If you’re anything like me, I seem to waste an awful amount of time wandering around my house looking for a charger of some sort like a wild animal hunting prey. Nowadays we can’t get away from the fact everything seems to run on batteries; our mobile phones , vacuum cleaners, laptops and now even our cars.
It’s a sad fact of modern life we’re probably more attached to our chargers than we are our children but where would we be without them? With an astonishing 40 million cars on today’s British roads and not to mention vans, lorries and motorcycles, the demand for batteries is ever present, especially with hybrid and electric vehicles needing more than one battery and many of them needing to be plugged in to charge. So we now have petrol and diesel engined vehicles with their 12v systems, hybrids which may be self-charging (FHEV) or plug-in (PHEV) and finally the fully electric vehicles which not only have the 12v system but also a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery for the 400v electric motor. It’s a minefield, so lets start with some of the basics…
All cars, whether they are a petrol, a diesel, a hybrid, or even an electric vehicle, will run on a 12V system. It’s not so important about the size of the battery that you put in, it’s actually the numbers.
These numbers are the battery’s performance. 12V means 12V. 70AH is the amp hour, which basically means that this battery can deliver 70 amps of current over a one-hour period or one amp over a 70-hour period. It means that your battery isn’t going to go flat when you leave it parked up overnight. This number here, 760A, basically means that this battery has got enough oomph to crank over your engine on a cold day.
There are lots of different types of battery, particularly if you have a start/stop system on your vehicle, and that is used to increase fuel economy and lower emissions. You’ll need a more powerful battery if you have this start/stop system as it causes a drain on your battery.
What many people don’t realise is that car batteries are also affected by temperature. Cold weather slows down the chemical reactions inside the battery, reducing its ability to charge and provide power. This is why many cars struggle to start on freezing winter mornings. On the flip side, extreme heat can accelerate battery degradation, shortening its lifespan. This is one of the reasons why checking and maintaining your battery regularly is essential
Modern car batteries are often maintenance-free, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. Regular checks on the terminals for corrosion, ensuring the battery is securely fitted, and keeping it charged if the car isn’t driven often can all help extend its life. A little bit of maintenance can prevent unexpected breakdowns and costly replacements.
The location of the battery within the vehicle is well thought out by the manufacturer, they try to fit them in a position where they won’t be subjected to extreme heat and also where the weight of the battery can be evenly distributed with the other heavy components of the vehicle – and yet still be accessible to you.
Another interesting fact is that lead-acid car batteries are highly recyclable. In fact, over 95% of a car battery can be recycled, making them one of the most environmentally friendly components of a vehicle. So, when replacing your battery, always make sure to dispose of it correctly at a recycling centre or a trusted automotive supplier.
If you’re in any doubt about what battery your car needs, give EuroCar Parts a call and they can advise accordingly.
