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Battery Capacity

The energy output of a battery measured in amp/hours.

Battery Cell

That part of a battery made from two dissimilar metals and an acid solution. A cell stores chemical energy for use later as electrical energy.

Battery Charge

The restoration of chemical energy to a battery by supplying a measured flow of electrical current to it for a specified time.

Battery Charger

An electrical device that is used for restoring a battery to its original state of charge by passing a current through the battery in a direction opposite of the discharge current flow.

Battery Charging

The act of charging a battery.

Battery Council International (BCI)

A professional association of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of lead-acid batteries.

Battery Efficiency

A battery's ability to vary the current it delivers within a wide range, depending on the temperature and the rate of discharge.

Battery Element

1. A cell. 2. A group of unlike positive and negative plates assembled with separators.

Battery Holddown

A bracket that secures the battery to the chassis of the vehicle

Battery Isolator

An accessory that separates two batteries, often isolating a vehicle's battery from a second battery used to power an extensive sound system or entertainment system. If the batteries were not isolated, one would drain the charge from the other. When using a battery isolator, if the sound system, for example, draws down the power in one battery, the vehicle can still be started.

Battery Maintenance

Generally, preventative maintenance, such as visual inspection,, adding water, cleaning top and terminals, tightening hold down, and testing.

Battery Rating Methods

There are several rating methods

Battery Saver

A product that monitors the voltage of the battery in a vehicle and disconnects it if voltage drops below a certain level--e.g., because a door was left ajar or a light was left on. The battery saver stops the drain on the battery while there is still enough power left to start the engine. Plus, it automatically reconnects the battery when one of the vehicle's doors is opened or an electric device is turned on (including a wheelchair lift or a lift gate on a pickup). Because most alarm systems are powered by the battery, the battery saver also maintains enough power to set off the alarm if a door is opened or somebody tries to start the vehicle.

Battery Terminal

A means of connecting the battery to the vehicle's electrical system. The three types of battery terminals are post or top, side, and "L."

Battery Voltage Correction Factor

A computer program that increases the fuel injector pulls width if the battery voltage drops to compensate for the resulting slower opening of the injector

Baud

See baud rate

Baud Rate

The speed at which bits of computer information are transmitted on a serial data stream. Measured in bits per second (bps)

Bay Window

A window option on a truck cap. While a bay window on a house sticks out from the main structure, a bay window on a cap is simply a tall, vertical window. A single bay simply means there is one tall window, usually at the rear of the cap. A double bay means there are two.

Bayonet Socket

A lamp socket having two lengthwise slots in its sides, making a right-angled turn at the bottom. A lamp with two pins may be installed by pushing it into the socket and giving it a slight clockwise turn.

BBDC

An acronym for before bottom dead center.