When a car battery fails, it needs to be replaced. Ordinarily, many factors determine the lifespan of a car’s battery and among them are how it’s used and the climatic conditions of the place that you live. But what many people don’t realize is that if you choose well, a used automobile battery can function perfectly just as a new one would.
Here is a checklist of 5 things that you should check when buying a second-hand battery for your car.
1. The size of the battery
You should know that car batteries are categorized into group sizes that indicate their height, length, and width. Look at your car’s owner’s manual and you will know the best size for your car. Alternatively, you may consult with a mechanic who will help you make comparisons and select the best for you. The best size is one that fits into the car’s battery tray, so it does not vibrate and cause unnecessary damage.
2. Reserve capacity
The reserve capacity of a car’s battery is the length of time that a battery can run on its power without the engine and before it discharges. Batteries that offer a high reserve capacity are always better. You will discover that these batteries can still assist your car when faced with alternator failure and when the engine is noncompliant.
3. Battery freshness
This is indicated by a combination of codes and letters, and while the letters show the year of manufacture, the letters indicate the month of manufacture. The general rule of thumb is that you should only buy batteries that are not more than a few years old. The positive and negative car battery reviews that are available online should be your best friend when you want to know how important getting a used battery that is not very old can be.
4. Maintenance
When it comes to maintenance, there are two types here: some car batteries need low maintenance, while others are maintenance-free types. You will discover the maintenance-free types are fully sealed and use electrolytes that may run for the entire life of the battery, so there is no need for replacement. For the low-maintenance batteries, you are supposed to add some distilled water occasionally. It is designed to have terminals that are marked as positive and negative, and the place where you add the distilled water is shown.
5. Power requirement
When it comes to a car’s battery, power requirement refers to cold-cranking amps and cranking amps. Cranking amps refers to the amount of energy that is necessary to start the vehicle at a temperature of 32 degrees, while cold-cranking is the energy that is necessary to get the vehicle started at zero degrees. For cold climates, car batteries that have better cold-cranking amps are more preferable.
When you learn the above things about a used car battery, you will be able to make a good purchase decision. There are many amazing brands, and with some diligence, you should be able to buy a used car battery that will power your car for longer.
