Tech Geek
Alert… skip to the advice section to save boredom!
Car batteries store an amazing amount of potential energy in
the form of a chemical reaction set up between the sulfuric acid and the lead
plates submerged in that acid bath. The
energy leaves the battery pretty quickly during the starting process because
the starter consumes a bunch in a short period of time. When the engine is
running, your car’s alternator recharges the battery, but at a much slower
rate. Therefore it takes longer to charge than it does to drain a car battery.
All batteries have a limited number of times they can be charged.
The physical parts and chemicals just wear out over time. And, letting a car
battery go completely dead dramatically reduces the longevity of the battery;
so don’t let this happen if you can avoid it. A fully charged led/acid battery
has an open cell voltage of around 13.5-14 volts (these numbers vary with
materials and temperature). A volt is a measure of electrical pressure. Ampere,
or Amps for short are a measure of electrical volume or quantity. Amps x Volts = Watts in a DC circuit… 746
watts = 1 horsepower. Hey… I gave a tech
geek alert in the beginning, didn’t I? I also did not discuss deep cycle batteries or
AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries because most of us do not have them in our
cars.
Advice
Battery life is limited and diminishes over time. In Texas,
you can expect a battery to last somewhere between 3 and 4 years. But as time
marches on, its capacity wears out. Very cold temps (40°s and below), and very
hot temps (90°+) significantly impact your car battery’s performance. If it is two
or three years old, the first cold snap could render it useless and leave you
out in the cold.
Good news! We test batteries for free during business hours.
And since we are past the techie part, I’ll just say, modern day battery
testers are really expensive and really good at judging a battery’s capacity
and health.
Come on by and let us check your battery out. There is no
charge for the test and we will give you a print-out that demonstrates your
battery’s relative health. Then you can drive into the holidays with confidence
or with a new budget item. Either way, you will know, and you can prepare and
plan.
Be safe and be kind on the roads… happy motoring.
-Tom Fonshell, Service Manager
Hewlett Volkswagen
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