Sooner or later all car owners are faced with the replacement of the battery (battery, accumulator). The question of how to choose a car battery is always relevant. There are different types of devices. Each model has certain technical characteristics. What manufacturer to give preference to? Answers to these questions in our article.
General rules
The starting point in deciding what battery is best to choose for the car – familiarity with the recommendations of the automaker, studying the characteristics of the “native” device.
The battery should be checked before you buy it. Recommendations for this are a separate topic.
The longevity of the device and its efficiency depends on strict adherence to the rules of operation and maintenance.
Which battery to choose
Key technical characteristics determine the right choice of battery.
Need for service
According to this parameter, all batteries are divided into three groups:
● Serviced – the design provides for regular refilling of distilled water;
● low-maintenance – distillate is filled once every six months (year);
● Maintenance-free – do not require any fluid manipulation.
The first type of devices is slowly receding into history. They are cheap, stored in a dry place for a long time. The technical characteristics of serviced batteries are not able to meet the needs of modern car brands.
Low-maintenance models are a later invention. The service life of the devices is about 5 years. For cars with an average level of energy consumption it is quite an acceptable option.
Maintenance-free models are the most advanced. If you don’t know which battery to choose, this is a win-win option. Batteries of this type are perfectly adapted for the city, off-road, long and short trips.
Capacity
It is important to know how much energy a battery is capable of storing in order to deliver a certain amount of charge per unit of time. Battery capacity is measured in ampere/hours. The higher it is, the more starts the power unit can perform the driver. When choosing the capacity it is necessary to consider the type of device (traditional, calcium, AGM, gel, etc.), the volume of the engine, the presence of additional sources of energy consumption.
General patterns of gasoline engine volume (in l) and battery capacity (in A/h):
● less than 1.6 – 44;
● 1,6 – 2,5 – 55 – 60;
● 2,5 – 3,5 – 62 – 66;
● 3.5 or more – at least 70.
For diesel power units, you need to add another 10 – 20 Ah to these figures. When choosing the battery capacity, do not be guided by the rule “The more, the better”. Using a battery with a capacity higher than recommended will reduce the service life of the unit, and its operation will be ineffective.
Inrush current
Specialists consider this characteristic to be more important than the battery capacity. What parameters characterize the starting current? This is the maximum amount of electrical discharge given off in a unit of time (10 – 30 s) at 18° C.
The optimum starting current value is always specified for a particular make of car. The general rule of thumb is that the more massive the car, the higher the starting current should be. If you use a battery with a value below the recommended value, the engine will simply not start in the cold season.
Dimensions
Under the hood of the vehicle, the battery is provided with a socket with a support plate. Its parameters must match those of the battery. It is important to consider the presence of special grooves, protrusions provided for fixing the device.
When deciding which battery to choose, its external dimensions, configuration should always be taken into account. Otherwise, you simply will not be able to install the purchased battery, even if its other characteristics fully meet the requirements. In the absence of technical documentation, do not be lazy to take measurements of the old battery.
Mountings
European manufacturers use special clamping plates to secure the battery. In Asian ones, the battery is fixed by a bar (frame) with studs. One answer to the question of which battery to choose for your car is with an identical fixation system. Reliable fixation eliminates vibration and prolongs the life of the device.
Other important features
The competent approach to the choice of the battery involves taking into account other characteristics: the features of the location of the terminals and their type, polarity. It is important to be able to decipher the marking, pay attention to the appearance of the device, date of manufacture.
What is the best battery for your car?
There is no single answer to this question. Analysis of information, which company is the best battery for the car, is always related to the manufacturers that are in the top. On this list:
● Odyssey;
● EverStart;
● DieHard;
● Bosch and others.
The question of which company to choose a battery for the car is important, but we must not forget that branded products do not come cheap.
Solving the problem, which battery to choose for your car, requires knowledge, experience, special skills. If you are not confident in your own abilities, it is better to trust professionals or to study this question to the smallest detail. Any model has pros and cons. It is important that the selected battery corresponds to the needs and design features of your car.
