Every year, with the arrival of winter and the onset of cold weather, motorists face the same problem. Will the engine start after a long (or not so) downtime in the cold? Will you have to ask your neighbor to "light up" from his for some reason easily started car? What if nothing helps, and instead of a comfortable trip to personal car Will you need to run to a public transport stop or catch a ride?
Tellingly, our compatriots are not puzzled by these questions in advance, but at the very last moment, when the car has already stood for a week of the January holidays in the cold with the alarm turned on, you have to go to work, and for some reason the engine does not show signs of life.
Naturally, the battery becomes the victim of the car owner's anger in this case, and in the evening of the same day, in the company of fellow sufferers, the owner of movable property, which suddenly turned into real estate, goes to the store for a new battery.
The result is wasted time, not the smallest amount paid for a new device, seasonal revenue growth in specialized stores and joy for buyers of used batteries.
Before you go to the store for a new battery, you need to know one thing:
Do you need a new battery at all?
Of course, if the starter refuses to make even half a turn, and the backlight dashboard looks dull and flickering - with tension in onboard network clearly something is wrong. But does this mean that the battery needs to be changed?
No. Even if your battery is more than three years old, and "experienced drivers" diagnose him with death from natural causes. Modern quality batteries provided regular maintenance they live a very long time - for example, the battery on the author's last car worked for almost 9 years, without losing its characteristics and providing easy start-up in absolutely any conditions, including forty-degree Yekaterinburg frosts and one hundred percent St. Petersburg humidity.
If your battery is frozen and discharged, it is logical that it needs to be warmed up first and then charged. Remove the battery from the car - fortunately, this does not require any special skills or special tool. Check the integrity of the case (if the battery is swollen and burst, further manipulations are meaningless). Take the battery home and warm it up - for example, put it in a bowl of warm water (just don't fill the battery "with your head"!). This alone can help the battery the next time you start it up.
In addition, remember that any, absolutely any battery needs to be recharged regularly. It doesn't matter if your car has a "manufacturer recommended" battery or a super-mega-ultra-modern battery advertised everywhere. No words and slogans will save you from the need to independently extend the life of the battery.
Therefore, buy and keep at home good, suitable Charger. It is very easy to use, and it costs much less than a new battery. And if you consider that regular recharging will allow the battery to work properly for many, many years, the savings will be simply colossal.
It is advisable to recharge the battery twice a year - in the spring, when the cold has already receded, and in the fall, before they start. This process will take no more than a day and will not require your participation, since serviced batteries and dancing with a hydrometer are now completely a thing of the past. But as a result, launch problems will not bother you at all.
Also, remember that problems with starting the engine in cold weather may not be related to the battery at all! A faulty starter - for example, if the centering is knocked down - can consume a huge amount of energy, but at the same time not give out the proper power to start the engine. The fuel pump relay, SUDDENLY burnt out from old age or voltage drops, will save the engine from fuel: the starter will turn, the candles will give out a spark, and there will simply be nothing to ignite. Malfunctions in the ignition system or simply poor adjustment of it - on the contrary, will exclude a spark from the process. And excessively thickened or even frozen oil will not allow the engine to spin. But it can be bad, highly diluted gasoline, and summer diesel fuel sold under the guise of winter, and heavily polluted candles ... and this is only a minimal list possible causes in which replacing the battery will not help to start!
Recommendation #1: If you do not want to face the problem of difficult starting the engine, take care of its prevention. Regularly recharge the battery, use not necessarily expensive, but only high-quality and not fake engine oil and change it on time, preferably even more often than indicated in service book. Refuel only at proven gas stations - not necessarily "premium" grades of fuel, the main thing is that the gasoline is not diluted, and the diesel is clean and appropriate for the season.
Before winter, carry out mandatory preventive maintenance: call in a service where they will correctly set the ignition for you, check the performance of the starter and generator. Make sure that the engine cooling system is filled with good, suitable antifreeze, and not water and compositions close to it in characteristics. Check the condition of the terminals on the wires connecting to the battery, if necessary - replace them and be sure to lubricate them to protect them from oxidation.
