Car Battery Replacement

Mobile Battery Replacement – Servicing All of Australia

When you look under the hood of your vehicle, you will find the car battery. It is an extremely important part of your car. It provides electricity that the vehicle uses for the door locks, lights, and other accessories. It is also responsible for starting your vehicle. If the battery dies, your car will stop working.

How do you know when you need a new battery for your car? Here are the signs to watch out for:

• You notice that the engine is sluggish when you attempt to start it, which now takes longer than normal.
• The engine light can appear weak, which means the battery is dying.
• The battery fluid level is lower than the lead plates or energy conductor inside its casing. Be sure to keep an eye on the translucent part of the casing where you will see the battery fluid.
• The battery case appears swollen or bloated. Excessive heat can cause this problem, which in turn decreases the life of the battery.
• When the battery is leaking, it can result in corrosion around the area where the plus and minus cable connectors are found.
• Your battery typically has a lifespan of more than three years. However, it should be inspected yearly right when it reaches this mark.

While it can last three to five years, your driving habits and even the climate can have an impact on the battery’s wellbeing. Some factors can affect the life of your car battery, including:

• Shorter trips, specifically those that do not take 20 minutes, will shorten the life of your battery.
• Extreme temperatures can take a toll on your battery.

Regular battery testing is the best way to ensure the battery can start your car in any condition. However, even when you take care of it, there are times when it will simply die for reasons you did not cause.

Tips for Replacing Car Batteries

When you see the signs above in your battery, it is indeed time for you to get a replacement. Three main things influence your buying decision: size, reserve capacity, and amps.

1. Size

To find the right replacement; the first step is to determine the group size of the car battery. The size is important because the battery should fit securely in the tray. There are various sizes available depending on the manufacturer, but you will find a specific group size where yours will fit.

Find the group size first, which is in the owner’s manual. You can talk to a battery retailer to know the group size of the battery if you no longer have the manual. The most common group sizes are:

• Size 34: Mostly Chrysler vehicles
• Size 35: Honda, Toyota, and Nissan cars
• Size 75: GM cars
• Size 65: Bigger cars

Some General Motors and Chrysler cars have size 34/78 battery group size. You need to buy the correct size; otherwise, it can damage your car.

2. Reserve Capacity

The reserve capacity of RC is the standing power of the battery, which is often listed in minutes. It refers to the amount of time that the battery can provide the minimum voltage for running the car in case the fan belt or alternator fails. You need to choose a battery with an excellent RC rating so that you will have no problems running the car using the battery alone.

However, it does mean that you should choose the one with the longest or highest RC. You should still consider other factors and make sure that you consult the owner’s manual to learn about the recommended RC rating for your car.

The reserve rating acts like the car’s emergency kit. If it has a higher number (in minutes), you have fewer chances of getting stranded in case of car trouble.

3. Amp

The amp rating, specifically the cold-cranking rating of the battery, measures the ability of the battery to start the car even when it is extremely cold. You may have already noticed that it is difficult to start your vehicle during freezing conditions. The problem is often due to the much thicker engine oil.

When the cold cranking amp (CCA) of the vehicle has an excellent rating, you can use the car even in cold climates. Make sure you do not confuse the cold cranking amps (CCA) with the cranking amps (CA).

Aside from these three, you may also want to look at the brand of the battery. There are numerous brands available, but they mostly come from just a few manufacturers. Ideally, you should purchase the battery indicated in the owner’s manual.

However, there may be instances when the battery specified is quite expensive for you. If you plan to save, be sure that the battery you purchase meets the requirements stated in the manual.