Genuine GMC Sierra Batteries

GMC Sierra Batteries Parts Questions & Experts Answers

• BATTERY KIT,GEN
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  Q: What are some tips for maintaining battery through a routine preventive maintenance program on GMC Sierra?

  A: To maintain a reliable start, it is important to maintain your vehicle's battery through regular preventive maintenance. It is important to have the necessary tools for safe work around the battery before you can start battery maintenance. When doing any maintenance work on a car battery, switch off the engine and all of your accessories plus remove the cable from the negative terminal. For this reason, no sparks should be generated, smoking or lighting a matchstick near the battery because it would result to explosion by flammable hydrogen gas produced by batteries. The battery should be charged in well-ventilated places. Always avoid contact with eyes, skin or clothing as well as not ingesting the electrolyte which contains poisonous and corrosive sulfuric acid. Wear a pair of safety goggles while working close to a battery and keep out of reach of children. If you see any corrosion on any part of battery terminals and cable clamps, it means that charge will not be sufficient therefore corroded connections should be cleaned before reassembling everything back together. Check for corrosion, loose connections, cracks in the case or cover, and secure hold-down clamps. If there are signs of corrosion, begin with ground cable removing first its bolt then sliding off both cables from posts afterwards take away whole battery where cleaning is possible. Use warm water and baking soda solution along with safety goggles and rubber gloves against splashing when cleaning cable ends with brush found in batteries electrolyte checking for loose bolts holding down clamp into place so that there remains nothing at all on Battery Tray after putting back new one again; paint these areas same color as rest but use zinc based primer first if they were damaged by corrosion (Red Sealer). A charger rated at 1 or 2 amperes (often referred to as "trickle chargers") is recommended for charging deeply discharged batteries or maintaining ones already charged because these won't put pressure on them since they are safest among others (Yaccarino, 2003). A higher amperage charger may be used for more rapid charging as long as it does not exceed one tenth of the battery's ampere-hour rating. In case of an emergency, a quick boost charge claiming to restore battery power in one to two hours must only be applied on batteries that are not in good condition because otherwise it could damage them severely. The time needed to fully charge a battery is often stated in the instructions for the charger; however, a trickle charger takes about twelve to sixteen hours (Yaccarino, 2003). Remove all cell caps during charging and cover holes to prevent electrolyte from splashing. Unplug the negative battery cable and connect the charger cables to the terminals of the battery (positive cable to positive terminal and negative to negative), then plug in the charger ensuring that its selector switch is set at 12 volts, if it has one. When using chargers rated higher than two amps, check regularly that they do not overheat; leave overnight after initial checks if you have a trickle charger. Use hydrometer reading specific gravity during final hours of charging until there is no change for two hours with cells free-gassing when its caps are removable. For batteries with sealed tops use built-in hydrometers color indications or digital voltmeter across battery terminals should read 12.5V or higher with full charges (Brandt & Engardt, 2012).
• BATTERY KIT,GEN
  84442218
  Q: How to accurately test a battery on GMC Sierra?

  A: To accurately test a battery, it must be at or near a fully charged state. Begin by disconnecting the negative Battery Cable and visually inspecting the indicator eye or electrolyte level. Test the specific gravity of the electrolyte using a hydrometer and charge the battery if necessary. Perform an open circuit voltage test using a digital voltmeter and charge the battery if the voltage is less than 12.5 volts. Use a battery load-testing tool to evaluate the battery's ability to operate the Starter and other accessories during periods of heavy amperage draw. Conduct a battery drain test to determine if there is a constant drain on the vehicle's electrical system. To remove the battery, disconnect the cables and remove the front fender rear upper brace, battery tray support bracket, hold-down clamp bolt and clamp. Clean and inspect the battery tray before installation.