What do you need to know when you’re getting a replacement battery? All kinds of things, as it turns out. And the more you know, the better equipped you’ll to get the best possible replacement battery for your car in Waldorf, Md.
The first thing you need to know when getting a car battery replacement is the what type of battery you need. Turns out there are two types—wet cell batteries and VRLA batteries. Wet cell batteries contain a liquid electrolyte that can be recharged; these batteries are a type of lead acid battery.
Most wet cell batteries in cars today are sealed; back in the day, batteries had to be topped off with distilled water to correctly recharge them.
The wet cell batteries used in cars today are also known as SLI batteries, with SLI standing for starting, lighting, ignition. These batteries start your car with a brief burst of energy that also powers the lights and ignition, but once the car is started the battery is powered by the alternator.
VRLA batteries valve regulated lead acid batteries are also sealed, and they’re less common. Most of what you’ll be dealing with when you get a replacement will pertain to wet cell batteries, but its still good to know the difference between the two.
The size and fit of the battery is something else you’ll need to know about, and the folks at Wiygul Automotive in Waldorf, Md are more than equipped to help you with that part.
Auto manufacturers tend to rate size according to group number sizes, which range from 24 to 65, although many individual numbers within this range are skipped. By contrast, batteries that have cable ends that screw into the side have a group size that ranges from 74-78.
In addition, some European manufactures use batteries with recessed top posts, which means the battery posts end up at the same heights the battery. Finally, some batteries have special ventilation systems to help deal with heat, which can quickly drain a battery if the engine compartment gets too hot.
As helpful as this can be, it can also make the battery harder to fit, and if your battery replacement installer doesn’t know the ins and outs of how this works, your battery could be damaged or drained by heat or vibration, both of which can significantly shorten the life of the battery.
Even worse, an improperly installed battery can accidentally make contact with the metal in the engine compartment, which can in turn cause a spark in the electrical system.
This can result in a car fire, which is perhaps the ultimate example of a safety hazard caused by an error in battery replacement.
One way to avoid all this is to go to the right place for your car battery replacement and find the right people to put it in.
In Waldorf, Md, that means going to Wiygul Automotive. They have a long history of providing excellent service in the area, and they’ll give you the best replacement battery to get you back up and running and keep you on the road.