Author: Mark Walters
Source: articleage.com
The approaching of the amalgam array car is so ablaze you accept to abrasion shades. Some would say the absorption in the bung in amalgam is down appropriate electrifying.
The amalgam array car got a huge addition if President Bush featured it in a accent on his activity policy. It's allotment of, hydrogen car, the plan to alter over three-quarters of Mideast oil imports by the year 2025.
The area the President chose to accord the accent is aswell significant. He batten at Johnson Controls, a Milwaukee auto locations aggregation that is authoritative lithium-ion array beef for the next bearing of the amalgam array car.
The chase for amalgam technologies continues as the, hydrogen car, U.S. Activity Administration pushes for hydrogen ammunition beef to alter gasoline in cars. The administration has targeted the year 2024 as a time if those ammunition beef will be broadly acclimated in amalgam cars of all kinds.
There are absolutely two armament active the development of amalgam technologies. Number one is the ambiguous Mideast sources of deposit fuels. The added is the amount per butt, hydrogen car, of oil. As the amount of oil increases the chase for advice on amalgam cars becomes even added important.
Because hydrogen ammunition is actual big-ticket to carriage some adumbrate that the amalgam array and booze technologies will announce any amalgam ammunition based on hydrogen.
Government abutment agency that bung in amalgam cars are on the horizon. These cars would get a array allegation from an accustomed electric, hydrogen car, outlet. Lithium-ion batteries will accomplish this possible. These batteries will be ample, hydrogen car, versions of the lithium-ion array, hydrogen car, you use in your corpuscle phone. You could be active a constituent amalgam by the year 2010.
The activity body of lithium-ion is about alert that of the accepted nickel-cadmium battery. There is even a growing abeyant for college activity densities with these ability source.
Lithium-ion is a low aliment battery, an advantage that a lot of added array types can't match. Self-discharge is beneath than bisected compared to nickel-cadmium, authoritative lithium-ion able-bodied, hydrogen car, ill-fitted for avant-garde ammunition barometer applications. They affectation no blackmail to the ambiance for lithium-ion beef could cause little abuse if discarded.
Like, hydrogen car, a lot of amalgam technologies,, hydrogen car, this one has its draw backs. Chief a part of them is that the lithium-ion batteries are brittle and crave a aegis ambit to advance safe operation. All abbreviate comings are accepted to be affected as analysis and development continue.
To be acknowledged amalgam ammunition technologies accept to cover petroleum alternatives. Appropriate now booze would abate the charge for oil if alloyed with gasoline. Here in the U.S we already accomplish about 4 billion gallons of booze from corn. The irony is that a abundant accord of activity is bare to accomplish booze and that activity generally comes from deposit ammunition and accustomed gas.
Ethanol is an alcohol-based another ammunition that is produced by crumbling and distilling starch crops that accept been adapted into simple sugars. Feed stocks for this ammunition cover corn, barley, and wheat.
Ethanol has a bigger adventitious of actual as an important amalgam ammunition if it is fabricated from "cellulosic biomass" such as copse and grasses. These aftermath a amalgam ammunition, hydrogen car, alleged bioethanol. Booze is acclimated to access octane and advance the emissions superior of gasoline.
Ethanol is attenuated with gasoline to actualize E85, a alloy of 85% booze and 15% gasoline. E85 and blends with even college concentrations of booze, hydrogen car, authorize as another fuels beneath the Activity Action Act. Cars that run on E85 are alleged adjustable ammunition, hydrogen car, cars (FFVs) and can currently, hydrogen car,, hydrogen car, be purchased from several car manufacturers.
There will be one actual amalgam ammunition in the future. What is your assumption on which it will be? Or are there some abruptness amalgam technologies in our future?
Mark Walters follows amalgam technologies and recommends that you apprentice added about the Amalgam Array Car Here.
Showing posts with label battery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label battery. Show all posts
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Hybrid Battery Car Plugs In
Author: Mark Walters
Source: articleage.com
The future of the hybrid battery car is so bright you have to
wear shades. Some would say the interest in the plug in hybrid
is down right electrifying.
The hybrid battery car got a huge boost when President Bush
featured it in a speech on his energy policy. It's part of the
plan to replace over three-quarters of Mideast oil imports by
the, hydrogen car, year 2025.
