How to choose a car battery and what you don’t need to do when buying it

Every year, with the onset of cold weather, car owners are faced with the decision of various questions: will the engine start after a long idle in the cold, will it be necessary to ask the neighbor to “light up”, and suddenly you will have to leave the car and run to the public transport stop?

And even despite the fact that these questions remain unchanged from year to year, they all emerge not in advance, but at the very last moment. As a result, most car owners blame the battery for everything and in order not to spend a lot of time buying a new device.

Do you need a new battery at all?

This is the question you need to ask before going to the store. Of course, if the starter flatly refuses to do even half a turn, then the on-board network is clearly a problem. But does this mean that the thing is in the battery?

No. Even if the device is over 2 years old and “experienced” experts diagnose “death from natural causes.” Modern models, subject to constant maintenance and proper use, have a long service life-9 years without losing their original characteristics.

If your battery is dead, you first need to warm it up and then charge it. Here it is attentive: at first we warm, then we charge. And nothing else. You can not proceed to the second paragraph without completing the first. So, now we remove the battery: everyone will cope, because for modern cars neither special skills nor a special tool are needed. Immediately check the case for the presence of mechanical damage: if the battery is swollen or burst, then at this stage you can finish and really go to the store for a new one.

If everything was fine, then place the battery in a warm place. Here, remember that any battery must be periodically recharged, even if it is the newest and improved model. To do this, it is better to buy a charger: simple to operate and its maintenance is much cheaper than buying a new battery. And given that the battery will last you much longer, the savings are generally obvious.

It is recommended to recharge the battery 2 times a year: the whole procedure will last no more than a day, but as a result you will minimize possible problems with the battery.

Remember that the engine may not work at all because of the battery:

a defective starter may cause a lot of energy to be consumed when the alignment is down and do not deliver the required power;
may burn the fuel pump relay and not supply fuel to the engine;
poor adjustment of the ignition system;
thickened oil will prevent the engine from spinning.

To prevent possible problems with starting the engine, think about this issue in advance. Regularly recharge the battery, use high-quality oil, replace it in a timely manner, refuel at proven gas stations.

Before the start of frost, stop by the service so that you have the ignition properly set, checked the starter and generator, the condition of the terminals on the battery wires. Simply put: good oil, fuel and spark-and no problems.

If you live in a region with a harsh climate, it is better to install engine preheaters. This will significantly save time to start the car when the window is below 40 degrees.

Well, if the car refuses to start, then first determine the cause and be sure to check the old battery. If the battery is out of order, you need to know the following nuances.

Battery Capacity

Battery capacity-the amount of energy that it is able to accumulate, store and give. It has its own characteristics: unlike smartphones, cars do not always work on batteries, with the exception of electric vehicles. And then chasing more volume than necessary, it just does not make sense: you spend more money, but as a result you get only undercharging, which will only worsen the battery condition.

If you have a battery with a capacity of 62 A/h and you have not installed powerful acoustics or a powerful generator, then you need to buy the battery with the parameter 62 A/h or close to it. Some drivers think that the larger the number, the better. But if you can spend more money, then it is better to buy a model with a large starting current.

Of course, a small expenditure in the parameters is valid. For example, instead of a battery with a capacity of 38 A/h., You can buy an analog model with a parameter up to 45 A/h. But note that to use instead of 52 A/h, all 75 A/h is not recommended.

Starting current

Starting current-the amount of energy that can be received by the auto starter. Standard this parameter is associated with the capacity, but each driver will find a model with an increased starting current. For example, a standard 55 A/h battery can provide as much as 420 amps, and all 500.

There is a rule: the larger the parameter, the better. Especially well it will be reflected in the period of frost or on cars with worn engines. The problem is different: can the battery really deliver the claimed current during a cold start? And this is impossible to learn without comparison and visual experience.

If the battery can give a normal starting current only at a positive temperature, and at -10 loses more than half of its power, it will still be ineffective.

Enclosure Type

Batteries can have two types of design: European or Asian. The differences in them are minimal: at the first terminal, as it were, inserted into the housing, and at the second, they project above it.

At first glance, it is possible to put an European in the place of an Asian, but is it necessary? After all, this design will not provide reliable fixation, unlike the factory one. Therefore, choose the type of battery that was originally conceived by the manufacturer. you can buy a car battery in Kiev, Odessa, Kharkov, as well as with delivery in Ukraine at 130.com.ua.

Polarity

There are two options: direct or reverse polarity. The recommendations here are the same as in the case of the type of construction. If the standard battery provided for direct polarity, then a new device must be selected with the same parameter. No model is worth re-dragging power wires.

Terminal Size

Two standard terminal sizes are common: T1 and T3. The only difference is in size. The first one is more popular in European cars: plus diameter-19.5 mm., Negative diameter-17.8 mm. The second option is more common in Asia: plus diameter-12.7 mm., Negative-11.1 mm.

Here again, it is theoretically possible to put a T1 battery on a car with T3 wires. But for this you will need to unclip the terminals on the wires, which already threatens the reliability of the contact. And to put a T3 standard battery in a car with T1 standard wires is impossible at all.

Do not neglect the reliability of the contact between the power wires and the terminals, so buy a battery with the terminal size provided by the manufacturer of the car.

TOP-3 car battery

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Looking for a quality and the best batteries for cars? This rating of batteries for cars is made on the basis of such parameters as: high demand with positive feedback from our customers, high-quality manufacturing — absence of factory defects and service calls, and official warranty and post warranty support in Ukraine.