Tips to Buy Maintenance Free Automotive Battery
An automotive battery is essential to start your vehicle. It starts your engine and renders extra power to the combustion mechanism, lights and other accessories. It also provides power to the electrical system of your vehicle when the charging system is not operating.
There are two types of batteries: low-maintenance and maintenance-free. Most people prefer to purchase maintenance-free batteries. The sole difference between them is that while maintenance-free battery is sealed the low-maintenance battery is not sealed. Here are a few tips for you to keep in mind while purchasing a battery.
Purchase a battery that is best suited to your needs:-
Whenever you buy a battery you must select the right size and design for your vehicle. For this the owner’s manual can be checked or the help of the salesperson in the shop can be taken. Never buy a car battery that has been on the shop for more than six months
There are three things you should bear in mind before purchasing a new battery: cold cranking amps (CCA),
reserve capacity, and group size.
Cutting Cranking Amps (CCA)
CCA is the scale of a battery's ability to start your vehicle’s engine in cold conditions. The battery CCA rating should be according to or exceed the car's original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cranking rate. The best thing would be to purchase a battery that exceeds the recommended cranking amps, especially when you are living in cold climates, which can put a strain on your battery. The colder engine requires the battery to work harder to start it.
Reserve Capacity
The reserve capacity is the time (in minutes) your car can run on the battery alone in case of the failure of the alternator. A fully charged battery runs at 25amps and if the battery voltage falls below 10.5 amps, which is the minimum voltage needed to run your vehicle, you need a new battery.
Buy a car battery with the longest reserve capacity because you may need it in emergency situations when your vehicle will not start.
Group Size
Each automotive battery is labeled with a number called its group size. This number tells you about the outer dimensions of the battery which determines whether the battery would fit into your vehicle. But, you shouldn’t worry much about the group size because you will get help from a store professional wherever you go to purchase your car battery. He/she would tell you the battery size that fits your vehicle, and will also provide you with some options.