The location the President chose to give the speech is also
significant. He spoke at Johnson Controls, a Milwaukee auto
parts company that is making lithium-ion battery cells for the
next generation of the hybrid battery car.
The race, hydrogen car, for hybrid technologies continues, hydrogen car, as the U.S. Energy
Department pushes for hydrogen fuel cells to replace gasoline, hydrogen car, in
cars. The department has targeted the year 2024 as a time when
those, hydrogen car, fuel cells will be widely used in hybrid, hydrogen car, vehicles of all
kinds.
There are really two forces driving the development of hybrid
technologies. Number one is the uncertain Mideast sources, hydrogen car, of
fossil fuels. The other is the cost per barrel of oil. As the
cost of oil increases the race for information, hydrogen car, on hybrid cars
becomes even more important.
Because hydrogen fuel is very expensive to transport some
predict that the hybrid battery and ethanol technologies will
precede any hybrid fuel based on hydrogen.
Government support, hydrogen car, means that plug in hybrid cars are on the
horizon. These vehicles would get a battery charge from an
ordinary electric outlet. Lithium-ion batteries will make this
possible. These batteries will be large versions of the
lithium-ion battery you use in your cell phone. You could be
driving a plug-in hybrid by the year 2010.
The energy density of lithium-ion is typically, hydrogen car, twice that of the
standard nickel-cadmium battery. There is even a growing
potential for higher energy densities with these power source.
Lithium-ion is a low maintenance battery, an advantage that most
other battery types can't match. Self-discharge is less than
half compared to nickel-cadmium, making lithium-ion well suited
for modern fuel gauge applications. They pose no threat to the
environment for lithium-ion cells cause little harm when
discarded.
Like most hybrid technologies, this one has its draw backs.
Chief, hydrogen car, among them is that the lithium-ion batteries are fragile
and require a protection circuit to maintain safe operation. All
short comings are expected to be overcome as research and
development continue.
To be successful hybrid fuel technologies must include, hydrogen car, petroleum
alternatives. Right now ethanol would lessen the need for oil if
mixed with gasoline. Here in the U.S we already make nearly 4
billion gallons of ethanol from corn. The irony, hydrogen car, is that a great
deal of energy is needed to manufacture ethanol and that energy
often comes from fossil fuel and natural gas.
Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel that is produced by
fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted
into simple sugars. Feed stocks for this fuel include corn,
barley, and wheat.
Ethanol has a better chance of surviving as an important hybrid
fuel when it is made from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and
grasses. These produce a hybrid fuel, hydrogen car, called bioethanol. Ethanol
is used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of
gasoline.
Ethanol is blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85%
ethanol and 15% gasoline. E85 and blends with even higher
concentrations of ethanol qualify as alternative fuels under the
Energy Policy Act. Vehicles that run on E85 are called flexible
fuel vehicles (FFVs) and can currently be purchased from several
vehicle manufacturers.
There will be one surviving hybrid fuel in the future. What is
your guess on which it will be? Or are there some surprise
hybrid technologies in our future?
Source: articleage.com
The future of the hybrid battery car is so bright you have to
wear shades. Some would say the interest in the plug in hybrid
is down right electrifying.
The hybrid battery car got a huge boost when President Bush
featured it in a speech on his energy policy. It's part of the
plan to replace over three-quarters of Mideast oil imports by
the, hydrogen car, year 2025.
The location the President chose to give the speech is also
significant. He spoke at Johnson Controls, a Milwaukee auto
parts company that is making lithium-ion battery cells for the
next generation of the hybrid battery car.
The race, hydrogen car, for hybrid technologies continues, hydrogen car, as the U.S. Energy
Department pushes for hydrogen fuel cells to replace gasoline, hydrogen car, in
cars. The department has targeted the year 2024 as a time when
those, hydrogen car, fuel cells will be widely used in hybrid, hydrogen car, vehicles of all
kinds.
There are really two forces driving the development of hybrid
technologies. Number one is the uncertain Mideast sources, hydrogen car, of
fossil fuels. The other is the cost per barrel of oil. As the
cost of oil increases the race for information, hydrogen car, on hybrid cars
becomes even more important.
