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What is the difference between CCA and CA?
What is reserve capacity? Reserve capacity (RC) is an industry rating that helps you determine how long a new, fully charged battery will maintain a low amperage load to power electrical demands, such as lights, spark plug ignition and the fuel pump should the vehicle's alternator fail. Do today's smaller batteries have as much power as older, larger ones did? Batteries are categorized by group size. Some group sizes have been in use for many years and have become popular standards. As battery technology has advanced, some original equipment batteries have become smaller, but may carry higher ratings. How can I determine the right power requirements for my car? Start by consulting your vehicle's owner's manual. It will list the manufacturer's recommended group size and minimum power rating. This information is also available in your retailer's battery application guide. You should not use a battery with a rating lower than the one your vehicle's manufacturer recommends. A higher rated battery, on the other hand, may improve starting in older vehicles and, in general, provide a longer battery life. What effect does extreme heat have on a battery? Extreme heat causes the water in the battery to evaporate faster than under mild temperatures. The heat also causes the grids that make up the positive plates to corrode more rapidly. These two factors are detrimental to the long-term life of the battery. What effect does extreme cold have on a battery? The amount of power a battery can produce is greatly reduced by the cold. At 0º Fahrenheit (-17.8º Celsius), a battery will deliver only about 40 percent of the power it would at 80º Fahrenheit (26.7º Celsius). The slowing effect that cold temperatures have on a fully charged battery are not permanent. If a battery is not fully charged, however, the electrolyte can freeze and damage the plates or crack the container. Batteries at usable states of charge will not freeze at temperatures above ?20º Fahrenheit. What sort of maintenance should I perform on my battery? Modern automotive and light truck batteries need little attention. Check the battery once a year for signs of corrosion at the terminals. Clean the terminals with a mixture of baking soda and water. Keep the top of the battery clean of heavy dirt and oil to prevent low-grade short circuiting. Some batteries are equipped with removable vents so that the electrolyte levels in each cell can be checked and filled with water if the level is low (keep the liquid level about 18 inch below the bottom of the fill well). Always use good quality drinking water or distilled water to prevent iron or other chemicals from contaminating the electrolyte. Be careful not to overfill the cells or acid may be expelled during operation or charging. If your vehicle has not been started in more than a month, recharge the battery before using the car. How do I charge a battery? Is it dangerous? Always treat batteries with caution, whether
they are undercharged or not. All lead-acid batteries contain corrosive sulfuric acid and
generate explosive gasses. Read and follow all warning labels displayed on the battery.
Even sealed, maintenance free batteries have small vents to release internally generated
gasses and can leak or spew acid if tipped or charged too vigorously. Normal hydrogen and
oxygen generation by the battery is accelerated during charging. Take these precautions: How do I know I need to replace my battery? Warnings that a battery may need replacing or
that the electrical system needs to be checked include: This is the second battery I've put in my car in 10 days. Could something else be wrong? The chances of getting two defective batteries
in a row are remote. If the battery is undamaged and it recharges and performs well on a
load test, then something else is wrong. Ask these questions: What is a core charge and why do I have to pay it? A core charge is a fee set by the government that is added to the price of a battery when it is sold. This is a common practice in the sale of automotive parts. When you return the part (in this case, the battery) the core charge is refunded to you. The purpose of the battery core charge is to make sure that spent car batteries are returned to stores where they are regularly picked up to be recycled. This helps the environment by keeping batteries out of landfills. Is it true that four cylinder engines require more power to start than six cylinder engines? Some four cylinder engines require more power to start than do six cylinder engines. In a four cylinder vehicle, the starter normally turns at a higher r.p.m. and there are fewer chances to "fire" per revolution. Many other factors come into play, such as compression ratios, starter motor design and vehicle options. Consult your vehicle's owner's manual or your retailer's battery application guide to be sure you have at least a battery with the manufacturer's minimum power requirement. Do fuel injection systems use more power to start a car? Spark ignition engines with fuel injection are not necessarily harder to start than those with naturally aspirated carburetor systems. Diesel (compression ignition/fuel injection) engines do require significantly more starting time and power. How often should I replace my battery? Battery life varies from vehicle to vehicle, region to region and driver to driver. Take all of these factors into consideration when purchasing a battery. If you would like better performance from your next battery, consider upgrading to a higher CCA/CA rating. What is the relationship among CCA, voltage level and run time? Which one is the most important? When you turn the ignition switch in your car, you create an electrical circuit from the ignition switch to the battery. Battery voltage (the pressure that causes the current to flow) must be at or above a minimum level. As current is withdrawn, the battery's voltage has an initial large drop, then slows, then drops rapidly as the discharge continues. Normally the engine fires and runs within seconds without sustained or repeated cranks. The load required to crank the engine determines how much current the starter will draw. It only draws what it needs, regardless of any excess CCA capacity that the battery may have. If the engine doesn't start and you continue to crank it, the current discharge continues until there is not enough voltage to supply the required current. Cranking slows to a stop. CCA is usually stressed in comparing battery performance and a higher rated battery will typically give longer cranking time under the same conditions. CCA, however, is a specific characteristic geared to a worst-case-not typical- starting temperature of 0° Fahrenheit. A battery can be made to meet its CCA rating but fade rapidly at the end of the 30 second test limit. It is also possible to make a battery that meets its CCA rating, but sustains voltage better at more typical starting currents and temperatures and has much better reserve capacity. Depending on your driving habits and region, it may be better to select a battery with comparatively high reserve capacity (at the required CCA) rather than simply looking for batteries with higher and higher CCA ratings. How does power level relate to warranty life? Longer warranty periods are assigned to batteries with more or larger plates and higher CCA and reserve ratings. Warranty periods are not related to actual service life, except in comparative terms. For example, batteries with longer warranties will on average live longer than those with shorter warranties, when used under the same conditions (climate, vehicle application, driving pattern). For example, the life of a 500 CCA battery in a 300 CCA application will be better than the life of the same 500 CCA battery (with the same warranty) in a 500 CCA application. My new car has electrical devices that operate when the key is turned off. Will that hurt the battery? Key-off electrical loads are common. The vehicle's electrical system is modified to accommodate this extra drain. Even so, if you have a car with items that require power even after the key has been turned off, then you must be careful about extended periods of vehicle nonuse or driving patterns that involve frequent short trips, which do not allow the battery to recharge after the drain of the initial engine starting. If you do use your vehicle for only short trips, and its electrical system is in good working order, you should periodically recharge your battery. |