the help of gloves to move to the next step. Now, you need to remove the negative terminal. If you directly remove the battery while the terminal is connected, there may be sparks and the battery will immediately explode.
To disconnect car battery properly, you need to first unscrew the nuts that hold the terminal in the proper place. Remove them and it will allow you to get the battery disconnected from the negative terminal. You need to ensure that the nut is in a safe place so when you reinstall a new battery, you will be able to use them again.
5. Remove Positive Terminal
Once the negative terminal is removed, it is now the time to remove the positive terminal as well. You can follow the same steps to locate the positive terminal. Once you start removing it, consider using your hands and work without any wrench or tool. Make sure that it does not come to contact with any metal component as there may be some charge left in the terminal. If it comes in contact with the terminal, it may trigger the electrical circuit and thus there will be a disturbance.
6. Lift The Battery
Once you have disconnected all the terminals and the wires that are connected to the battery, it is time to lift the battery. You can check for any other nuts or bolts attached that hold it back and prevent you from lifting it. Try to use both the hands while lifting, because the battery might be a bit heavy depending on the type of your vehicle, if it is an SUV, the battery can weigh more than 40 pounds.
- [How to Fix] Craftsman 19.2 Volt Battery Charger Problem
- How Long Does It Take To Charge a Dead Car Battery?
- Why Does My Car Battery Keep Dying?
What are the Equipment needed to disconnect a Car Battery?
To be fair, the number of equipment needed to disconnect a car battery will solely depend on the health of the battery and what condition your battery is in. Here are a few which you can carry.
1. Water and Baking Soda
They are the two major components that you need to clean the battery. However, it is only needed if you find corrosion in the battery. You may need to add some water with baking soda to clean the tray that holds the battery.
2. Wrench
Another handy device that you may need is the wrench to unscrew the bolts. Both the terminals of the battery are screwed so that it remains in a fixed position and never allows the battery to jump when the car vibrates. You may have to unscrew the nuts and the bolts in a counter-clockwise direction to lift the battery.
3. Safety Equipment
While you are working with any electrical component-be it the battery or wires, wearing gloves is important. They prevent the transmission of electronic charge on the surface that will help you to safely remove the battery and work with it.
Final Talk
Undergoing a maintenance scan every three months of the battery keeps it healthy and hearty. The battery is one of the major components and dealing with it should be done by a professional. However, if you have the right equipment, this guide will help you to lift out the battery from the original position. So you can always run proper maintenance with the battery and use it for long. Do let us know down in the comments below if you are still facing issues to bring out the battery from the car.