Because hydrogen fuel is very expensive to transport some
predict that the hybrid battery and ethanol technologies will
precede any hybrid fuel based on hydrogen.
Government support, hydrogen car, means that plug in hybrid cars are on the
horizon. These vehicles would get a battery charge from an
ordinary electric outlet. Lithium-ion batteries will make this
possible. These batteries will be large versions of the
lithium-ion battery you use in your cell phone. You could be
driving a plug-in hybrid by the year 2010.
The energy density of lithium-ion is typically, hydrogen car, twice that of the
standard nickel-cadmium battery. There is even a growing
potential for higher energy densities with these power source.
Lithium-ion is a low maintenance battery, an advantage that most
other battery types can't match. Self-discharge is less than
half compared to nickel-cadmium, making lithium-ion well suited
for modern fuel gauge applications. They pose no threat to the
environment for lithium-ion cells cause little harm when
discarded.
Like most hybrid technologies, this one has its draw backs.
Chief, hydrogen car, among them is that the lithium-ion batteries are fragile
and require a protection circuit to maintain safe operation. All
short comings are expected to be overcome as research and
development continue.
To be successful hybrid fuel technologies must include, hydrogen car, petroleum
alternatives. Right now ethanol would lessen the need for oil if
mixed with gasoline. Here in the U.S we already make nearly 4
billion gallons of ethanol from corn. The irony, hydrogen car, is that a great
deal of energy is needed to manufacture ethanol and that energy
often comes from fossil fuel and natural gas.
Ethanol is an alcohol-based alternative fuel that is produced by
fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted
into simple sugars. Feed stocks for this fuel include corn,
barley, and wheat.
Ethanol has a better chance of surviving as an important hybrid
fuel when it is made from "cellulosic biomass" such as trees and
grasses. These produce a hybrid fuel, hydrogen car, called bioethanol. Ethanol
is used to increase octane and improve the emissions quality of
gasoline.
Ethanol is blended with gasoline to create E85, a blend of 85%
ethanol and 15% gasoline. E85 and blends with even higher
concentrations of ethanol qualify as alternative fuels under the
Energy Policy Act. Vehicles that run on E85 are called flexible
fuel vehicles (FFVs) and can currently be purchased from several
vehicle manufacturers.
There will be one surviving hybrid fuel in the future. What is
your guess on which it will be? Or are there some surprise
hybrid technologies in our future?
Monday, November 30, 2009
Batteries - How Do You Know You'll Have the Juice When You Need It?
Author: Brendon Turner
Source: articleage.com
Modern vehicles make a lot, hydrogen car, of demands upon their batteries. We expect our batteries to be reliable, have a large reserve capacity and a long life span, and be maintenance-free. In short, once a battery has been installed, we no longer want to think about it. Here's some tips on how to choose a battery that will serve you well.
For automotive applications,, hydrogen car, there are basically three types of batteries: conventional, maintenance-free, and recombination.
Conventional Batteries
A 12-volt automotive battery contains six cells. In each cell is a series of alternating positive and negative plates, between which are isolator or separator plates to keep them apart. All, hydrogen car, the negative plates in the battery are connected, as are all the positive plates. Each plate has a grid construction, and to this grid, the plate's active material - sponge lead - is bonded. The plates in each. cell are covered with a solution of distilled water and sulfuric acid (electrolyte). As the battery discharges (supplies electricity), the acid in the electrolyte reacts with the active material in the battery plates, forming lead sulfate and weakening the electrolyte solution. Conversely, as the, hydrogen car, battery, hydrogen car, is charged, the acid is returned to the solution, thereby strengthening it, and the used portion of the lead sulfate is converted back into active material in the plates. During this process, hydrogen and oxygen molecules are off-gassed out of the electrolyte, which is why a conventional battery often needs topping up with distilled water. The charge and discharge cycle also means that some lead sloughs off the plates. Over time, this builds up in the bottom of the case, reducing the overall capacity of the battery fluid. When enough material builds up, the plates will short out, and you're stuck with a dead battery.