In other words: good oil, good fuel, a good spark - and now you are helping your neighbors in the parking lot to get started in the cold, saving those freezing on the highway and in every possible way enjoying your own preparedness, and not vice versa.
If you live in the northern regions of the country or simply in areas with an extremely harsh climate, it is better to consider installing engine preheaters in advance, before winter. Yes, this is never budgetary, but when the temperature drops below 45-50 degrees, and you don’t have a warm garage, absolutely any engine can fail, and nothing will help here. new battery, nor timely service all vehicle systems.
Finally, if the car has already refused to start - do not rush to run and give money for new battery. First, the reasons bad start- the sea, and in many cases the battery is not in business at all. Secondly, recharging is most often able to bring the battery back to life, which is what buyers use, collecting live, in general, devices from motorists for a symbolic 50 rubles and then selling the same batteries for much more.
But if the battery is really out of order - and this, alas, is possible with modern batteries- you need to know the following:
Battery manufacturer
Like others car parts, consumables and auto chemicals, batteries are produced by many companies. Among them may be eminent European concerns that produce a wide range of products, and rare American brands in our latitudes, and various Asian firms known only for one type of manufactured goods, and Russian research institutes and NGOs.
List of manufacturers present in the DNS catalog: AtlasBX, Bosch, Docker, MegaBatt, Optima Batteries, Solite, Start.Bat, Titan, Tyumen Battery, Varta And Westa. And that's not all famous brands batteries!
How to make a choice? Funny moment: the brand itself does not mean anything and does not guarantee. Yes, the author can be called a fan of foreign batteries under the "V" brand, since already the second device from this manufacturer is extremely pleased with its survivability and characteristics ... but at the same time, the example of the author's acquaintances using Russian batteries under the "T" brand proves that the domestic industry can also please in a good sense of the word.
Recommendation #2: When choosing a battery, do not focus on the "brand reputation" and even more so - on reviews in online stores. And for sure - do not read summary reviews in domestic automotive magazines- the reputation of these publications is so polluted that it seems that soon they will start publishing articles on the topic "will the battery reveal the potential of ignition coils?".
If you want to know if this or that battery is suitable for you, and how it will behave in your climate, it’s better to go to the city auto forum or to the same drive2 and read about the experience of your fellow citizens - it will be much more useful. Summary tests are best read in foreign automotive magazines.
Battery capacity
As in any other battery - for example, in power supplies for smartphones or laptops - the capacity of a battery means the amount of energy that it is able to accumulate, store and release. And it is also measured in Amperes / hours.
But there is a caveat: unlike the same phones, the car does not always run on battery power (unless, of course, you have an electric car). And chasing more volume than your car needs simply does not make sense: you will spend more money on the battery itself, and as a result, most likely, you will get constant undercharging, which will affect the health of the battery in a far from good way.
Recommendation #3: If your car is equipped with a battery from the factory with a capacity of, for example, 62 Ah, and you have not made major changes to it, such as installing powerful acoustics and a more efficient generator - choose a battery with a capacity of 62 Ah or close to this setting. If you want to spend more money - better buy a battery of the same capacity, but with a large starting current, or, for example, gel battery instead of a battery with liquid electrolyte. This will bring you real and tangible benefits.
Of course, small deviations from passport data are acceptable. For example, if it allows seat, instead of a battery with a capacity of 38 Ah, you can install analogues with capacity up to 45 A/h, instead of 55 A / h - analogues from 52 to 60 A/h, instead of 75 - models closest in capacity and so on. Small deviations are acceptable, but trying to stick all 75 A / h instead of 52 A / h is not worth it.
Starting current
And this is just a very important parameter. Starting current is the amount of energy that can go to the starter of the car. Usually this parameter is related to the capacity of the battery, however, devices with increased starting current exist from all manufacturers. For example, batteries of the most popular capacity in Russia - 55 A / h - depending on the ability to issue both standard for themselves 420 amperes, and all 500.
