Car batteries are the life of our vehicles. Without it, our cars are useless. But have we ask ourselves about the other works of a cell. Besides being the heart of all motor vehicles, there could be some other things we didn’t know about batteries.
What are the functions of a car battery? A car battery is designated to store electrical energy and power which is needed to make the starter ignite and will keep your vehicles running. A weak battery can leave you stranded. On the other hand, a functional and robust array will always do the desired works that they are supposed to do.
A car battery works as efficiently as it can if it is in its healthiest form while a weak and dying battery will perform poorly and may even leave you stranded in some circumstances when it loses all its charge.
How Does My Car Battery Work and How Was it Built?
Just like what I have mentioned earlier, a car battery is considered the heart of the vehicle. Without it, it is dead. It makes the engine run, and it can power the accessories loaded in your car.
Aside from powering your vehicle, a car battery powers everything that needs electrical energy. The lights and sound in your car, the air conditioning system are all part of what the battery powers on. But have you ever wondered why and how they survived?
Knowing how your battery was made and built will be an added knowledge to all the young generations out there.
Lead Acid Batteries Composition and Structures
Lead Acid batteries are one of the most common types of batteries used for vehicles. Most cells in the old times weigh heavily. However, when they bought a new one, it becomes lighter than the old types.
Structure and Components of Lead -Acid batteries
1. Electrode (Positive)
Plate: In lead-acid batteries, the plate which is positively charged has lead oxide immersed in an electrolyte.
Grid: The grid is composed of a lead alloy and used for holding active material and as a current collector.
2. Electrode (Negative)
Plates: The plate which is negatively charged is made of pure lead, which is also immersed in an electrolyte.
Plates: Similar to the positive plate, it is also composed of a lead alloy and delivers the same purpose.
A traditional starter battery has six cells which are connected in a series. Each one has a minimum voltage of 2V which sums up to 12.72 V after the battery has been fully charged. The battery’s capacity and capability for cold starting depend on how many plates there is in a cell.
What are the Different Types of Car Batteries and Their Function?
Many types of batteries would match any cars or vehicles. I am going to give you some of the most popular types of cells usually used by cars and vehicles.
● AGM battery. AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat. These battery types are getting popular by the day and are used by modern cars and vehicles. It is known for its higher CCA rating and amps, which is what most car owners desired for their vehicle. AGM absorbs everything in its glass mat, therefore spilling is not a problem.
● Calcium Battery. Old and low maintenance batteries are using grids made from lead-antimony, which is cheap, available anywhere and can be cast easily. Calcium batteries are used to create rechargeable batteries, which offers quality product and low cost.
In a calcium battery, antimony is substituted by calcium in all battery plates. It results in prolonged battery life, with no gassing and less maintenance.
● Deep Cycle Battery. A deep-cycle battery is a type of lead-acid battery which is designed to be regularly and deeply discharge exhausting all of its capacity. It has thicker plates than other regular vehicle battery. Its dishes are solid.
● Gelled battery. Gelled batteries have acid which has been gelled. Through the addition of a silica gel, the acid turned into a solid mass which looks like a jelly. The best thing about this battery type is that it is spillproof. Acid is impossible to spill even if it is broken.
● Spiral coil battery. This Spiral coil battery is also categorized as an AGM battery. The only difference is that they have a different form of construction. Same as the other AGM battery, spiral coil cells have a very high output and put on high performance.
It has more resistance to vibration and heat. It has a lifespan of 18 months without changes in the cranking ability.
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How Will I Know the Right Battery for My Car?
There are ways in which you can find the right battery for your car.
Follow these steps, and you will never go wrong with your choice:
Step 1: Find the group size from your old battery. You can find it on the battery label. Labels are usually located on the top or side of the battery case.
Step 2: Determine the minimum CCA or Cold-cranking amps of your battery. Certain vehicles need a minimum amount of amps to crank. You will need this during the cold season where amps needed should be high to keep starting despite the cold temperature.
Step 3: Identify the cell type of your battery. Majority of the car batteries belong to the conventional model of a lead-acid battery. This type of battery has cells inside which composed of positive and negative plates. These are reliable and has been used for a long time.
Are All Car Batteries 12v?
Voltage refers to the amount of electricity that a battery can hold. As of today, most modern vehicles are using the 12V battery. This voltage is so far the standard for most car batteries. A voltage rate of 12.4 and higher are considered reasonable and fully charged. A slight drop below 12V is already a failing and weak battery.
Knowing what the functions of a car battery lead you to the understanding of how it works and what the components are. It is substantial that car owners need to know how their cells work to give them the proper maintenance and the right troubleshooting in case something went wrong.
Sources:
1. What Are the Function of a Car Battery? – It Still Runs
2. How does a car battery work and how is it constructed? – VARTA Battery World
3. Car battery types – AA New Zealand
4. How Batteries Start Your Vehicle – Autobatteries.com