Maintenance-Free Batteries
Closed (maintenance-free), hydrogen car, batteries are essentially the same as conventional batteries, except that they contain, hydrogen car, extra electrolytes in the partially sealed case. However, over time, this excess fluid is used up as fluid slowly off-gases hydrogen and oxygen molecules through the vents. Because these batteries cannot usually be topped off, once the plates begin, hydrogen car, to be exposed, the battery's life span is over. Usually,, hydrogen car, this takes a long period of time, which is, hydrogen car, why these batteries often last longer than conventional batteries. However, in situations where frequent, rapid charge/discharge occurs (such as when running a winch or powerful spotlight without running the engine), a maintenance-free battery may not, hydrogen car, outlast a conventional one.
Another type of maintenance-free battery is the gel-type battery While these batteries cannot leak or spill fluid and can be installed at odd angles, they do have a weakness. Using electrolyte gel necessitates the use of thinner plates so that adequate dispersion of the acid through the active material occurs. Since gel batteries are also sealed, they, hydrogen car, cannot be topped off and care must be taken when charging so they don't overcharge and gas-off, which will result in excessive sloughing of the plates, premature reduction in electrolytes, and eventual battery failure. This means that during the harsh vibrations, hydrogen car, associated with trail riding, a marginal gel battery can fail completely as the plates literally fall apart.
Recombination Batteries
The recombination battery is overall the best battery for off-road and heavy-duty use. They're called recombination because they recombine the gas formed during charging, channeling it into the separators so it doesn't vent out of the battery and reclaiming the water to keep electrolyte concentration at optimum. They are completely sealed (except for a reseating pressure-relief vent) and require no topping off of fluids. Recombination batteries can use either liquid or gel-type electrolytes and are different from other batteries because the acid is bound into the separators and pure lead can be used in the plates. Because of the purity of the materials, hydrogen car, used, there is no sloughing and the plates in these batteries can be very tightly, hydrogen car, packed. The result is a powerful, compact battery with, hydrogen car, quicker charging time, lower internal resistance than conventional or maintenance-free batteries, and a longer life span. In fact, for a conventional battery to deliver the same amount of starting power as a recombination battery, it would have to be two or three times larger. Because they contain no liquid as such, recombination batteries can be mounted in any position,, hydrogen car, will work when the case is damaged, and won't leak in a rollover. In short, for off-road use, they are just about the perfect battery.
How Batteries Are Rated
Battery ratings are a determination of how much power a battery can produce under marginal conditions. There are a number of ways to determine a battery's output, but ratings by ampere hour (Ah), cold-cranking amperes (CCA), and reserve capacity are the most common.
Ampere hours are determined by the SAE 20 test. This test is designed to show the amount of current that can be drawn from a battery for 20 hours without the voltage dropping below 1.75 volts per cell. In real-world terms, this means that a healthy battery should be capable of keeping the parking lights, hydrogen car, lit for 20 hours. For starting your truck, Ah doesn't mean much. However, for powering, hydrogen car, accessories without the engine running, this can be an important measurement.
Cold-cranking amperes or CCA is the unit of measurement that generally determines a battery's ability to start your engine. CCA is a measurement, hydrogen car, of the worst conditions under which a battery can be expected to deliver current, and it tests how much current in amperes a battery can deliver under extreme cold. According to the American SAE standard, CCA is determined by measuring how much current can be delivered in amperes for 30 seconds at -18 degrees C with a final voltage of 7.2 volts per cell or higher.
Reserve capacity, hydrogen car, is an important measurement for the total capacity of the battery and shows how long a battery can keep the engine running if the alternator/generator fails. Reserve capacity of a battery is measured in minutes at room temperature (approximately 70 degrees F). During this test, 25 amperes is drawn from the battery for as long as the voltage does, hydrogen car, not drop below 10.5, hydrogen car, volts. For off-road use, it's a good idea to make sure any battery you purchase has a reserve capacity of at least 120 minutes.
Reserve capacity is also important for those times when you need to run a radio, spotlight, winch, or other electrical accessory without running the engine.
A Batteries Two Enemies
Although just about all modem batteries are pretty reliable, there are two enemies that can grind even,, hydrogen car, hydrogen car, a brand-new battery to a halt - extreme cold and extreme heat. Batteries are at their best with internal temperatures (not ambient) above 50 degrees F and below 105 degrees F. Below and above this range, problems can develop, and a dead, damaged, or . useless battery can be the result.
