How to choose an appropriate battery for your automobile
Battery Centre manager shares his experience about different types of batteries.
All drivers are aware of how crucial their vehicle’s battery is, but few people are knowledgeable about the best battery for their vehicles when they need a replacement.
Most drivers only pay attention to their batteries when it begins to malfunction.
Manager of Battery Centre, Jason Ravenscroft, explains the appropriate battery should be able to handle the demands of the vehicle, particularly those of recent cars where the battery is continuously discharged and recharged.
“Many new vehicles with start/stop technology use batteries specially manufactured with absorbed glass mat (AGM). Start/stop cars switch off several times during a single drive, such as waiting for a traffic light to change and when the brake is released, or the accelerator is engaged, the car starts hassle-free because of the battery,” Ravenscroft explained.
The difference between AGM batteries and normal flooded lead-acid batteries
AGM batteries are a more recent type of lead-acid battery that nearly never leaks water and is strong enough to start the car’s engine and keep things operating even after the engine is turned off.
They can be put in the boot or under the seat because they don’t need to be maintained. The AGM battery houses the electricity generated during braking.
Can a regular lead-acid battery be used in a start/stop vehicle?
Standard lead-acid batteries cannot withstand the demands placed on them by high-end start/stop applications and will thus fail early.
Additionally, a standard lead-acid battery won’t be able to accept the rate of charge through this process if the vehicle uses regenerative braking technology.
This could cause the battery to swell up, leak acid into the vehicle due to an excessive build-up of heat, or, in the worst-case scenario, explode inside the vehicle.
For more information, contact Annie Hodes on 083 325 4445.
