Checking the electrolyte level
Attention! The electrolyte in the battery is an aggressive substance, because it contains sulfuric acid. Do not allow electrolyte to come into contact with skin, clothing or vehicle components!
The electrolyte level should be 5 mm above the battery separation plates. If the battery has electrolyte level marks, then the level is determined by them. For refilling, it is recommended to use only distilled water, not acid.
Maintenance free batteries
Since August 1981, maintenance-free batteries have been installed on all variants of the VW Kafer. These batteries are almost maintenance-free under normal operating conditions.
If you still need to add distilled water to the battery, unscrew the plugs with a screwdriver.
Instruction. To do this, you need to pierce the plastic shell with a suitable screwdriver in the place where the notch specially provided for this is located.
Electrolyte Density Check
The density of the electrolyte, along with the voltage, gives an accurate indication of the state of charge of the battery. A battery hydrometer is used to check the density.
| Battery charge level | Electrolyte density, g/cm |
| Discharged | 1,12 |
| Half charged | 1,20 |
| Fully charged | 1,27 |
Voltage measurement
Battery voltage can be measured with a voltmeter (see picture) or universal tester.
With a load current of about 110 A, the voltage should not be lower than 9.6 V. If during measurements (duration from 5 to 10 s each) the voltage drops below the specified value, which means that the battery is either discharged or defective.
To maintain the performance and durability of the battery and electrical equipment, the following requirements must be observed:
- do not leave the engine running with the battery disconnected, as this can lead to failure of electrical equipment;
- If the car is parked for a long time, remove the battery and recharge approximately once a month. Otherwise, the battery may be completely discharged and become unusable;
- maintain proper battery charging current. It should be approximately 10% of its capacity. For example, for a battery with a capacity of 36 Ah, the current should be about 3.6 A. During charging, you need to unscrew the plugs from the battery and put them on the holes.
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