Modern car batteries are classified in the lead-acid design class. They are also called "wet" in foreign countries. This type of battery has been on the conveyor for a long time, therefore it is regularly improved. If earlier it was necessary to constantly monitor the electrolyte level inside the battery (because of "boiling" it often exposed the plates, which contributed to sulfation and rapid discharge of the battery), now, thanks to the use of the latest materials, the intensity of boiling and gassing has been significantly reduced. This led to the emergence of new classes of batteries, namely little maintained and not maintained at all.
Before moving on to choosing a battery, let's examine the main characteristics of our assistant
Voltage. The main thing is not to stick a twenty-four volt battery into a car with a 12 volt electrical network!
Capacity. This is the amount of energy that the battery can store in itself. For different types of cars, the battery must have its own capacity parameter (measured in Ampere-hours (Ah)). For instance:
- for small cars, it is advised to take batteries with a capacity of up to 40 Ah;
- for gasoline engines in temperate climates - 60 Ah;
- gasoline and some diesel vehicles in cold climates - 80 Ah;
- all gasoline and diesel engines in cold climates - 100 Ah;
- special equipment - over 100 Ah.
Do not forget that the capacity decreases during operation.
Dimensions. It will be very disappointing if the new battery does not fit under the hood.
Starting current. On average, from 500 Ah, but it all depends on the car! For some, 420 is more than enough.
Life time. It is desirable that the battery last as long as possible. If the battery "departs" for five years, we can say that the choice was successful.
Polarity. It is necessary that the "+" and "-" of the battery coincide with the similar terminals under the hood of the car. And the thickness of the terminals for some models differs from each other.
Now you can go directly to the most delicious - to the firms that produce these very batteries.
The fifth place rightfully goes to the best battery from the middle low price segment. Aktex became the first hybrid battery in Russia. High inrush currents and low self-discharge allowed this battery to occupy its niche in the domestic market. The average cost is from 3000 to 8000 rubles.
The fourth place is taken by a traditional battery with liquid electrolyte. Thanks to the technology of introducing silver particles into the grids of the battery, it becomes more resistant to low temperatures. Indeed, models with a starting current of 680 Ah can start the engine at temperatures as low as -40 degrees! The cost of such batteries ranges from 4000 to 12000 rubles.
The third place is taken by the Irkutsk BEAST, which, thanks to silicon oxide, boasts increased electrode protection. Also, due to the presence of calcium in the plates, it gets rid of corrosive deposits, which increases its service life. A charge eye (aerometer) is installed on the cover. The cost of worthy copies starts from five thousand rubles.
A foreign company (which does not need a special introduction) Bosch is next in line! This is already a representative of the AGM battery family. Thanks to this, the battery is very resistant to prolonged discharge with low currents and quickly gains a charge. And if you go out for bread once a week, then be sure: this battery will not let you down! Of the minuses, you can write an overpriced (brand, after all) and small starting currents. The old 2016 hulls lacked the aerometer, but this was fixed in 2017. Price from 5000 rubles and above.
And here is the winner of our top - the Turkish guest of the Russian counters Mutlu! This is really the battery that can last five, eight, eleven years of continuous operation! And it is not unique. The Turks "nagged" something with the technology of improving the plates, which made it possible to significantly reduce the sulfation of these. From here comes a decent resource even with hard and unstable battery operating modes. The new models feature an aerometer and partial access to the banks, which increases the ability to recover the battery. The cost is also pleasant - from 3,500 to 10 thousand rubles.
