The battery for your car is the power underneath the hood. It provides electricity needed for door locks, sliding windows, lights, and other car accessories. If your car is dead, the instant your battery dies.
If the situation happens, how do you recognize which battery is correct for your car?
Let’s see some few elements on selecting the right battery for your car.
How to pick a battery that matches the specifications of your car is worth learning. The considerations are size, power and reserve capacity and all the data might be on the battery itself. The first step is identifying the size of battery that you would like. You can measure length and width of the battery to ensure that you are choosing the right one.
Size
Battery group size indicates the battery size that can best work the physical dimensions of your car. Some cars might be suitable with more than one cluster size. Buying a wrong-sized battery can simply wasting your money and damage your car. Check battery net chart where you can notice the battery sizes and the terminals with the positive post on the left aspect. Always make sure to orient the battery with the terminals closest to you to ensure that the positive post is on. The BCI cluster for your car can be be found in your owner’s manual. You can determine your power needs after you confirmed the dimensions requirements.
Brand
Selecting the brand which has been specified in your car owner’s manual is the best way. However in case that specific brand is too expensive and you want reduce the cost, you can follow the specification which can also found in the owner’s manual. However don’t be tempted to buy the cheapest brand to avoid any damage which can cost you more money than buying expensive battery.
Reserve Capability (RC)
Reserve Capability (RC) measures how many minutes the battery can provide power for your car before falling below the minimum voltage level. This is necessary as you will use electrical equipment on your vehicle while the engine is off. The RC rating of a battery is listed in minutes and usually you can’t notice the RC rating on the battery as it is not typically printed on the label. Check the manual or ask the store assistant to find out the true RC rating of a specific battery.
Age
Ask the store for the freshest battery available. A battery that’s been on the shelf for an extended period can lose some of its charge and may not perform likewise the first time it’s started. Learn to interpret battery date codes. Long term performance probably won’t be compromised as the battery can be returned to its original levels of performance with either in-vehicle charging or by using an external charger.
The age of the battery provides you an idea on how long it should be able to perform.
Cold-cranking Amps (CCA)
Car batteries are rated by cranking amps and cold cranking amps – CA and CCA respectively. These ratings should be displayed on your battery. Cold Cranking Amps reflects how well it handles additional stressful starting conditions. Your new battery should at least equal the old one in this rating. The first battery was engineered to begin your vehicle and optimally run all its accessories.
CCA determines how well your battery will supply sufficient power for 30 seconds at a temperature of zero degrees Fahrenheit. In general, use the amount provided by the manual or the CCA of the battery that was originally put in on your vehicle. Selecting a battery with a high variety of CCA is good particularly to those vehicles being driven in a cold climate. A higher cold- cramping amps ensures that your automobile’s engine will starts perfectly even on snowy mornings.
Batteries that solely show hot cranking amps (HCA) or cranking amps (CA) aren’t also suited for cold-weather areas.
Before you’re taking an extended trip, or when you are having your car serviced, have your battery tested. It may save you a large number of time and money down the road.
