Chapter 45

Lighting Systems

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• 45-01 Describe the purpose of the lighting system.
• 45-02 Describe the types of lights.
• 45-03 Describe light bulb configurations.
• 45-04 Describe park, tail, marker, and license lights.
• 45-05 Describe driving, fog, and cornering lights.
• 45-06 Describe brake and backup lights.
• 45-07 Describe turn signal and hazard lights.
• 45-08 Describe headlights and head light systems.
• 45-09 Describe lighting system testing and precautions.
• 45-10 Perform peripheral lighting service.
• 45-11 Perform headlight service.

ASE Education Foundation Tasks

The following ASE Education Foundation Automobile Accreditation Tasks are covered in this chapter:

• VIE1 Inspect interior and exterior lamps and sockets including headlights and auxiliary lights (fog lights/driving lights); replace as needed.
• VIE2 Aim headlights.
• VIE3 Identify system voltage and safety precautions associated with high-intensity discharge headlights.

Readings and Preparation

• Review all instructional materials, including the chapter in Fundamentals of Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair, Second Edition, and all related presentation support materials.

Support Materials

• Lecture PowerPoint presentation, including all Skill Drills

Pre-Lecture

• You Are the Automotive Technician
  • A progressive case study that encourages critical thinking skills.
  • Direct students to read the “You Are the Automotive Technician” scenario found at the beginning of each chapter.
  • Group Activity: Direct students to review the discussion questions at the end of the scenario and prepare a response to each question. Facilitate a class discussion centered on the questions.
  • Homework Assignment: Ask students to turn in their comments on the questions.
• Teaching Tip: Explain to students how this material applies to the workplace. Provide an example of a situation to make it relevant and meaningful. How does it fit into the broader picture? Is it building on something they already know? Will it help them master a skill? Students need to understand that what we are teaching is of importance on the job. This can be done by describing interesting lighting system problems you have experienced. You can also have students complete the online pre-test for this chapter in the CDX online system. This will help them understand what they do and do not know about lighting systems.

Lecture

45-01 Describe the purpose of the lighting system.

• Lighting systems improve the driver’s visibility at night and make a vehicle visible to others on the road.
• The headlight switch activates taillights, park lights, and headlights, which allows the driver to see the road ahead.
• A beam selector switch allows the driver to change the beams from high to low, or vice versa.
• Brake lights operate when the brake pedal is depressed.
• Red or amber turn signals alert other drivers of a change in direction.

45-02 Describe the types of lights.

• Different types of lamps used in modern vehicles include standard incandescent lamps, halogen lamps, vacuum tube fluorescent (VTF) lighting, HID xenon gas systems, LEDs, and more.
• Incandescent lamps consist of one or more tungsten filaments.
• Halogen lamps are another type of incandescent lamp.
• Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) turn on instantly and are particularly useful in brake lights.
• Vacuum tube fluorescent (VTF) lighting is used for instrumentation displays on instrument panel clusters.
• High-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps produce light with an electric arc; they typically produce between 2800 and 3500 lumens of light.

45-03 Describe light bulb configurations.

• All lamps or lightbulbs have letters and numbers on them that typically indicate the part number, operating voltage, and power consumed.
• Lamps and lightbulbs come in a variety of configurations to fit the various applications within a vehicle.
• One distinguishing feature is the number of filaments within a bulb. Single-filament bulbs are commonly used in courtesy lights, dash lights, and warning lights, whereas dual-filament bulbs have two filaments of different wattage.
• Another feature that differs among lights is the type of base on the lamp or the type of socket it fits into.

45-04 Describe park, tail, marker, and license lights.

• Park, tail, and marker lights are all low-intensity or low-wattage bulbs used to mark the outline or width of the vehicle (RC).
• Park lamps are placed at the front of the vehicle and are used at night when the vehicle is parked on the side of the road.
• Park lamps are yellow or white in color.
• Tail lamps are red and are located at the rear of the vehicle.
• Government regulations control the height of the lamps and their brightness.
• Marker lights are used to mark the sides of some vehicles.
• Red marker lamps face toward the rear, and yellow marker lamps face toward the front of the vehicle.
• License plate lamps produce a white light and are designed to illuminate the lettering on the license plate at night.

