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Battery Care & Maintenance – RedPoint Guide

A well-maintained battery means safer starts, longer life, and fewer breakdowns. This guide combines expert knowledge and practical tips to help you get the most out of your batteries – the RedPoint way.

1. Regular Battery Maintenance

- Check battery charge monthly using a multimeter or built-in indicator. A reading of 12.6–12.9V means it’s fully charged.

- Look for physical signs of wear: swelling, cracks, or bulges can indicate overheating or overcharging.

- Clean terminals and clamps with baking soda and water or a terminal cleaner.

- Tighten loose cable connections and inspect for corrosion.

- If accessible, check electrolyte levels every 6 months and top up with distilled water – never tap water.

- Store batteries fully charged and check every 3 months to prevent self-discharge below 12.3V.

- Secure your battery with a proper bracket to prevent movement and vibration damage.

 

2. Safe & Effective Charging

- Charge in a well-ventilated space away from open flames – charging releases hydrogen gas.

- Connect positive lead to positive terminal first, then negative. Disconnect in reverse.

- Use a smart multi-stage charger set to the correct battery type (AGM, Gel, Flooded, Calcium).

- Charging rate should be 10–20% of the battery’s Ah capacity. (e.g. use a 6–10A charger for a 100Ah battery.)

- Monitor temperature. Stop charging if the battery becomes hot to touch.

- After charging, allow battery to rest 1 hour before testing voltage to get an accurate reading.

- Don’t charge deeply discharged batteries (<7V) unless using a recovery-capable charger

 

3. Terminal Types & Safety

- SAE Terminals: Most common on cars and utes. Two conical posts – large is positive. 

- JIS Terminals: Found in older Japanese vehicles. Smaller versions of SAE. 

- L-Terminals: L-shaped with a bolt hole. Used in motorbikes, lawn mowers, and light-duty vehicles. 

- Marine Terminals: Feature dual posts – tapered SAE and threaded studs. 

Tip: Always face the terminal side toward you when identifying left/right positive. 

Keep connections clean, insulated, and tight to avoid voltage drop or shorts.

 

4. Getting the Longest Life from Your Battery

- Avoid frequent deep discharges unless using a deep cycle battery.

- Keep your battery clean and dry. Moisture and dirt create surface discharge paths.

- Don’t let your vehicle sit unused for long – start and drive regularly, or use a battery maintainer.

- Minimise vibration with proper mounts and avoid extreme heat exposure.

- Replace worn-out terminals or clamps promptly to prevent poor contact.

- If your battery is below 12.4V for extended periods, recharge immediately.

 

5. Safe Battery Replacement

- Turn off all electronics and remove the negative terminal first.

- Use a memory minder for modern vehicles to avoid losing radio codes or settings.

- Match the replacement battery by capacity, physical size, terminal type, and CCA.

- Install new battery securely and check that nothing obstructs bonnet closure.

- Reconnect terminals – positive first, negative last – and check for warning lights after startup.

 

6. Troubleshooting Checklist

- Battery slow to crank? Check voltage, terminals, and alternator.

- Green ‘eye’ but still flat? Perform a load test.

- Repeated flat batteries? Investigate parasitic draw (dashcams, alarms, accessories).

- Swollen battery case? Could be overcharging – check the charging system.

- Voltage fine but car won’t start? Test starter motor or ignition syste

Still unsure? Speak with RedPoint’s experts for personalised advice.

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