Cars Blog April Archive

• Car batteries are usually lead-acid batteries that provide a nominal 12-volt (actually 12.6 volts) potential difference by serially connecting six cells that each produce about 2 to 2.1 volts
• The starting (cranking) or shallow cycle type is designed to deliver quick bursts of energy, usually to start an engine. These batteries usually have a greater plate count in order to have a larger surface area that provides high amperage for short period of time. Once the engine is started, they are continuously recharged
• The deep cycle type is designed to continuously provide power for long periods of time (for example in a golf cart). They can also be used to store energy from a photovoltaic array or a small wind turbine. These batteries usually have thicker plates in order to have a greater capacity and survive a higher number of charge/discharge cycles
• Tap or rain water should never be used in batteries as they both can contain high levels of minerals which will impair battery performance
• When installing a new battery or recharging a battery that has been accidentally discharged completely, one of several different methods can be used to charge it. The most gentle of these is called trickle charging. Other methods include slow-charging and quick-charging, the latter being the harshest