What You Should Know About Car Batteries: Helpful Tips for Every Driver!
It's a warm sunny day in Phoenix and somewhere between taking the kids to school and dropping off the dry cleaning, your battery dies. It's always at the most inopportune time! It's just an inconvenience ~ one of life's little surprises; which will probably occur more than once in the lifetime of your vehicle.
Knowledge is power ~ the more you know about how your car battery works and what to consider when purchasing a new one for your vehicle, the better prepared you'll be for life's little surprises.
How does it work?
A battery stores energy in lead form that can be released on demand as electricity. This electrical power is used by the car's ignition system for cranking the engine. The battery is used to start the vehicle. The alternator powers the accessories and the battery is there as "back up" in case the alternator-belt computer surge protector fails.
What to consider when buying a battery?
- Size ~ Dimensions?
- Power ~ What are the cold cranking amps? Cold Cranking Amps also known as CCA is a rating used in the battery industry to define a battery’s ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. The rating is the number of amps a new, fully charged battery can deliver at 0 degrees Farenheit for 30 seconds, while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts, for a 12 volt battery. The higher the CCA rating, the greater the starting power of a battery.
- Warranty ~ There are different warranty packages available; choose the best one to suit your needs!
What can excessive heat do to a battery?
We live in the desert. The desert heat has proven time and time again that it will deteriorate a battery's life quicker by evaporating the water from the electrolyte, and corroding and weakening the positive grids.
These days, most batteries are called "Maintenance Free". This means that they don't need to be refilled with water by the consumer. It's designed to wear down. Did you know that the average life of a battery is about 26 months?
Troubleshooting
One sure-fire way to assess whether you need a new battery or not is that when you put the key in the ignition, if there is no power, i.e., no lights, dash board lights are not coming on, accessories such as the radio do not work ~ chance are, you need a new battery.
Sun Devil Auto Battery Test
Sun Devil provides a FREE Battery Test (whether you buy the battery from us or not) to customers. The diagnostic equipment essentially asks the following questions:What is the CCA rating?
- What are the manufacturer’s requirements for the vehicle being tested?
Our certified technician enters the information. And the test results will produce the following information:Percentage of “life” left in the battery?
- What are the manufacturer’s requirements for the vehicle being tested?
Most Common WarrantiesSun Devil’s Basic Warranty is a 1-year FREE Replacement/5 year pro-rated plan.
- Sun Devil’s Upgraded Warranty is a 3 year FREE Replacement / 7 year pro-rated plan. (For just a little bit more money, it’s worth it!)
Average Cost for a Battery
Anywhere from $50-$100 is the average cost of a battery.
So the next time you can't start your engine because of one of life's unexpected surprises, remember these helpful tips and call Sun Devil Auto!