45-05 Describe driving, fog, and cornering lights.

• Driving lights provide high-intensity light over a long distance.
• Vehicle regulations specify the positioning and lens configuration of driving lights.
• Driving lights come in different sizes, shapes, lens patterns, and bulb wattage.
• Fog lights are used with other vehicle lighting in poor weather such as thick fog, driving rain, or blowing snow.
• Most older fog lights have yellow-colored reflectors; however, more recently, white fog lights have become more widely used.
• Cornering lights are white lights usually installed into the bumper or fender and are designed to provide side lighting when the vehicle is turning corners.
• Cornering lights turn on only when the headlights and turn signal switches are both on and turn off automatically when the turn signal cancels.

45-06 Describe brake and backup lights.

• Brake lights or stop lights are red lights mounted to the rear of the vehicle and are incorporated in the taillight cluster.
• Many vehicles, by law, now have a higher additional third brake light mounted on top of the trunk lid or near the rear window, called the center high mount stop light (CHMSL), or “chimsul”.
• The brake lights are activated whenever the driver operates the foot brake or when a control module automatically applies the brakes.
• The backup lights, also called reverse lights, are white lights mounted at the rear of a vehicle; they assist the driver with vision behind the vehicle at night.

45-07 Describe turn signal and hazard lights.

• Turn signal lights are located on the extreme corners of the vehicle and are usually amber in the front and can be either red or amber in the rear.
• A column-mounted switch, operated by the driver, directs a pulsing current to the turn signal lights on one side of the vehicle or the other.
• Turn signal lights warn other road users of the driver’s intended change of direction.
• The circuit for hazard warning lights connects into the turn signal lights and pulses all exterior turn signal lights and both indicator lights on the instrument panel.

45-08 Describe headlights and head light systems.

• Headlights are built into the front of a vehicle.
• They illuminate the road ahead of the vehicle when driving at night or in conditions of reduced visibility.
• In headlights, most vehicles require both a high beam and a low beam.
• High beam and a low beam, created by separate filaments, must be positioned correctly in relation to the highly polished reflector.
• The high-beam filament is precisely positioned; it projects the maximum amount of light forward and parallel to the road.
• The low-beam filament is often placed above and slightly to one side of the high-beam filament; this produces a beam of light that is projected slightly downward and toward the curb.
• A beam selector switch, typically located on the steering column, selects between low beam and high beam.
• A sealed-beam headlight has a highly polished aluminized glass reflector that is fused to the optically designed lens; it is a completely sealed unit that has the filaments accurately positioned in relation to the reflector.
• A semi-sealed beam headlight uses a replaceable bulb with a prefocus collar that locates the bulb in the headlight housing and controls the correct positioning of the filaments to the reflector and lens.
• An alternative to a reflector-type lighting system is a projection-type headlight system, which has a smaller front lens but produces a high-intensity forward beam; it uses a lens system, rather than the traditional reflector system, to project the light forward.
• Daytime running lights (DRLs) are an additional safety feature designed to improve the vehicle’s visibility to other drivers; they use existing lights that turn on when the vehicle is running and turn off when the engine stops.

45-09 Describe lighting system testing and precautions.

• The layouts of electrical circuits and their components are shown as diagrams.
• Being able to read a wiring diagram is probably the most important skill when diagnosing an electrical fault.
• Several safety precautions should be taken when working on HID systems.
• There is a risk of electrocution, burns, or shock from the high voltages generated by the HID system.
• Wear safety glasses, high-voltage safety gloves, and safety boots when working on HID systems.
• Persons with active electronic implants, such as heart pacemakers, should not work on HID headlamps.
• Dispose of the bulbs in HID headlamps in an environmentally friendly way.

45-10 Perform peripheral lighting service.

• When checking lighting and peripheral systems, be sure to work in a systematic manner to avoid missing a faulty bulb or other component.
• A vehicle may have warning lights that activate only if that circuit is in use.
• Inspecting the lighting system’s operation periodically will help identify any lightbulb issues.
• Look carefully at the bulb you are replacing to make sure you do not try to force the bulb in the wrong way, and make sure you don’t replace a dual-filament bulb with a single-filament bulb or vice versa.