Roughly speaking, the more starting current, the better. It will be especially good for winter operation car, as well as strongly worn out engines in which a thicker and more viscous oil is poured. The only question is whether the battery is really capable of delivering the declared current during a cold start, what part of this current it "loses" during low temperatures and for how many launches it will be able to work. And this, alas, cannot be known without studying comparative reviews and experience of real car owners.
Recommendation #4: The more starting current, the better. But if the battery is capable of delivering a large number of ampere only at positive temperatures, and at -20 degrees it loses up to 60% of its power and turns the starter a maximum of 4 times before it is completely discharged - it will not help you anyway. In this case, it is important and necessary to look at the promised figures, but these figures must be confirmed by real facts.
Type of shell
Batteries are available in two housing options: European And Asian. The differences between them are ridiculously minimal: for the "Europeans" the terminals are recessed into the body, while for the "Asians" they protrude above it.
On the one hand, it is theoretically possible to install a "European" in the seat of an "Asian". On the other hand, do you need it? A "file-finished" mount will not provide the same secure fixation, as factory - unless you make a full custom. Yes, and fixing the terminals at the same time can be difficult.
Recommendation #5: Don't create problems for yourself out of the blue. If your car involves the use of an "Asian" type battery, choose such a battery. And the desire to create custom parts can always be realized in a more rewarding area than battery mounts.
Polarity
There are also only two options here: batteries are made either with straight(plus on the left, minus on the right), or with reverse polarity(minus on the left, plus on the right).
Recommendation #6: The recommendations here are exactly the same as in the previous paragraph: no need to reinvent the wheel. If a battery with straight polarity is installed as standard, choose a device with straight polarity. If with the reverse - buy the battery with the reverse. Not a single battery is worth re-tightening or lengthening power wires for its sake - unless, of course, the need for this is caused by deep tuning engine compartment and moving the battery from its original place.
Terminal size
As you might guess from the name, the terminal size is a parameter that determines what size and shape of terminals you can connect the battery to the car with. Moreover, there are a lot of standardized terminals: in addition to the “buttons” familiar to car owners, there are terminals for a bolt with a nut, and even threaded connections.
However, in the area car batteries The two most widely used standards are and .
The difference between them is in size. T1 is a standard found in European cars. These are "thick" terminals: positive diameter - 19.5 mm, negative - 17.8 mm. The T3 standard, on the contrary, is common in Asia. These are "thin" terminals, the positive diameter is 12.7 mm, the negative one is 11.1 mm.
Recommendation #7: It is theoretically possible to put a battery with T1 standard terminals on a car with T3 standard wires - however, for this you will have to barbarously "unclench" the terminals on the wires, which will call into question the reliability of the contact. The reverse operation - installing a battery with T3 terminals in a car with T1 wires - is not possible. It will be necessary either to replace the terminals on the wires, or to replace the entire power wires.
Of course, it's best not to. The reliability of the contact of the power wires with the terminals on the battery is an extremely important parameter, on which the ease of starting the engine largely depends. Therefore, "collective farming" is absolutely unacceptable here. Choose a battery with the type of terminals that is provided initially - this will avoid many problems during operation.
Of course, there are exceptional cases when you simply cannot find batteries with thin terminals on sale, but with thick ones - as many as you like and of any brands. In this case, the power wire assembly should be replaced, but only with factory-made and good quality devices.
dimensions
Batteries, depending on the characteristics, manufacturer and model, may vary in length, width And altitude even while remaining within the same standard.
And no matter how minor the size of the battery may seem, they need to pay close attention. If the length and width of the battery exceed the size of the landing area under the hood or in the trunk of a car, this is bad, because in this case the battery cannot be fixed in a regular way, but the car will still function.
But if the battery does not fit in height - this is VERY bad. The hood may simply not close, but if the bare metal of the hood touches both terminals at once, you are guaranteed a good PUMP, and the budget for remediation may be different.