We've all noticed that under extremely cold, hydrogen car, conditions (below freezing), the battery will turn over the starter motor slowly, if at all. This is because when the internal temperature of the battery gets below the optimum range, the chemical reaction inside the battery happens more slowly, and for every 10-degree drop below freezing, the time that the chemical reaction takes doubles. Because of this increased resistance, the voltage in the battery drops and cannot turn over the engine.
Heat can also have an adverse effect on your battery's overall health. Battery power is reduced when it's subjected to excessive temperatures, but the problem may not be immediately noticed until the temperature drops. At higher temperatures, the chemical reaction within the battery is more rapid. The battery can produce more energy more quickly. This is good, right? Wrong. The higher rate of energy production results in an increase in off gassing; the water in the battery is vented out as hydrogen and oxygen molecules and the rate of internal corrosion, or sloughing, increases. This can result in a short in one or more cells that is not noticed until cold weather, hydrogen car, diminishes the overall ability of the battery.
What to Buy
When it comes to batteries for automotive use, there is no such thing as a perfect battery. Any battery can fail if it is neglected, constantly overloaded,, hydrogen car, or overcharged. The important thing to remember is to get the right battery for your needs, one that is rated for your vehicle, hydrogen car, and all the accessories you use. Generally, this means a high Ah, high CCA, and high reserve capacity. Also, make sure you buy a quality unit. Don't be fooled by the low price of the budget shops. Batteries sold in the no-name-battery discount stores often are poorly assembled and use inferior materials in the plates and separators. Name-brand batteries, such as AC-Delco, Sears DieHard, Exide, Interstate,, hydrogen car, Optima, and others, are manufactured to the highest standards, delivering high reliability combined with long life.
For off-road use, however, we feel that the recombination battery is the best overall, since it delivers high output, needs no maintenance, holds up well to the rigors of off-road driving, and has a quick recharge rate,, hydrogen car, as well as a long life, hydrogen, hydrogen car, car, span. It is a particularly useful battery for the off-roader because it has no liquid to leak out and, hydrogen car, can be mounted in, hydrogen car, any position (even upside down). Because of this, it won't corrode battery trays or cables and is safe in a collision. You can actually shoot a 45-caliber bullet through the battery casing and it will still crank at full power. Try that with a conventional battery, and you have a leaking mess that will at best produce minimal voltage.
Although recombination batteries are sold under various brand names, Optima's 800U is the original and also the only battery available with both top posts and side terminals, a feature that makes, hydrogen car, it especially well suited for specialized installations and powering accessories and where there is installation room for only one battery Since, hydrogen car, we also run a winch and driving lights from the starting battery, it, hydrogen car, has to be a powerful one. The 800 CCA and 120 minutes of reserve capacity the Optima offers means we can rely on the unit, hydrogen car, as a power source for lights and winch use when the engine is down, without sacrificing starting ability. Additionally, the side terminals make it easy to power the winch and other accessories directly off the battery without disconnecting the main power cables and disabling the vehicle's computer. This makes for a clean installation without a lot of cable clutter at the main battery posts, which is especially important when there's limited space around the battery top.
Visit AutomotiveGazette.com - The Automotive Gazette weekly edition of car care articles, automotive news and information on automotive repair for those of us not adept at automotive troubleshooting.
Source: articleage.com
Modern vehicles make a lot, hydrogen car, of demands upon their batteries. We expect our batteries to be reliable, have a large reserve capacity and a long life span, and be maintenance-free. In short, once a battery has been installed, we no longer want to think about it. Here's some tips on how to choose a battery that will serve you well.
For automotive applications,, hydrogen car, there are basically three types of batteries: conventional, maintenance-free, and recombination.