45-11 Perform headlight service.

• Always make sure you replace a bulb with one of exactly the same type.
• When replacing a halogen bulb, avoid touching it with your fingers.
• If you inadvertently touch the bulb, clean it with alcohol and a lint-free cloth; do not use gasoline or paraffin to clean the bulb.
• The principle of aiming headlights is the same in the majority of cases, but the legal rules can differ from region to region.
• If the headlights are too dim, one reason could be high resistance in the light circuit, which can be checked by measuring the voltage drop on both the power side of the bulb and the ground side.
• If the voltage drop is less than 0.5 volt on each side, suspect the lightbulb is wearing out.
• A light intensity meter can be used to measure the amount of light energy produced by a lamp.

Post-Lecture

This section contains various student-centered end-of-chapter activities designed as enhancements to the instructor’s presentation. As time permits, these activities may be presented in class. They are also designed to be used as homework activities.

1. Direct students to read and individually answer the question sets located in the Wrap-Up section at the end of each chapter. Allow approximately 10–20 minutes for this part of the activity.
2. Facilitate a class review and discussion of the answers, allowing students to correct responses as may be needed. Use the answers noted in the Answer Key to assist in building this review.
3. You may wish to ask students to complete this activity on their own and turn in their answers on a separate piece of paper.

Review Questions

This question set is designed to assist students in understanding the chapter content by asking knowledge-based comprehension questions.

1. __________ headlamps produce light with an electric arc rather than a glowing filament.
   1. Vacuum tube fluorescent
   2. High-intensity discharge
   3. Incandescent and halogen
   4. Light-emitting diode

2. All of the following turn on with the taillights, EXCEPT:
   1. backup lights.
   2. license plate lights.
   3. park lights.
   4. side markers.

3. Which of the following is NOT a part of the reverse light circuit?
   1. Brake light switch
   2. Reverse light switch
   3. Ignition switch
   4. Vehicle battery

4. Red or amber turn signals alert other drivers of a change in direction and are mounted so they can always be seen from the __________ of the automobile.
   1. front
   2. rear
   3. sides
   4. All of these

5. Many vehicles use halogen light bulbs. What must you avoid when handling halogen bulbs?
   1. Touching the glass
   2. Touching the metal
   3. Touching the halogen gas
   4. Touching the terminal

6. Which lights are wired in parallel with the taillights and operate whenever the taillights are switched on?
   1. Headlights
   2. Turn signal lights
   3. Backup lights
   4. License plate lights

7. All of the following statements with respect to the function of headlights are true, EXCEPT:
   1. They illuminate the road ahead.
   2. They help drivers at the time of reduced visibility.
   3. They provide two beams, high and low, to serve different purposes.
   4. They are connected in series with each other.

8. When aiming headlights:
   1. make sure the wheels are pointed 20 degrees to the right.
   2. make sure the vehicle ride height is correct.
   3. adjust the tire pressure after aligning the headlights.
   4. place 100 pounds of weight in the trunk.

9. Which of the following lamps produce more lumens with a bluish tinge for the given wattage when compared with all other lamps?
   1. Incandescent lamps
   2. Halogen lamps
   3. High-intensity discharge lamps
   4. VTF lamps

10. Which type of light bulb has a base on each end of a cylindrical bulb?
    1. Bayonet style
    2. Festoon style
    3. Wedge style
    4. Dual-filament style

ASE Technician A/Technician B Style Questions

This question set is designed to assist students in gaining a further understanding of and familiarity with ASE Technician A/Technician B questions.

