V40 L4-1.9L Turbo VIN 25 B4204T2 (2000)
Battery acid
Another name for electrolyte. See Electrolyte.
Battery water
Battery water is distilled or deionized water and must be used to top up the battery if the electrolyte level is low. Regular tap water must not be used
because it contains substances which may damage the battery.
For maintenance-free batteries as well as sealed batteries (AGM) it is not possible to fill battery water.
CCA
Abbreviation of Cold Cranking Amperes. The Cold cranking amperes of a battery is expressed using the CCA value.
Cell
Electro-chemical current producing unit in a battery. Consists of a package with positive and negative plates, separators and electrolyte enclosed in a
shell. A fully charged lead battery with a stand-by voltage of 12.72 V has six cells.
Cycle
In a battery, a cycle consists of a discharge phase and a charge phase.
DIN
An industry norm. Abbreviation of Deutsche Industrie-Norm.
Electrical current
A current is a flow of electrodes moving in a cable. It can be compared with a stream of water. Electrical current is measured in amperes (A).
Electrode
An electrode is the place where the chemical reactions during discharge and charge take place. A cell consists of at least one positive and one negative
electrode. During discharge, lead oxide is converted to lead sulphate at the positive electrode. At the negative electrode, porous lead is converted to lead
sulphate. During charging, the reactions are in the opposite direction; lead dioxide and porous lead are reformed. Electrodes also transport current. In a
battery, the electrodes are normally called plates.
Electrolyte
In a lead battery, electrolyte consists of concentrated sulfuric acid and distilled water. Electrolyte is a liquid that conducts current and adds hydrogen and
sulphate ions to the electro-chemical reaction during charging and discharging:
PbO2 + Pb + 2 H2SO4 = 2 PbSO4 + 2 H2O
Separator
A type of plastic insulator enclosing each positive plate in the cell. The roll of the separator is to separate the positive and negative plates from each other
and to catch particles that detach from the positive plate to avoid short-circuits.
For AGM-batteries, the pocket separator consists of a thin fibre-glass mat (AGM = Absorbed Glass Mat).
Grid
A lead alloy frame construction on each plate in the battery. The grid functions as a carrier of the active materials, lead oxide and porous lead, which
contribute to the electro-chemical processes during charging and discharging. The grid also conducts the current in the cell.
Capacity
The capacity is the ability of a fully charged battery to provide a constant current over a certain time and is given in ampere-hours (Ah). The time taken
to discharge depends on the intended use of the battery. For starter batteries one refers to 20 hours capacity (K20). This refers to the amount of current
the battery can provide over 20 hours at an ambient temperature of +25°C (+77°F) without the pole voltage falling below 10.5 V.
Example: A battery with a listed capacity of 70 Ah should be able to provide a current of a maximum 3.5 A (3.5A x 20h = 70 Ah) for 20 hours.
Corrosion
A destructive chemical reaction when metal is broken down in an aggressive chemical environment. Sulfuric acid, for example, is aggressive against