Conventional Batteries
A 12-volt automotive battery contains six cells. In each cell is a series of alternating positive and negative plates, between which are isolator or separator plates to keep them apart. All, hydrogen car, the negative plates in the battery are connected, as are all the positive plates. Each plate has a grid construction, and to this grid, the plate's active material - sponge lead - is bonded. The plates in each. cell are covered with a solution of distilled water and sulfuric acid (electrolyte). As the battery discharges (supplies electricity), the acid in the electrolyte reacts with the active material in the battery plates, forming lead sulfate and weakening the electrolyte solution. Conversely, as the, hydrogen car, battery, hydrogen car, is charged, the acid is returned to the solution, thereby strengthening it, and the used portion of the lead sulfate is converted back into active material in the plates. During this process, hydrogen and oxygen molecules are off-gassed out of the electrolyte, which is why a conventional battery often needs topping up with distilled water. The charge and discharge cycle also means that some lead sloughs off the plates. Over time, this builds up in the bottom of the case, reducing the overall capacity of the battery fluid. When enough material builds up, the plates will short out, and you're stuck with a dead battery.
Maintenance-Free Batteries
Closed (maintenance-free), hydrogen car, batteries are essentially the same as conventional batteries, except that they contain, hydrogen car, extra electrolytes in the partially sealed case. However, over time, this excess fluid is used up as fluid slowly off-gases hydrogen and oxygen molecules through the vents. Because these batteries cannot usually be topped off, once the plates begin, hydrogen car, to be exposed, the battery's life span is over. Usually,, hydrogen car, this takes a long period of time, which is, hydrogen car, why these batteries often last longer than conventional batteries. However, in situations where frequent, rapid charge/discharge occurs (such as when running a winch or powerful spotlight without running the engine), a maintenance-free battery may not, hydrogen car, outlast a conventional one.
Another type of maintenance-free battery is the gel-type battery While these batteries cannot leak or spill fluid and can be installed at odd angles, they do have a weakness. Using electrolyte gel necessitates the use of thinner plates so that adequate dispersion of the acid through the active material occurs. Since gel batteries are also sealed, they, hydrogen car, cannot be topped off and care must be taken when charging so they don't overcharge and gas-off, which will result in excessive sloughing of the plates, premature reduction in electrolytes, and eventual battery failure. This means that during the harsh vibrations, hydrogen car, associated with trail riding, a marginal gel battery can fail completely as the plates literally fall apart.
Recombination Batteries
The recombination battery is overall the best battery for off-road and heavy-duty use. They're called recombination because they recombine the gas formed during charging, channeling it into the separators so it doesn't vent out of the battery and reclaiming the water to keep electrolyte concentration at optimum. They are completely sealed (except for a reseating pressure-relief vent) and require no topping off of fluids. Recombination batteries can use either liquid or gel-type electrolytes and are different from other batteries because the acid is bound into the separators and pure lead can be used in the plates. Because of the purity of the materials, hydrogen car, used, there is no sloughing and the plates in these batteries can be very tightly, hydrogen car, packed. The result is a powerful, compact battery with, hydrogen car, quicker charging time, lower internal resistance than conventional or maintenance-free batteries, and a longer life span. In fact, for a conventional battery to deliver the same amount of starting power as a recombination battery, it would have to be two or three times larger. Because they contain no liquid as such, recombination batteries can be mounted in any position,, hydrogen car, will work when the case is damaged, and won't leak in a rollover. In short, for off-road use, they are just about the perfect battery.
How Batteries Are Rated
Battery ratings are a determination of how much power a battery can produce under marginal conditions. There are a number of ways to determine a battery's output, but ratings by ampere hour (Ah), cold-cranking amperes (CCA), and reserve capacity are the most common.
Ampere hours are determined by the SAE 20 test. This test is designed to show the amount of current that can be drawn from a battery for 20 hours without the voltage dropping below 1.75 volts per cell. In real-world terms, this means that a healthy battery should be capable of keeping the parking lights, hydrogen car, lit for 20 hours. For starting your truck, Ah doesn't mean much. However, for powering, hydrogen car, accessories without the engine running, this can be an important measurement.
Cold-cranking amperes or CCA is the unit of measurement that generally determines a battery's ability to start your engine. CCA is a measurement, hydrogen car, of the worst conditions under which a battery can be expected to deliver current, and it tests how much current in amperes a battery can deliver under extreme cold. According to the American SAE standard, CCA is determined by measuring how much current can be delivered in amperes for 30 seconds at -18 degrees C with a final voltage of 7.2 volts per cell or higher.