1. Technician A says light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have better visibility in inclement weather, operate at cooler tempera­tures, consume less energy, are much smaller, and can last up to 100 times longer than traditional bulbs. Technician B says LEDs can reduce the braking light response time by two-tenths of a second. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

2. Two technicians are discussing brake light bulbs. Technician A says that a two-filament bulb uses the second filament as a back-up if the first filament burns out. Technician B says that two-filament bulbs have different wattage filaments. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

3. Technician A says that all modern vehicles by law must be equipped with a center high mount stop lamp (CHMSL). Technician B says the CHMSL is usually mounted on top of the trunk lid or in the rear window of a vehicle. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

4. Technician A says hazard warning lights use a flasher unit that can be a separate unit or the same as that used for the turn signals. Technician B says daytime running lights are used to warn other road users that a hazardous condition exists or that the vehicle is standing or parked in a danger­ous position on the side of the road. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

5. Technician A says high-intensity discharge (HID) head­lamps produce light with an electric arc rather than a glow­ing filament. Technician B says HID lamps are commonly called xenon headlamps. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

6. Technician A says park, tail, and marker lights are all high-intensity or high-wattage bulbs. Technician B says license plate illumination lamps are connected in series with the taillights. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

7. Technician A says cornering lights are typically used in poor weather such as thick fog, driving rain, or blowing snow. Technician B says fog lights are red lights usually installed into the bumper or fender and are designed to provide side lighting when the vehicle is turning. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

8. Technician A says that some brake lights get power from the brake switch through the turn signal switch. Technician B says many turn signals use amber lights. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

9. Technician A says that incandescent bulbs resist vibration well. Technician B says that HID headlamps require a ballast to raise the voltage for the light. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

10. Technician A says that a light intensity meter is used to measure the brightness of headlights. Technician B says that if a bulb is dim, you should perform a voltage drop test on the power and ground side of the bulb. Who is correct?
    1. Technician A
    2. Technician B
    3. Both A and B
    4. Neither A nor B

Assignments

• Review all materials from this chapter and be prepared for a chapter quiz to be administered (date to be determined by instructor).
• Direct students to read the next chapter in Fundamentals of Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair, Second Edition as listed on your syllabus to prepare for the next class session.

Chapter 43

Battery Systems

Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you will be able to:

• 43-01 Describe basic battery construction and operation.
• 43-02 Describe basic types of batteries.
• 43-03 Describe battery configurations, terminals, and cables.
• 43-04 Describe battery ratings and the charge–discharge cycle.
• 43-05 Describe conditions that shorten/lengthen the life of a battery.
• 43-06 Describe the purpose and types of battery maintenance.
• 43-07 Inspect, clean, fill, and replace the battery and cables.
• 43-08 Perform battery charging and jump-starting.
• 43-09 Perform battery state of charge and specific gravity tests.
• 43-10 Perform battery capacity tests.
• 43-11 Maintain and restore electronic memories.
• 43-12 Measure parasitic draw.

ASE Education Foundation Tasks

The following ASE Education Foundation Automobile Accreditation Tasks are covered in this chapter:

• VIA8 Measure key-off battery drain (parasitic draw).
• VIB1 Perform battery state-of-charge test; determine necessary action.
• VIB2 Confirm proper battery capacity for vehicle application; perform battery capacity and load test; determine necessary action.
• VIB3 Maintain or restore electronic memory functions.
• VIB4 Inspect and clean battery; fill battery cells; check battery cables, connectors, clamps, and hold-downs.
• VIB5 Perform slow/fast battery charge according to manufacturer’s recommendations.
• VIB6 Jump-start vehicle using jumper cables and a booster battery or an auxiliary power supply.
• VIB8 Identify electrical/electronic modules, security systems, radios, and other accessories that require reinitialization or code entry after reconnecting vehicle battery.
• VIB9 Identify hybrid vehicle auxiliary (12v) battery service, repair, and test procedures.

Readings and Preparation

• Review all instructional materials, including the chapter in Fundamentals of Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair, Second Edition, and all related presentation support materials.

Support Materials

• Lecture PowerPoint presentation, including all Skill Drills

Pre-Lecture

• You Are the Automotive Technician
  • A progressive case study that encourages critical thinking skills.
  • Direct students to read the “You Are the Automotive Technician” scenario found at the beginning of each chapter.
  • Group Activity: Direct students to review the discussion questions at the end of the scenario and prepare a response to each question. Facilitate a class discussion centered on the questions.
  • Homework Assignment: Ask students to turn in their comments on the questions.
• Teaching Tip: Explain to students how this material applies to the workplace. Provide an example of a situation to make it relevant and meaningful. How does it fit into the broader picture? Is it building on something they already know? Will it help them master a skill? Students need to understand that what we are teaching is of importance on the job. This can be done by describing interesting battery problems you have experienced. You can also have students complete the online pre-test for this chapter in the CDX online system. This will help them understand what they do and do not know about battery systems.

