The role of the car battery
- Principally used to start your engine.
- Filters/stabilises power to provide extra power for the ignition, lighting and other vehicle accessories when they become too much for the charging system to handle i.e. when idling.
- Provides power to the electrical system when the charging system is not in operation.
Regular maintenance of your battery is very important to give it extra drive and increase battery life!
The two most common types of car batteries are:
1. Low maintenance
2. Maintenance free
The ups and downs (mostly ups) of a maintenance free battery
- Less preventative maintenance.
- Longer life.
- Faster recharging.
- Greater overcharge resistance.
- Reduced terminal corrosion.
- Longer shelf life.
- Only down side, they are more prone to deep discharge (dead battery) failures due to increased shedding of active plate material.
Choosing the right battery
When selecting a battery, it is important to choose a battery that is manufacture recommended to suit the voltage output of your charging system and its application. Tip: Replace your battery with the original brand of battery or with a reputable brand.
Quick safety tips
- Dirty and corroded terminals keep power from flowing freely to the engine.
- Non-sealed battery cells should be regularly checked and if needed, filled with distilled water.
- Secure the battery in its housing – vibrations can damage the battery plates.
- A battery should not be left to stand dormant without being charged.
- Check if your headlights are off when not driving– they will drain the battery’s power.
- If the vehicle’s battery light comes on, too much power is being used. Turn off all your electricity-draining accessories (e.g. air conditioning) and head for Hi-Q!
Hi-Q stocks a wide range of top quality low maintenance and maintenance batteries. The superior brands we fit include Exide and Willard.
