Whether you’re driving an electric vehicle, a hybrid, or a plain old gasser, your vehicle's battery plays a vital role in its operation.
Combustion motors use automotive batteries to start the engine, and provide power to the various electronics in the vehicle. The vehicle's alternator then charges the battery while the engine is running.
Electric and hybrid vehicles have a higher voltage battery in addition to a more standard vehicle battery that you would find in a combustion motor vehicle.
Automotive batteries generally last three to five years, though instances of draining a battery completely by leaving your headlights on or from having your vehicle in accessory mode for extended periods of time, can reduce its lifespan considerably. A battery can also lose its charge in extreme cold weather, or from a vehicle being used infrequently.
If you find yourself with a dead battery you can try to jump start the battery if you have jumper cables or a portable jump box. If a battery doesn’t stay charged between uses of at least 30 minutes or longer, then it’s likely that there’s a fault with your vehicle's alternator, or you just need a new battery.
A battery that’s been completely drained may need to be removed from the vehicle and charged. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day. Most shops, including here at H&H Mobil, are able to charge a battery overnight for you.
Hybrid and electric vehicles have different batteries compared to conventional internal combustion vehicles. These batteries have a higher voltage and will usually be paired with a more standard automotive battery that runs the electronic accessories.
When you purchase a battery or have one replaced at a shop, you’ll be charged a core fee that’s refunded when you return the used battery. Used batteries are then recycled. Most car batteries are lead-acid batteries which have a high rate of recovery when recycled in a modern and safe environment.
Most lead-acid batteries will be ‘wet’, that is, the majority of what’s inside the shell of the battery will be sulphuric acid. These batteries are cheap and extremely common, suitable for most people's driving needs. AGM batteries, or an absorbed glass mat battery, is another type of lead-acid battery where the acid is absorbed into mats made of woven glass fibers. This type of battery can be better for someone that does a lot of stop and start driving, but runs for a bit more money than a flooded cell, lead-acid battery.
Lead-acid batteries can be dangerous to handle if you don’t know what you’re doing. Rather straightforwardly, these batteries contain acid. While they are also sealed, if a battery is damaged that acid can spill and result in bodily harm. Lead-acid batteries can also produce flammable gasses that can lead to explosions and fires, so keep any flames away from batteries.
Needless to say, working with large amounts of electricity can be intimidating, so don’t hesitate to give us a call here at H&H Mobil if you need any help, or have any questions.