Recommendation #8: Before buying a new battery, find out exactly what sizes are suitable for your car. And you don't need to measure old battery, namely the length and width of the landing area under it and the height from the platform to the hood. Yes, it's better once again to go to the garage or to the parking lot with a tape measure than to return to the store and hand over a battery that did not fit in size.
The presence of a collar
This parameter is important if in your car the battery is attached using a plate that clings to ... in fact, behind bead on the bottom edge of the battery case. If the battery is attached due to the clamping bracket attached from above, the collar will not needed.
Weight
Actually, a parameter that does not need any additional comments. Weight is weight. May vary depending on battery capacity, case size and other parameters.
Recommendation #10: It will not be superfluous at all in advance, before buying, to compare your physical capabilities and the weight of the battery that you plan to buy. There is no need to be a hero here - a broken back will not help you in any way when replacing the battery, especially in the cold. So in some cases it is better to pay extra for shipping. Although, on the other hand, drag 8-12 kg from the store to bus stop any physically healthy person can, and no one has canceled trolley bags yet.
The main thing in the selection of a battery is that it should physically "sit" in its designated place on your car, be connected to the mains and securely fastened.
The next step is to select the electrical characteristics of the battery, capacity and starting current, at this stage, for a more confident start of the engine, we are guided by the principle "the more the better".
Your personal preferences in choosing the battery brand, manufacturer and country of production are also important.
- You can choose a battery yourself, but for maximum confidence, we advise you to contact professional consultants of the Automotive network:
- they will select the battery you need and answer all your questions;
- often the space reserved for the battery allows you to install the battery large dimensions(which means more high performance), which can always be determined by a professional. Upgrading to a larger size not only allows you to install a more powerful battery and increase confidence in starting the engine, but often saves on purchase.
- if necessary, they will carry out express diagnostics of the electrical equipment of your car;
- during the entire service life they will service and charge the battery free of charge;
- Ultimately, they will save you time, nerves and money.
1. Dimensions and standard size
At self-selection The battery should be measured first. dimensions - length, width and height (cases and together with terminals). These parameters define the so-called battery size. Manufacturers produce batteries according to specified and agreed sizes, these are battery sizes. Batteries of the same size are interchangeable. In this case, we are not talking about observing the given dimensions with an accuracy of a millimeter, actual dimensions batteries may differ from the specified standards by +/- 7-9 mm., Such tolerances are usually not a hindrance to replacing the battery. For passenger cars, in the bulk, there are three types of batteries: Asian JIS (“horned” batteries), European DIN / EN (terminals flush with the cover) and much less American SAE. In our catalog, we also present the classification of truck batteries - TRUCK.
The JIS standard for passenger cars specifies the following basic sizes: B19, B24, D23, D26, D31, D33, E41. They are deciphered quite simply, the first letter indicates the width of the battery: B - 127 mm, D and E -172 mm, the numbers are the length rounded to centimeters, i.e., for example, the most common size B24 sets the battery length to about 24 cm. ( usually 233-235 mm.). Height of all Asian batteries for cars- about 200 when measured without taking into account the height of the terminals and 220 mm with them. The European standard for passenger batteries includes the following sizes: L1 and LB1, L2 and LB2, ... , L6 and LB6. The letters show the height of the battery, "regular" L -190 and "low" LB - 175 mm. The width of all passenger batteries of the DIN / EN standard is the same, 175 mm. The number after the letters indicates the length of the battery, rounded from 20 to 41 cm. The American BCI standard is little represented in our market and for the most part corresponds to the Asian JIS sizes. An exotic exception is the presence of side terminals, i.e. pole leads on the side face. In our catalog, we include American-standard batteries in terms of dimensions in the JIS classification, indicating the features of the presence of side terminals. We designate cargo batteries in our catalog as TRUCK 19/22/27, where the numbers are the rounded width of the batteries in centimeters, the length of these cargo batteries is 510-520 mm. A separate place is occupied by the size 31T / S - the so-called "stud", batteries with threaded terminals, which are installed mainly on American tractors.
