The battery is a principal source on which a vehicle operates smoothly during its entire life. It is used for igniting the engine, controls all the electric features of a car and also takes the load when engine is idling. A battery generally has a life-span of approximately 2 years and it needs constant care for proper maintenance. A number of reputed battery brands are present in India, such as Amaron, Exide and Delphi. Each of these brands sells their products in the market with variable rates and extended warranties. While buying a new car battery, certain aspects related to it must be kept in mind so that one does not have to face any issue in the long run. The car battery buying guide includes the following major points:
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A user should opt for buying a new battery when the old one is completely discharged and is not working. However, it must be checked whether the fault lies in the battery or the electrical parts of the vehicle. At times the car's electric system stops working due to certain reasons and it should not be confused with draining of the battery.
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People should also refer to the manual, which arrives with the car, to check the type and size of battery the auto maker recommends. Purchasing a battery other than the one suggested might have a great impact on the performance and technical features of the car.
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While purchasing the battery, its manufacturing date should be checked and if it is dated back to more than 6 months, experts suggest that it shouldn't be bought. Also, few of the local dealers also fiddle with the coded dates just to make their profit and people should always avoid the same.
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Warranty coverage is the most essential part while buying a battery, be it for a new car or an old model. Car batteries with at least 2 years of warranty are considered ideal for daily usage and the same should be purchased by people.
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People residing in hill stations and cold areas should check the Cold Cranking Amperes (CCA) of the battery before purchasing it. This coding is beneficial in identifying whether the battery will work appropriately under 0 degrees of temperature or not. This means that higher the CCA figure on the battery, the better it performs during chilling weather.
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After the batteries have been selected, the dealer should be asked to do a voltage checking of it. A fully charged battery generally shows 105 per cent in the voltmeter, meaning that if a battery is coded with 36 V, it must display a figure of 38 V in the device on full charge.
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A number of car accessories shops also deal in these batteries and the same can be contacted for the purpose. However, it is suggested that the exchange benefit of the old battery should be demanded from the dealers before disposing it.
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For electric cars, such as Mahindra Reva, the battery should be checked on constant basis as such cars depend entirely on this source to run. It must be checked if the battery is not draining extra power and if such is the case, then it must be replaced immediately.
Keeping the battery healthy is an important task and should be done by every car owner. Furthermore, these batteries contain amounts of harmful substances, such as lead and acid; therefore, their disposal is a careful job and must be done through a valid battery retailer.
