ALL motorists know how important a battery is for their car. But when it comes to needing a replacement battery, few people know which is the best.
“Most motorists only pay attention to the battery when it starts giving trouble,” said Jason Ravenscroft, franchise manager at Battery Centre.
Ravenscroft said the right battery should meet the demands of the car, specifically newer ones where there is a continuous discharge and charging process.
Many new cars with Start/Stop technology use batteries specially manufactured with Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM).
Start/Stop cars switch off several times during a single drive such as waiting for a traffic light to change, and when the brake is released or the accelerator is engaged, the car starts hassle-free because of the battery.
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AGM batteries are a newer technology lead-acid battery that loses almost no water and is powerful enough to start the engine and keep things running when the car is switched off.
They require no maintenance, which is why they can be positioned in the boot or under the seat. The electricity produced when braking is stored in the AGM battery.
Can you use a standard lead-acid battery in a Start/Stop car?
“It’s strongly not advised. It can void the car and battery warranties,” said Ravenscroft.
A standard lead-acid battery cannot endure the demands that a battery is subjected to in a high end Start/Stop application and will fail prematurely.
In addition to this, where the car utilises regenerative braking technology, a standard lead-acid battery will not be able to accept the rate of charge through this process and could lead to the unit swelling up, leaking acid into the car through excessive heat build-up or, in the worst case, explode within the vehicle.