2. Battery polarity
The next important parameter is the polarity of the battery, i.e. location of positive and negative terminals. To determine the polarity, you need to turn the battery towards you with the terminals and determine which side the negative terminal is on (the markings “+” and “-” are usually placed on the battery case near the terminals).
For passenger batteries, "minus" on the left is reverse polarity, left, L (Left) according to the JIS standard, "0" - according to the European standard.
"Minus" on the right - polarity is straight, right, R (Right) - JIS, "1" - DIN / EN. For cargo batteries, the following designations are accepted, "minus" on the left - Russian polarity (gr), L according to the JIS standard, "4" - according to the European standard. On the right - European (euro), R (JIS) and "3" (DIN / EN).
On older vehicles, the length of wires with terminal mounts often allows you to "reach" the battery terminals with either polarity, but in modern machines this is extremely rare.
3. Terminal type
A slightly less important parameter is the type of terminals. Most passenger batteries are produced with standard terminals, positive 19.5 mm, negative 17.9 mm. But on Asian sizes B19 and B24, the so-called "narrow terminals" of 12.7 and 11.1 mm are used. The issue of matching the terminals to the mounts on the car can be solved by using adapters both from standard to narrow, and vice versa. Therefore, for our network, in which such adapters are always available, this moment of selecting a battery is a little less important.
It is quite rare to use batteries with side terminals, when the connectors are under bolted connection located on the side of the battery. Usually such batteries are installed on American cars.
For trucks domestic cars fastening “for a bolt” is characteristic, for imported ones - standard terminals (under a cone). For this sector, manufacturers are increasingly offering conical batteries with bolt-on adapters. For only conical cargo batteries in our stores there are always such adapters separately.
Cargo size 31T/S is distinguished by threaded terminals - “studs”.
4. Attachment type
The top mount is typical for Asian batteries, it involves fixing a strap on top of the battery, which is then bolted to the car body.
The lower mount is common in European cars. In this case, the battery is attached to the lower ledge, the so-called "skirt", "tide", "shoulder".
Recently, Korean car manufacturers often adopt Asian-style bottom battery mounts. Those. it turns out a mixed situation when the presence of a lower protrusion is required for Asian "horned" batteries. In our portfolio, AlphaLINE brand batteries meet these requirements.
5. Battery capacity
Very often selection starter batteries is carried out according to this parameter. This is the wrong approach, we will explain why.Firstly, the capacity does not determine the physical characteristics of the battery, batteries of completely different sizes (dimensions) can be of the same capacity. Having picked up a battery that is suitable for its capacity, you are not immune from the fact that it does not fit into the space allotted to it.
Secondly, there is an erroneous opinion that if a car has a battery of a certain capacity, then a battery of exactly this capacity should be installed. As an argument, the argument is given that "the generator will not be able to charge a larger battery." The statement is absolutely not true and, moreover, we always recommend installing a battery with a larger capacity. Even looking at the "manual" of almost any car, you can see that a fairly wide range of capacities is recommended.
Whether a battery of any capacity will be charged depends on the balance of charging and power consumption. If your vehicle's power consumption exceeds the capacity of the systems to charge, then a battery of any capacity will not be charged. But at the same time, a battery of a smaller capacity will be discharged faster! Conversely, even with problems with battery power, with a larger capacity, you will be able to drive longer and further. It is a proven fact that at -30 C, the battery capacity decreases up to 2 times. In the conditions of Siberia, in the presence of additional energy consumers (alarm, pre-heaters, powerful audio systems, seat heaters, etc.) after determining the standard size and other parameters described above, for more confident operation of your car, we recommend installing a battery of maximum capacity.
6. Starting current
Cold cranking current is the most important parameter for starting your car, especially in cold winters. Simply put, this is the power of your battery, this indicator determines how powerfully the battery can crank the starter and start the car. As well as the capacitance at -30 C, the starting current is almost halved.
