Having a starter battery in good condition is a key element in the maintenance of your car. Here’s what to know before buying a battery

The car battery: essential for proper operation

The battery is a key element for starting. On contact with the key, the battery delivers a current to the starter, this small electric motor which sets in motion the internal mechanical parts of the engine. The battery is supplied with current by the alternator. This part is equivalent to the dynamo on a bicycle.

The battery is therefore recharged when the engine is running.

Main car battery brands

The car battery market is dominated by a few brands including  Bosch ,  Varta  and  Energizer , which you already know for the various batteries and rechargeable batteries for your portable electrical devices.

Other battery buying choices are available from less mainstream brands like  Fulmen  and  Rayvolt

Not all batteries are created equal. Can you tell them apart and find the ones that will replace your old battery?

Auto battery, diagnose and correct faults before replacing

When the battery power drops below a certain voltage, it becomes insufficient for the starter to engage and your vehicle will not start.

A battery with too low power on a damaged electrical harness can even lead to overheating and the outbreak of fire in the harness. To avoid any disappointment, it is therefore advisable to act at the first signs of battery weakness. Pushing the diesel car and starting in second is clearly not a viable solution over time.

Before replacing the battery, it will be best to identify the origin of the starting problem. Here is a short list of the most common possibilities in my opinion:

Diagnose failures of natural origin

Old age: today the lifespan of a car battery is 5 to 7 years nowadays compared to around ten years until the end of the 90s.

Extreme cold:  Not all batteries have the same resistance to cold. With the cold, a battery delivers less power. A tired battery will not be strong enough to provide enough energy to start a vehicle.

Great rest: the prolonged inactivity of the vehicle while certain elements remain under voltage causes the elements to drain the energy of the battery which runs out for lack of being recharged from time to time.

To restart, you can use another vehicle connected by  jumper cables  , carefully following the manufacturer’s instructions to avoid any damage and electrocution.

No second vehicle? There is the  Booster , a portable starter battery that can get you out of many situations.

Diagnose breakdowns related to mechanical or electrical failure

Bad contact:  The ground cut at the level of the ground braid , in poor condition, the battery terminals completely oxidized

Bad connection:  If an accessory or an auxiliary battery is used, the decoupler does not play its role.

HS starter  : This is often a simple part to replace. The biggest difficulty is sometimes access to certain screws and maintain their integrity.

Alternator , alternator belt out of order.

Before replacing a battery, make sure you know the source of the failure. The easiest way is to start with a battery charge.

In the event of a breakdown, replacing the car battery is a necessary step in fault diagnosis. You will then know if it is the battery that is faulty or if the origin is elsewhere.

1. The life of a car battery

A battery has a lifespan of 4 to 5 years. The lucky ones who use their vehicle regularly will be able to push it up to 6 or 7 years at the most.

Approximately every 5 years, it will therefore be necessary to replace the car battery. The most modern vehicles carry more and more electronics, which requires batteries in good working order for the whole thing to work.

The life of a car battery decreases if the vehicle is not driven often. Consequently, if you do not need your vehicle for a long period, the best would be to run the engine for several minutes every 3 weeks to 1 month or to drive a few kilometres.

2. The nominal power of a car battery

For the reasons mentioned above, your battery may not supply the necessary 13.8V of voltage but deliver around 12V.

In reality the voltage is not the only criterion since the power available and delivered which counts. Below a certain power, the vehicle will not start. It will then be time to recharge the battery. This capacity is expressed in Amps/hour.

If you have already recharged the battery and despite this it does not last long, then it will be necessary to plan for its replacement.

3. Compatibility with your vehicle

Look first at the voltage because even if 12V is widespread on light vehicles and you have no chance of making a mistake in the car battery department, there are batteries for large vehicles such as utility 4x4s and trucks that are 24V.

The dimensions, of course, it will be necessary to be able to accommodate the battery in the compartment dedicated to this use.

Is your vehicle “start and stop”? In this case you will have to restrict your search to start and stop batteries . Rather than standard technologies, opt for AGM constructions.

Battery Technology Standard:  It is a simple construction, reconditionable and whose lifespan is inferior to AGM batteries. They are suitable for vehicles used regularly. The purchase price is lower than AGM but also their lifespan.

Battery AGM technology:  The Absorbent Glas Mat  allows an increased lifespan, announced at triple the lifespan of a standard battery. This technology is therefore generally recommended for “Start and Go” vehicles, energy-intensive vehicles and those equipped with a braking energy recovery device.

Find your AGM battery on the auto-facile.com comparator.