Lecture

43-01 Describe basic battery construction and operation.

• A battery transforms electrical to chemical energy and vice versa.
• A battery consists of two dissimilar metals: an insulator material separating the metals and an electrolyte, which is an electrically conductive solution.
• The traditional automotive battery type is the lead-acid battery.
• The standard 12-volt car battery consists of six 2.1-volt cells connected in series, each containing two sets of electrodes or plates immersed in an electrolyte solution of diluted sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and water.
• The positive plates are assembled alternate to negative plates and parallel to other positive plates, and the negative plates are assembled alternate to positive plates and parallel to other negative plates.

43-02 Describe basic types of batteries.

• Deep-cycle batteries are made with heavier lead plates that tolerate deep discharging better than starting batteries.
• Deep-cycle batteries are heavier and bulkier than starting batteries and have a lower output per pound.
• Low-maintenance batteries require little, if any, topping off of the water in the electrolyte but still have removable caps.
• Absorbed glass mat batteries (suited for off-road and racing vehicles) have a gel electrolyte that is absorbed in a mat of fine glass fibers.
• Sealed or maintenance-free batteries typically have no removable cell covers; some of them have a visual indicator called a single-cell hydrometer float that provides information on the status of the charge and condition of one of the battery cells.
• Cell phones and tablet computers have rechargeable cell batteries that may be nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH), or lithium ion (Li-ion)
• A nickel-metal hydride battery can have two to three times the energy of nickel-cadmium batteries.
• A lithium-ion battery has one of the highest energy density ratios, meaning that it can store more energy than other comparable batteries, and it has a low self-discharge rate.
• In hybrid or electric vehicle applications, many small individual cells are connected in series to each other and in parallel to other series arrangements, forming a battery pack.
• Advantages of lithium-ion batteries include high energy density, low self-discharge, low maintenance, no periodic discharge requirement, no memory, and low internal resistance.
• Disadvantages of lithium-ion batteries include need for circuit protection, sensitivity to high temperatures, increased cost of manufacturing, and potential for damage if completely discharged.

43-03 Describe battery configurations, terminals, and cables.

• Physical attributes of the automotive battery include the size of the battery case, the location of the battery terminals, and the size or type of battery terminal.
• Battery cables and terminals are designed to carry high discharge currents and are usually made of solid lead or zinc-plated brass.
• Types of battery terminals are cone design, side terminal, and flat terminal; the most common is cone design.

43-04 Describe battery ratings and the charge–discharge cycle.

• The three most common methods used to rate automotive battery capacity are cold cranking amps (CCAs), cranking amps (CAs), and reserve capacity (RC).
• CCA measures the load in amps that a battery can deliver for 30 seconds while maintaining a voltage of 1.2 volts per cell or higher at 0°F (-17.8°C).
• CA measures the same thing, but at a higher temperature of 32°F (0°C).
• RC is the time in minutes that a new, fully-charged battery at 80°F (26.7°C) will supply a constant load of 25 amps without its voltage dropping below 10.5 volts for a 12-volt battery.
• The RC rating approximates the amount of time a vehicle can be driven before the battery dies if the charging system fails completely.
• As the battery creates current flow to operate electrical devices, it is being discharged.
• As it discharges, the sulfuric acid in the electrolyte joins with lead dioxide to form lead sulfate, and the oxygen from the plate joins the hydrogen from the electrolyte to form water.
• When being charged, electrical pressure (voltage) is higher than that of the battery’s total cell voltage, which pushes electricity back into the battery, reversing the chemical process.

43-05 Describe conditions that shorten/lengthen the life of a battery.

