Choosing Better Electronics

Has the time come to replace your vehicle's battery, but you're not sure about the best way to do it? These tips will help you with changing the battery on your own.

Never Disconnect The Battery Completely

Many people do not realize how many components over your vehicle require constant power from the battery. Modern vehicles have a memory that will get reset the moment that power is disconnected. This means that you have to take an extra step before you disconnect your battery to ensure that the memory is not completely reset.

There is a special tool you can purchase that plugs into the OBD2 port of your vehicle, which connects to a 12-volt battery that stays connected to the system. It still gives the computer power, and the memory will not be reset. While it has small benefits, such as retaining the presets on your radio station, it can help with other areas like the security system, tire pressure management, adaptive cruise control, and auto-dimming mirrors. Do yourself a huge favor, and get the memory keeper so that you don't have to worry about these components being reset. 

Remove Cables In The Right Order

There is a right and wrong way to remove the cables from your existing battery. While doing it the wrong way is not going to damage things, it is going to create a huge spark that can be completely avoided. Start by identifying the negative cable, which is going to be a black cable. The positive terminal is going to be a red cable. 

When removing the battery, always remove the negative cable before removing the positive cable. When attaching the new battery, use the reverse order and attach the positive cable before the negative cable. You'll be thankful to avoid the unexpected spark that can result from doing it in the wrong order. 

Clean The Terminals

Now is the time to clean the battery terminals before putting in a new battery. You can purchase a battery terminal cleaning kit from your local auto parts store, which will have the cleaning solution and wire brush you need to clean off those cables now that they are disconnected from the battery. Just make sure that the cables are thoroughly dried before you reattach them to your new battery. The new battery can also benefit from having the terminals sprayed with an anti-corrosive solution prior to attaching the cables to it. 

For more information on car battery installation, contact an auto shop in your area.