Understanding Battery Health

A study conducted by CTEK showed that Australians spent approximately $761 million in 2017 alone. That is an incredible amount, but how many of those battery purchases could have been avoided or mitigated for a few years with good battery care?

There are many different types of car batteries available on the market and covering every one is beyond to scope of this article. So, we will focus on the two most popular battery types, the regular lead acid battery, and the absorbent glass mat (AGM) battery.

There are a number of different issues that can affect the condition of your car battery. The primary cause of car battery failure is heat, but how much it’s used and how long it’s used for are both important factors.

A good quality car battery could last anywhere between two up to six years. Of course, we would all like our battery life to be at the upper end of this range. Every year that we don’t have to buy a new car battery is money in our pocket.

Shorter Car Battery Discharge Times

The health of your car battery can be compromised by lots of short journeys. The battery will discharge naturally over time by using the ignition and other systems. If the drive is less than twenty minutes, the car battery will not have enough time to recharge fully. This often leads to a permanent reduction in the capacity of the battery to fully recharge. If this type of driving is how you use your car, it’s a good idea to use a battery charger to top the battery up periodically.

Heat Can Damage Car Batteries

When a car battery heats up, the evaporation and distortion caused can permanently damage it. This is equally true for both lead acid and AGM car batteries, and it should come as no surprise that Queenslanders are the most likely Australians to get a flat battery.

If the car battery needs attention, you will find that the crank cycle is slower than it should be. The battery warning light should come on, and you may notice that some auxiliary systems are not receiving power. If the battery is dead it’s a bad idea to try and jump start it; many modern cars have sensitive sensors, computers and other electronic components that can be damaged by the resulting power surge.

If they are considering a Skoda Superb Perth based motorists should contact Skoda Perth for a no obligation test drive.