• Conditions that shorten a battery’s life include being fully discharged or having deep discharge cycles, remaining overcharged or undercharged, experiencing high discharge rates for extended periods, experiencing excessive vibration, being exposed to extremes of temperature, having dirt or moisture on the case, and developing corrosion.
• Batteries should be kept clean, dry, and fully charged.

43-06 Describe the purpose and types of battery maintenance.

• Regular maintenance of batteries includes inspection, cleaning, testing, and charging when discharged.

43-07 Inspect, clean, fill, and replace the battery and cables.

• Maintenance tasks such as inspecting, cleaning, and filling batteries should be performed every six months to one year on top-post batteries and every 1–2 years on side-post batteries.

43-08 Perform battery charging and jump-starting.

• Slow charging is less stressful on a battery than fast charging.
• To determine the ideal charging rate: CCAs divided by 70.
• To determine the max charging rate: CCAs divided by 40.
• Never exceed 15.5 volts when charging a 12-volt flooded cell battery, 14.8 volts when charging a 12-volt AGM battery, and 14.3 volts when charging a 12-volt gel cell battery.
• Jump-starting a vehicle is the process of using one vehicle to start another vehicle; the vehicle with a charged battery provides electrical energy to start the vehicle that has a discharged battery.
• Some vehicles should NOT be jump started.

43-09 Perform battery state of charge and specific gravity tests.

• There are two tests for determining the battery’s state of charge: the specific gravity test and the open circuit voltage test.
• The specific gravity test measures the electrolyte’s specific gravity; it indicates the acid content, and so the state of charge.
• The open circuit voltage test uses a DMM to accurately measure the voltage of a battery and is a very quick and reasonably accurate indicator of battery state of charge.

43-10 Perform battery capacity tests.

• The conductance tester can determine a battery’s CCA capacity by measuring its conductance.
• The conductance tester sends low-frequency signals into the battery, which allows it to determine the battery’s ability to conduct current.
• The load test is used to test a battery’s capacity and internal condition.
• The load test subjects the battery to a high rate of discharge, and the voltage is then measured at the end of a set time to see how well the battery creates that current flow.

43-11 Maintain and restore electronic memories.

• Many electronic modules in vehicles require a small amount of power to maintain their keep alive memory (KAM).
• When the battery is disconnected, memory is usually lost.
• Loss of memory may prevent the vehicle from being restarted or the radio from being used.
• In some cases, it may be possible to use a memory saver to maintain the vehicle’s memory while the battery is disconnected.
• Many technicians use an external 12-volt DC power supply connected to the data link connector with a suitable cable.

43-12 Measure parasitic draw.

• All modern vehicles have a small amount of current draw when the ignition is turned off, which is called parasitic draw.
• The total parasitic draw should be a relatively small amount of current because excessive parasitic draw will discharge the battery over a short amount of time.
• The most common way of measuring parasitic draw is by using an ammeter capable of measuring milliamps.
• The ammeter is inserted in series between one of the battery posts and the battery terminal.
• The Chesney parasitic load test uses an ohmmeter to indicate the size of the parasitic draw.

Post-Lecture

This section contains various student-centered end-of-chapter activities designed as enhancements to the instructor’s presentation. As time permits, these activities may be presented in class. They are also designed to be used as homework activities.

1. Direct students to read and individually answer the question sets located in the Wrap-Up section at the end of each chapter. Allow approximately 10–20 minutes for this part of the activity.
2. Facilitate a class review and discussion of the answers, allowing students to correct responses as may be needed. Use the answers noted in the Answer Key to assist in building this review.
3. You may wish to ask students to complete this activity on their own and turn in their answers on a separate piece of paper.

Review Questions

This question set is designed to assist students in understanding the chapter content by asking knowledge-based comprehension questions.

1. The electrolyte in an automotive lead acid battery is:
   1. dilute sulfuric acid.
   2. hydrochloric acid.
   3. sulfur dioxide.
   4. nitric acid.

2. Absorbed glass mat batteries have the electrolyte absorbed within a mat of fine glass fibers, and are a type of:
   1. low-maintenance battery.
   2. unsealed battery.
   3. maintenance-free battery.
   4. single-cell hydrometer battery.