Reserve capacity, hydrogen car, is an important measurement for the total capacity of the battery and shows how long a battery can keep the engine running if the alternator/generator fails. Reserve capacity of a battery is measured in minutes at room temperature (approximately 70 degrees F). During this test, 25 amperes is drawn from the battery for as long as the voltage does, hydrogen car, not drop below 10.5, hydrogen car, volts. For off-road use, it's a good idea to make sure any battery you purchase has a reserve capacity of at least 120 minutes.
Reserve capacity is also important for those times when you need to run a radio, spotlight, winch, or other electrical accessory without running the engine.
A Batteries Two Enemies
Although just about all modem batteries are pretty reliable, there are two enemies that can grind even,, hydrogen car, hydrogen car, a brand-new battery to a halt - extreme cold and extreme heat. Batteries are at their best with internal temperatures (not ambient) above 50 degrees F and below 105 degrees F. Below and above this range, problems can develop, and a dead, damaged, or . useless battery can be the result.
We've all noticed that under extremely cold, hydrogen car, conditions (below freezing), the battery will turn over the starter motor slowly, if at all. This is because when the internal temperature of the battery gets below the optimum range, the chemical reaction inside the battery happens more slowly, and for every 10-degree drop below freezing, the time that the chemical reaction takes doubles. Because of this increased resistance, the voltage in the battery drops and cannot turn over the engine.
Heat can also have an adverse effect on your battery's overall health. Battery power is reduced when it's subjected to excessive temperatures, but the problem may not be immediately noticed until the temperature drops. At higher temperatures, the chemical reaction within the battery is more rapid. The battery can produce more energy more quickly. This is good, right? Wrong. The higher rate of energy production results in an increase in off gassing; the water in the battery is vented out as hydrogen and oxygen molecules and the rate of internal corrosion, or sloughing, increases. This can result in a short in one or more cells that is not noticed until cold weather, hydrogen car, diminishes the overall ability of the battery.
What to Buy
When it comes to batteries for automotive use, there is no such thing as a perfect battery. Any battery can fail if it is neglected, constantly overloaded,, hydrogen car, or overcharged. The important thing to remember is to get the right battery for your needs, one that is rated for your vehicle, hydrogen car, and all the accessories you use. Generally, this means a high Ah, high CCA, and high reserve capacity. Also, make sure you buy a quality unit. Don't be fooled by the low price of the budget shops. Batteries sold in the no-name-battery discount stores often are poorly assembled and use inferior materials in the plates and separators. Name-brand batteries, such as AC-Delco, Sears DieHard, Exide, Interstate,, hydrogen car, Optima, and others, are manufactured to the highest standards, delivering high reliability combined with long life.
For off-road use, however, we feel that the recombination battery is the best overall, since it delivers high output, needs no maintenance, holds up well to the rigors of off-road driving, and has a quick recharge rate,, hydrogen car, as well as a long life, hydrogen, hydrogen car, car, span. It is a particularly useful battery for the off-roader because it has no liquid to leak out and, hydrogen car, can be mounted in, hydrogen car, any position (even upside down). Because of this, it won't corrode battery trays or cables and is safe in a collision. You can actually shoot a 45-caliber bullet through the battery casing and it will still crank at full power. Try that with a conventional battery, and you have a leaking mess that will at best produce minimal voltage.
Although recombination batteries are sold under various brand names, Optima's 800U is the original and also the only battery available with both top posts and side terminals, a feature that makes, hydrogen car, it especially well suited for specialized installations and powering accessories and where there is installation room for only one battery Since, hydrogen car, we also run a winch and driving lights from the starting battery, it, hydrogen car, has to be a powerful one. The 800 CCA and 120 minutes of reserve capacity the Optima offers means we can rely on the unit, hydrogen car, as a power source for lights and winch use when the engine is down, without sacrificing starting ability. Additionally, the side terminals make it easy to power the winch and other accessories directly off the battery without disconnecting the main power cables and disabling the vehicle's computer. This makes for a clean installation without a lot of cable clutter at the main battery posts, which is especially important when there's limited space around the battery top.
Visit AutomotiveGazette.com - The Automotive Gazette weekly edition of car care articles, automotive news and information on automotive repair for those of us not adept at automotive troubleshooting.
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