Batteries are such an important part of your car, that it really does pay to buy a good one. Also in this case, size does matter!
We find that most people don’t understand the role a battery takes in the vehicle. The size of the battery, it’s cold cranking amp (CCA) capacity number and, more importantly, it’s reserve capacity (RC) number are the crucial markers for a correctly fitted battery. The higher these numbers, the stronger the battery.
CCA is the number of amps a battery can support for 30 seconds at a temperature of 0 degrees F until the voltage drops to unusable levels.
RC helps to power your vehicle’s electrical system if the alternator fails. It indicates the battery’s “staying power” — how many minutes the battery can supply ample power without falling below the minimum voltage needed to run your vehicle.
Ii you live in a cold climate, the cold cranking amp number should be as high as possible. If you live in a high heat climate, this number doesn’t have to be as strong. Cheap batteries are just that, CHEAP! Products that only display hot cranking amps (HCA) or cranking amps (CA) ratings are tested at higher temperatures so the resulting numbers appear higher but your not getting what you think you are paying for.
The components on your vehicle such as the engine management system, instrumentation, lights, nav screen, extra power ports, and DVD players all require amperage from the battery to be consistent and pure.
If you travel and leave your vehicle unused for periods of time more than a day, you might want to consider buying a battery maintainer. This piece of equipment will provide only enough charge to maintain the battery at full charge. Do not hook the battery up to a regular battery charger as this will probably overcharge the battery.
An overcharged battery will boil the sulfuric acid and distilled water mix. The casing of the battery can become hot to the touch, and begin to melt or swell.
Do not expect that a battery will last forever, warranty notwithstanding. Battery warranties do not provide lifetime replacement. Warranties prorate over a period of time. Each battery manufacturer has a different warranty. For instance, a battery that has a 2 year free replacement with a 5 year warranty means in the first 2 years the company will replace it. After 2 years the remaining time is handled by prorating. Which means a 4 year old battery with a 5 year warranty, you may only get a 5.00 credit.
We will check your battery charge levels the next time you are in for any reason. We don’t want you to get stranded!