If you own a car then at some point you will have had to replace its battery. It may have failed at a most inconvenient time (don't they always.) Total cost of a failed battery can quickly mount up. Not just the cost of a replacement, but also of recovery, if it failed you whilst you were away from home. Before you replace your battery however, did you know that with a little knowledge and a few simple tools, and chemicals, you can easily restore a car battery to its former glory? Plus by doing it you will become more aware of its condition. This will help you to avoid future unexpected and inconvenient surprise failures.

Here are three basic tips to help you to understand your battery, and to restore it back to a healthy condition. You will save yourself some money too!

First, you need to establish if the battery is worth restoring. It really is most essential that you check the voltage of your battery, and that you do this the right way. You should undertake the test this way, take a hand held volt meter and connect it to the battery posts, negative to negative, and positive to positive. If your battery voltage reads 12 volts you will know the battery cells are all in working order. Should you neglect it or neglect to pay attention, you may be facing trying to restore a battery that could have faulty cells, and will never perform as it should.. If your battery reads 10 or 8 volts, or less, then it's likely you have a problem with one or more of the batteries cells.

Second, you'll want to check each cell individually by probing each cell individually. The probe that can be made with a length of metal that conducts electricity, (a length old wire coat-hanger will do.) Connect one of them to the positive of your meter and one to the negative. Now put the positive in the fluid reservoir hole nearest to the positive terminal post of the battery, and the negative in the next one along, continue up the battery moving each probe one hole along each time, until you reach the end. Each cell should read 2 volts. This is critical, and is going to be crucial in determining whether you succeed or fail. It is necessary for these reasons: any reading under 2 volts is likely to be a faulty cell. Failing to do this will likely mean you waste your time on a battery that can not be restored.

Third, you have to remember to fill each cell with deionized water, and re test. If you still have a faulty cell or low voltage then move on to another battery. If all is well then now you can add a battery electrolyte fluid solution additive to each cell, (available on line or from a car parts store.) Now it only remains to fully recharge your battery using a suitable 12v battery charger. Your battery should now perform like new.

Follow these three suggestions to easily restore a car battery, and you'll most probably succeed and enjoy every one of the rewards and benefits that restored car battery can bring you. Ignore them and the prediction is not good. It's up to you. Fail to follow these tips and your car battery will almost certainly remain unreliable, and may let you down...