The values of current measurements differ according to different standards. The European EN is roughly similar to the domestic GOST. American SAE - Asian JIS. Between themselves, they correlate approximately as I (SAE) \u003d 1.067 * I (EN).
For a confident start of your car engine, we strongly recommend choosing a battery with a maximum starting current within your budget.
7. Trademark, manufacturer, country, city of production
Important factors for many consumers are brand, manufacturer and country of origin. Indeed, even until recently, this was one of the determining factors when choosing a battery. But times are changing, domestic producers for last years greatly increased in manufacturability and quality of products. And in the new economic conditions, the prices for batteries of traditional giants make us more critically evaluate their real consumer qualities.
Over the years, we have studied almost all major manufacturers both foreign and domestic ones. In every price segment from economy to premium, we form the best offer in terms of price / quality ratio. In the current realities, we recommend paying attention to the products of Russian and Korean manufacturers.
In particular, we advise you to consider the battery trademarks X-treme NORD (Alkor, Tyumen) and AlphaLINE (Atlas, South Korea). Both ranges feature state-of-the-art Punch Frame grating technology and calcium-silver alloys. Battery performance is superior to established brands at a lower price.
8. Battery maintenance
By battery serviceability, we mean the ability to access battery banks, the presence of so-called plugs in one form or another. On modern cars the battery charge voltage range is set to 13.8-14.5 A. If this mode is followed, most batteries require virtually no maintenance, and therefore many manufacturers completely remove access to battery banks.
But there are a number of cars on which the operating ranges of the on-board network are set above 14.5 V: GAZ cars up to 2002, some american models release before 2000, etc.
For such cars, according to the instructions, the use of serviced batteries and a monthly check of the electrolyte level in the banks are prescribed. Batteries in such vehicles lose water as a result of the hydrolysis reaction, which leads to a decrease in the electrolyte level, and ultimately to a rapid failure of the battery. If you have access to the instruction manual for your car, check the declared range of the on-board network. Better yet, have a specialist diagnose the operation of the electrical network. You can also get this service at any Automotive store, for customers - absolutely free.
For serviceable VAZ vehicles, the operating range of the electrical network is 13.5-14.5 V, therefore, it is possible to install maintenance-free batteries.
9. AGM technology
In traditional batteries, the electrolyte is in a liquid state, if you shake such a battery, you will hear a splash.
AGM Technology(Absorbent Glass Mat) implies that between the plates of the battery is special material fiberglass, which is then impregnated with electrolyte. Those. the electrolyte is bound.
This design provides complete impermeability of the battery, it can be installed at least “upside down”. The dense arrangement of the components of the AGM batteries provides them with the highest resistance to vibrations, the active mass does not crumble, the battery life is up to 2 times longer than traditional ones.
The starting currents of AGM batteries, as a rule, are significantly higher than those of classic ones. They are stable in deep discharges and withstand a significantly greater number of charge-discharge cycles.
In almost all respects AGM batteries significantly superior to liquid acid, but also higher in cost.
During operation, it is important to monitor compliance with the upper value of the battery charge, AGM batteries are sensitive to overcharging. When the charge voltage exceeds 15.0-15.2 V, active boiling of the electrolyte begins, and due to the tightness of the design of these batteries, restoration of the electrolyte volume is impossible.
10. Punch Frame Technology
Punch Frame - the most advanced technology production of grids (down conductors) of batteries by stamping. The world leader in the production of batteries Johnson Controls (ТМ Varta, Bosch) was the first to widely use this technology.
Stamped gratings allow you to increase electrical characteristics batteries by 20-30%, service life - up to 2 times.
In the post-Soviet space, the only manufacturer producing down conductors using the Punc Frame method is the Alcor plant, Tyumen (see X-treme NORD and Buran batteries in our catalog).
This technology is also implemented in AlphaLINE and CENE batteries from South Korean manufacturers.
