The car battery is one of the essential components of a car most drivers take for granted. Every time you turn the ignition, you expect that the battery will work and help you start your car. Little to no thought is put into checking or maintaining the battery until there is a problem. Luckily any good maintenance shop will handle checking and maintaining your battery, but there are some things you can look out for. This will help to make sure you do not get stranded somewhere with a dead battery.

First, here is a little bit of information about the battery itself. The average car battery is a 12 volt, lead-acid battery. It works off of the very simple principle of converting chemicals into electricity. The chemical in question is a electrolyte in an ionic bath. The chemical is split into six cells which use plates to transfer two volts of power each. This power is then transferred through connective wires to any parts of the car which rely on it for power. Generally, the battery is encased in a plastic mold to protect you from any danger of electric shock when handling it. This also acts as a barrier to collect battery acid if a problem should occur.

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