3. The most common battery cable terminal is a __________ that provides a large surface contact area with the ability to tighten the terminal onto the battery post using a nut and bolt.
   1. side terminal design
   2. cone design
   3. flat terminal design
   4. back terminal design

4. CCA measures the load in amps that a battery can deliver for __________ while maintaining a voltage of __________ volts per cell.
   2. 60 seconds; 2.1
   3. 30 seconds; 2.1
   4. 60 seconds; 1.2
   5. 30 seconds; 1.2

5. Clean the battery with a mixture of __________, but make sure not to get any of that mixture down inside of the battery, as it will tend to neutralize the electrolyte, damaging the battery.
   1. baking soda and water
   2. soap and water
   3. salt and water
   4. alcohol and water

6. What is the correct sequence for disconnecting battery ter­minals?
   1. Disconnect the negative terminal and then the positive terminal
   2. Disconnect whichever terminal is the easiest first
   3. Disconnect whichever terminal is hardest first
   4. Disconnect the positive terminal and then the negative terminal

7. When a vehicle has been shut off, it can have a:
   1. thermal runaway.
   2. parasitic draw.
   3. paralysis draw.
   4. heat runaway.

8. When performing an open circuit voltage test to determine the battery state of charge, what should a fully charged battery read?
   12. 0 volts
   13. 2 volts
   14. 6 volts
   15. 5 volts

9. When performing a battery load test, what should the load be set to?
   1. 150 amps
   2. 300 amps
   3. Two times the cold cranking amps (CCA)
   4. Half the cold cranking amps (CCA)

10. When using a DMM to measure parasitic draw, connect the meter leads:
    1. between one of the battery posts and terminal on the battery cable.
    2. from one battery post to the other.
    3. from the positive battery post to a good engine ground.
    4. across the high current contacts on the starter solenoid.

ASE Technician A/Technician B Style Questions

This question set is designed to assist students in gaining a further understanding of and familiarity with ASE Technician A/Technician B questions.

1. Technician A says that a battery stores electrical energy in chemical form. Technician B says that the chemical reactions change the composition of the chemicals, which then are stored until the electrical energy is needed. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

2. Technician A says that when disconnecting the battery, the negative terminal should be disconnected first. Technician B says that when disconnecting the battery terminals, always remove the positive terminal complete­ly first. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

3. Two technicians are discussing the specific gravity test. Technician A says that if the electrolyte level is too low, then you will have to add distilled water, and the battery will have to be fully charged to mix the water and acid. Tech­nician B says that the battery should be topped up with a mixture of acid and water. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A or B

4. Two technicians are discussing battery load testing. Tech­nician A says that if the battery fails the load test, it is bad and should be replaced. Technician B says if it fails the load test, it should be fully charged and the test repeated. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

5. Two technicians are discussing measuring parasitic draw. Technician A says that the parasitic draw is measured with an ammeter. Technician B says that the parasitic draw is measured with a voltmeter. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

6. Technician A says that batteries should be charged as fast as possible. Technician B says that the ideal charging rate is the CCA divided by 70. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

7. Technician A says that lead oxide acts as an insulator on the battery posts and has to be scraped away. Technician B says that current can leak across the dirt on the surface of the battery. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

8. Technician A says that checking the specific gravity will indicate the battery’s cold cranking amps. Technician B says that a battery load test should be performed when the battery is heavily discharged. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

9. Technician A says that a 12-volt battery has six cells. Tech­nician B says that the more plates a cell in a battery has, the more voltage it creates. Who is correct?
   1. Technician A
   2. Technician B
   3. Both A and B
   4. Neither A nor B

10. Technician A says that the specific gravity of the electrolyte can be checked with a hydrometer. Technician B says that the specific gravity of the electrolyte can be checked with a refractometer. Who is correct?
    1. Technician A
    2. Technician B
    3. Both A and B
    4. Neither A nor B

Assignments

• Review all materials from this chapter and be prepared for a chapter quiz to be administered (date to be determined by instructor).
• Direct students to read the next chapter in Fundamentals of Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair, Second Edition as listed on your syllabus to prepare for the next class session.