A car battery is the heart of your vehicle’s electrical system and provides short bursts of energy to power the lights, accessories and engine. A healthy battery has a service life of between 2 and 5 years.
When the time comes for a replacement, it’s important to choose the right brand and type of battery that will provide the best performance and longevity for your vehicle. Cheap batteries are often not made from high quality materials and may only last for about 12 months, whereas high-quality car batteries replacement Adelaide are built to last longer.
One of the most common signs of a dying battery is that your car won’t start. This can be caused by a number of factors, but it’s usually the result of a battery that has gone flat or is in need of replacement.
Another common sign is that your battery won’t hold a charge for long periods of time. This is particularly true if you have to run the engine frequently or your battery has been overcharged or undercharged.
You can also test the battery by checking its voltage. A good mechanic will have a multimeter that can measure this for you and tell you whether your battery is in need of replacement.
The next time you need to start your car or boat, consider a battery that delivers sustained amounts of power over a period of time. Typically, these are deep cycle batteries that deliver up to two or three times more cold cranking amps (CCA) than traditional lead-acid batteries.
They also have a longer lifecycle than lead-acid batteries and are not susceptible to thermal runaway when overcharging. This makes them a great choice for RVs, 4WDs, off-road vehicles and even house batteries on boats.
There are several types of deep cycle batteries available in Australia. Typical options include Flooded Lead Acid (often called wet), Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) and Gel batteries.
Flooded lead acid batteries (also known as wet) are different from sealed lead acid batteries in that they contain electrolyte that moves around the internal plates when charged and the battery acid reacts to store energy. These batteries need to be mounted upright so the electrolyte does not spill out.
AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries are much less expensive than flooded lead acid batteries but charge slower. They are not as resistant to corrosion and sulfation.
Gel batteries are similar to AGM but have the electrolyte stored in a gel form instead of moving around the battery plates when charged. They are leak-proof but charge more slowly than similarly sized AGM batteries.
Solar deep cycle batteries in Adelaide are an ideal option for households that are looking to use surplus solar generated power as their main power source. While it’s not economical to install a battery in every home, the opportunity cost of converting surplus power into a battery is low in most Australian markets.