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A Step by Step Guide on How to Safely Install Your Car Battery
It is important to note that before you read the guide on how to safely install your car battery you should take the necessary steps:
A) Ensure your battery actually needs to be replaced
*Check for sulfation around post terminals. Removing it may solve the problem your battery is having, however, be cautious as its presence can indicate an acid leak caused by a faulty seal around the terminal.
*Have the battery properly tested to ensure that it is actually at the end of its life
*Ensure it is not some other issues such as the alternator
B) Buy the right battery
*Each vehicle has a specific group size of battery that fits correctly for the vehicle. This is referred to as the BCI Group Number and can be easily located by either looking at the product information located usually on the top or side of your old battery or by visiting your local car battery store and providing some information about the vehicle such as the make and year.
*It is imperative to purchase the correct battery as each group size varies in Cranking Amps, Terminal Placement, Type, Polarity, Reserve Capacity, and Physical Size.
C) Secure the correct equipment for the job
*Now that you have checked to ensure the battery is actually the problem and found the correct size battery for the vehicle, it is now time to gather the tools required to safely install your car battery. You will need:
- Protective Gloves
- Safety Glasses
- Wrench Set or Socket Set
- Hammer/Screwdriver (Circumstantial)
- Battery Terminal Cleaner/Wire Brush (Optional)
- Can of Corrosion Protection (Optional)

*Batteries can be extremely dangerous always wear proper eyes and hands protective equipment as the acid can cause serious burns or even blindness. Always keep any sparks or flames away from the battery and never lean over a battery while Charging, Boosting, or Testing as the gases generated by batteries can be explosive.
*The hammer and screwdriver can be useful in situations where the post terminal is corroded or sulfated and so that it is difficult to remove a terminal cable from a terminal post. A gentle nudge with either tool can sometimes do the trick
*The Battery Terminal Cleaner or a Wire Brush are two inexpensive tools that are excellent for cleaning terminal posts and clamps. This will help act as a preventative maintenance by decreasing the possibility of a disruption in your terminal connections
*Corrosion Protection acts to prevent future sulfate accumulation.
Now, Finally, to ensure that you safely install your car battery, please take note of the guide below.
*Before beginning apply protective gloves and safety glasses
Now To Begin Installing Your New Car Battery
Using your socket or wrench set, begin by disconnecting the ground cable first (this would normally be your negative cable) from the battery
*In older vehicles, this may be reversed and the positive may be the groundThen disconnect your positive terminal (or vice versa for older vehicles)
Next, remove the battery from its position in the vehicle
*Take note of the positioning of the positive and negative terminals and mark if necessary to ensure proper reconnection of terminals to the replacement battery.


Pro tip– for easy handling of most batteries, try out a universal battery carrier. These are a necessity for anybody handling batteries on a constant basis. Features:
- Ability to grab, lift and install most car batteries
- Unique design transfers lifting force to create a secure lock onto battery
- Rigid clamp teeth provide strong grip
- Quality Vinyl handle increases resistance from battery-acid and will not act as a conduit for electricity
Optional – Using a Wire Brush and Battery Terminal Cleaner, clean the battery terminals, and cable connections until they are clear of any built up sulfation or corrosion. Corroded connections or terminals may interfere with battery performance.
*Any broken connections and frayed or cut cable should be replaced properlyTake your replacement battery and place it in the vehicle so that it is positioned the same as the old one
*Ensure when placing replacement battery into the vehicle that the battery terminals do not touch the engine, body, or any metal mounting. If you purchased the optional Can of Corrosion Protection, apply it now.
*Secure battery with hold down tray/assembly if provided by manufacturer or purchased privatelyConnect cables to the battery terminal and tighten them until they are secured.
*Ensure when reconnecting to battery terminals, always connect the ground cable (most likely the negative terminal) last to avoid sparks
That’s it! You now know how to safely install your car battery.
Don't forget you can buy smart chargers that can in some cases restore a battery that won't hold its charge. Also if your planing on not using your car bike or even boat you can attach a trickle charger to keep the battery in top form. Prevention is better then a cure. I have a charger that will check and restore a battery, monitor and charge a battery over long periods of time while its not in use. And it will also jump start should you be caught out with a flat battery.
Forsure. I use to have a small battery business, can definitely agree on the usefulness of a good smart charger.