The Battery Genuis

The Power Wheels Car or Truck of your child's dreams is being prepared for Christmas or Hanukkah and you realize in the eleventh hour that you have a TON of building to do on their toy or - even worse - you've forgotten the extra batteries!Or, maybe you're getting all those electronic devices wrapped up and realize that four pack of AA's you paid $6.50 as you rushed out the store, won't last past the second screening of A Christmas Story during TBS's 24 Hour Christmas Ma …

Had a customer recently who was shocked to find that his one year old battery wasn't covered under warranty...Manufacturer warranties are typically pretty clear about overcharging as well as undercharging your battery. Make sure you have a properly working charging system before you lay out big cash on an expensive battery only to cook it worse than my Aunt Lucille cooks meatloaf.Plus, overcharging can create a very serious explosion potential causing damage to you, your battery, and …

My daddy used to work me to near death on his farm in rural Missouri. Hot summers with 90% humidity and a high sun scalding the back of my neck would make me (literally) beg for an afternoon dip in the shallows of the Gasconade River. A couple of times, I can remember actually frying an egg on the asphalt of Highway AB (really route 66) at the end of the driveway, and thinking to myself, “What did they do to cool off in the 1800’s?”  There is no way I could have lasted in those days wo …

A hydrometer is used to determine the state of charge of each cell of a battery. The hydrometer will determine the cells specific gravity of electrolyte (its weight compared to water).A hydrometer is a bulb or tear drop syringe which will extract electrolyte from the cell. A float in the hydrometer is calibrated to read in terms of specific gravity. A common range of specific gravity used in these floats is 1.160 to 1.325. A common specific gravity reading is 1.250 to 1.280 in most climates …

Dead batteries are miserable business: it means you'll probably be late and will have to track down someone who's willing to give you a jump-start. On top of that, many people find jump-starting cars to be intimidating or frightening. "What if I put the cables on backwards?" "What if the battery explodes?" "What if I kill the other car?" Questions race through your mind, but… the battery must be jumped. Here's a guide on how to safely and easily jump-start your car's battery. Don't be afraid… ju …