It is known that the Asian and European standards adopted in the automotive industry are somewhat different. This applies directly to the production automotive components in particular batteries. Therefore, when choosing a battery for your car, pay attention to three key points:
Polarity.
Terminal size.
Type of shell.
What's happened polarity? In fact, this is the order in which the current-carrying tips are located on the positive and negative electrode. Polarity can be direct and reverse. Direct polarity is used mainly for domestic cars, the reverse is most often used for European, Asian and American cars.
How to determine polarity? Very simple. Position the battery so that the terminals are at the bottom. If the tip of the positive electrode is on the left, then the polarity is straight, on the right - vice versa. At first glance, even with wrong selection You can solve the problem by "turning over" the battery. But not always at the same time the wires will be able to reach the terminals. Therefore, experimenting with polarity is not recommended. Otherwise, the situation is not ruled out when you have to spend time replacing the purchased battery, if possible, of course.
What is the difference terminals European and Asian batteries? In the first case, the output of the positive electrode has a thickness of 19.5 millimeters, and the negative terminal is 17.9. These batteries can also be installed on domestic cars. If we talk about the Asian standard, then these sizes are 12.7 and 11.1, respectively. That is, Asian terminals are thinner. In general, there is nothing wrong with buying an Asian battery instead of a European one, since most of the clamps are adjustable. But it is unlikely that it will be possible to put a battery for an Asian car on a “European” one without replacing the entire terminal blocks or wires.
Finally, let's pay attention to type of shell. In the Asian version, the terminals rise above it, while in the European version, on the contrary, they are deepened into special niches. If there is enough space under the hood, this is not a problem. The situation is significantly aggravated by the fact that the hood can close closely or the plastic hiding the battery niche from the eyes is located too close to the battery. Then close it completely will not work.
Talking about no problems with installation European batteries on Asian cars and vice versa, you should be careful. The fact is that any inconsistencies in the design, one way or another, affect the safety and reliability of the operation of the car. Therefore, before choosing a battery, we recommend that you consult with a specialist and, if there is an alternative, give preference to the product provided by the manufacturer of the machine. Moreover, there is no deficit in this market segment today. In the product line of any battery manufacturer, you can easily find batteries, both Asian and European standards.
The main ones (batteries) directly depend on their size. There are no powerful small-sized batteries, and large-sized batteries give a large starting and operating current. An increase in battery capacity is always associated with an increase in its size. Therefore, the site for installing batteries small machines with a small engine, always less than big cars with powerful motors.
The main characteristics of automotive batteries
Here are the main characteristics of batteries:
- size;
- location of contact terminals;
- voltage;
- capacity;
- starting current;
- operating current.
Dimensions and terminal arrangement
The design of the car ensures that only the correct size batteries are fixed. The size of European and Asian batteries is different. Therefore, batteries for Asian cars are very difficult to secure in European cars and vice versa. Operating a car with a loose battery is dangerous, because a short circuit and a fire may occur. While driving, the battery dangles, so it can jump out of its place and short-circuit the contacts on the metal of the body or engine.
Each car is designed for a specific location of the battery terminals. On cars The most commonly used scheme is: negative wire from the grille side, positive wire from the windshield side. However, there are cars in which both wires are located on the same side. Install a battery on such a machine, the conclusions of which are located with different sides, impossible. On american cars they use batteries, the terminals of which are not located on top, but on the side and the wires are attached to them in a completely different way. Install such a battery on a Russian, Japanese or european car impossible without a serious alteration of the power cables and seat.
Battery types
In 2016, the most popular types of automotive batteries are:
- lead-acid maintenance-free;
- lead-acid serviced;
- gel.
The difference between maintenance-free and serviced batteries is that their design makes it possible to reduce the evaporation of water, which forms the basis of the electrolyte, during battery charging and discharging. This can be achieved by changing chemical composition plates and electrolyte. According to the main characteristics, both types of batteries are the same. There is no liquid electrolyte. Instead, the space between the plates is filled with a gel that performs. It is different from the traditional serviced and maintenance-free batteries stronger starting current, not afraid of overdischarge. However, more demanding charging current and voltage, and also costs several times more (up to 30 thousand rubles).
