How To Tell If Your Deep Cycle Battery Is Going Bad
ShareA deep cycle battery is different than the batteries that you would put in standard automobiles. These batteries are meant for recreational vehicles, such as boats, RV's, and ATV's. Knowing how to tell whether this type of battery is going bad is essential. After all, you would not want to find yourself stranded in the middle of a large river:
Take A Look At The Exterior Of The Battery
Even if the battery is technically working, you may still need to replace the battery based on the condition of the exterior of it. Look at the case for the battery, as well as the terminals. Do you see any apparent damage? If so, you will want to go ahead and replace the deep cycle battery before you are stuck in a bad spot. Also, while inspecting the exterior of the deep cycle battery, you will want to look at the battery plates to make sure that they are covered.
Get A Hydrometer Reading
This is an important thing to do for all of the cells within the deep cycle battery. To do this, you will want to squeeze the bulb and then let go. This will allow them to suck up some of the electrolytes that are needed for the test. Once you have done that, you can get a reading of the gravity measurements that the battery is giving off. When you are done writing down all of the measurements, you will want to compare that with the specifications sheet that you received with your battery or the boat or ATV. There will be an acceptable range that your readings should fall into. If it isn't making it into that range, you should go ahead and replace the deep cycle battery.
Get A Reading Of The Voltage
You are going to need to get an accurate voltage reading for your deep cycle battery. First, make sure that you are checking for the specs listed by the manufacturer. This way, you will know what level indicates that a battery is fully charged. Once you have that information, you will want to attach a voltmeter to the battery and then make note of the reading. Get another reading in a few minutes to compare to the first reading that you took. This will ensure that the readings that you are getting are accurate. If the voltage is not reading what it should be reading for a fully charged battery, you will want to install a new battery as soon as possible.
With those tips in mind, you should have a much easier time figuring out if your deep cycle battery needs to be replaced. Contact a company that carries trojan batteries for more information and assistance.