Now is the time for a winter battery check
With Met Office forecasts of more widespread frost and sub-zero temperatures by mid-week, the VARTA experts at Johnson Controls Batteries Ltd are advising drivers to give their car battery a winter fitness check to avoid a potential breakdown.
As power consumption during cold and damp weather increases, the environment for car batteries is particularly challenging. Every winter, breakdown statistics from the motoring organisations show that weak batteries are the main cause of roadside and home call outs, so a battery check should be just as much a part of the seasonal service as lights, brakes and tyre checks.
High energy usage in cold weather – rear window demisting, heater fan on high – is only part of the problem. On short journeys the alternator is unable to fully charge the battery between starts. At the same time, the battery’s performance drops because chemical processes inside the power source are slower at lower temperatures.
Cold-starting ability can be checked easily and safely with the aid of an electronic battery tester. The cold cranking amperes (often abbreviated on the battery as CCA) give the maximum amount of current a battery can provide for a maximum of 10 seconds on starting, without the battery voltage falling below 7.5 volts. The cold cranking amperes of conventional batteries are between 300 and 920.
The older the battery, the more likely it is to fail, and since many drivers are unaware of the state of their car’s battery, the battery manufacturer is advising garages up and down the country to warn their customers of the inherent dangers of a drop in battery performance before the winter season begins in earnest.
Replacing a tired battery does not have to mean an expensive investment. Johnson Controls tailors its Trio range of batteries to suit the vehicle and the budget, with the VARTA Black Dynamic range especially designed for older cars with fewer electrical consumers than today’s high tech offerings.
A popular 41 amp/hour type for a seven–10 year old car is likely to retail at around £52 + VAT, although at this time of year there will be some good promotional deals available. Johnson Controls recommends that consumers visit the dealer search on the VARTA website – varta-automotive.com – to locate their nearest stockists and phone around for the best deal.
For current mainstream models, the VARTA Blue Dynamic range is the right choice, capable of providing all the cold starting power and long service life most motorists in Britain will ever need, while for high end prestige models and cars with Start-Stop technology, the VARTA Start-Stop Plus battery with AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology adds additional benefits such as even higher cycle stability and better charge acceptance – a decisive factor for an advanced Start-Stop system.