Battery voltage, current and capacity
On passenger cars, batteries with a voltage of 12 and 24 volts are used. A 24-volt battery is used on SUVs, pickups and other vehicles whose engine capacity exceeds 5 liters. This allows you to reduce the load on the wires and contacts by 2 times. After all, increasing the voltage at the same power allows you to reduce the current by the same amount.
Battery capacity is indicated in ampere hours. This parameter is inextricably linked with the operating current. Battery manufacturers adhere to the rule that the battery capacity is equal to the operating current for 20 hours. Therefore, the operating current of a 50 amp-hour battery is 2.5 amps. The maximum starting current is also inextricably linked to the battery capacity and is approximately 2.5 capacity. That is, a battery with a capacity of 50 ampere hours is capable of delivering a starting current of 125 amperes. Therefore, small batteries with a small starting current should not be installed on cars with a large engine capacity. Exceeding the starting current will damage the battery, reduce its capacity and cause failure.
ON this moment there is an unspoken division of batteries into "Europe" and "Asia". If earlier only the European part was engaged in production, now Asian manufacturers are very firmly entrenched in the market and this is not only Japan, but also China, the leader in industrial production. Russian manufacturers, often produce two types at once - both "European" and "Asian". So what are the differences between these batteries, how to identify them ...
Actually, there are not very many differences in these two standards, but they are. The Asian standard is now also quite popular among motorists, because there are a lot of Japanese, Korean (namely from Korea) and Chinese machines in our market. But these batteries are slightly different from the usual European standards. However, there are not so many differences, and in principle, "Asia" can be made to work on a machine with the "Europe" standard, as well as vice versa. There are only three differences, let's take a closer look.
Dimensions
Oddly enough, Asian batteries are often smaller and taller or lower than their European counterparts. Not much plastic is used in their cases, especially there may be no plastic stiffeners. That is, almost always a regular box. It is difficult to put such a battery into the European standard, because it will simply dangle in the mount, and the upper bar (which holds the battery) will simply not effectively fasten to the body, which is also not desirable.
Opposite the “European” battery, you may not put the “Asian” standard into the mount, it will simply turn out to be larger, ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES THE SIZES CAN MATCH!
I myself am still wondering - how Asians manage to shove such Ampere * hours into such compact cases.
Terminals
Here lies perhaps the biggest difference that cannot be passed by. It was by the terminals that Europe and Asia were originally determined. The thing is that the differences here are global:
- - here we have two round terminals, their dimensions are as follows - positive - 19.5 mm, negative - 17.9 mm.
- Asia battery – and there are a lot of differences here. Even the batteries themselves can vary, for flat terminals and for round ones. flat - often they have a thread in themselves, where the terminal is actually screwed, although in fairness, it is worth noting that there are also without threaded connection. Round ones are similar to Europe, that is, oval terminals are put on them, but their sizes are smaller, plus - 12.7 mm, minus - 11.1 mm.
Of course, "Asia" with narrow round terminals can be put on a regular car, but you will have to use special adapters, or tighten the terminals tightly, which can lead to their breakage.
Frame
Another difference is the difference in case type. In Asian batteries, the terminals seem to stick out from above, that is, they rise above it.
In the European version, on the contrary, they are recessed and are, as it were, in niches.
If there is enough space under the hood of the car, then this is not a problem, but if the protruding contacts can reach the hood cover, then this is corny dangerous, and it’s not far from a fire.
These are all the differences between batteries, some may argue that there is more. Guys, this is not entirely true, and Europe and Asia can have different polarities, it all depends on the location of the engine for a particular model. Characteristics of current, voltage, durability can be exactly the same.
This concludes, sincerely your AUTOBLOGGER.
