BATTERY SAFETY
| To be absolutely sure there is no danger of voltage spikes, ALWAYS disconnect the NEGATIVE |
| terminal first, followed by the POSITIVE terminal. |
| When reconnecting the battery, connect the POSITIVE terminal first, |
| followed by the NEGATIVE terminal. |
| Most car manuals always advise this anyway as best practice, but who ever takes much notice of that! |
| Following the incorrect procedure has cost at least one owner his AFT ignition box! |
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| Always keep the terminals protected from moisture in the air by coating them with a |
| thin layer of petroleum jelly and if your car is in storage, regularly remove |
| the Tickford battery cover to check that there is no build-up of |
| condensation on the battery casing. |
| The battery in the photo above does not have its terminals protected and the sides are |
| running with condensation that will drip down and eventually rust the battery tray! |
| And while we are on the subject of the battery tray, next time you have the cover off, |
| it is a good idea to quickly check the welds holding the tray in place. |
| Brian has come across these fracturing and the tray becoming loose. |
| It would be a good idea to install a small charging lead at the same time |
| (as shown in the photograph above) and invest in one of those |
| battery optimiser trickle chargers that are designed to keep |
| the battery healthy while your car is stored. |
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| Adrian uses this model to keep his battery ready for action |
| As general safety points: |
| Always disconnect the battery before working on a car just to make sure |
| there is no danger of short-circuits. |
| Make sure the disconnected battery leads cannot fall back and touch |
| the terminals by accident. |
| NEVER rest anything metal like the spanner you have just used |
| on the top of the battery in case it creates a short. |