How to Determine the Quality of a Car Battery?
2 Answers
The following are methods to determine the quality of a car battery: 1. Check the observation port. Currently, more than 80% of maintenance-free batteries come with a power observation port. The colors visible in the observation port are generally divided into three types: green, black, and white. Green indicates sufficient power, black indicates slight power loss, and white means the battery is dead and needs replacement. For specific details, refer to the label on the battery. 2. Measure the voltage. Use a battery tester or multimeter to measure the battery voltage. Under normal conditions, the no-load voltage of the battery should be around 13 volts, the full-load voltage should generally not be lower than 12 volts, and the starting voltage should not be below 9.5 volts. If the battery voltage is too low, the vehicle may experience difficulty starting or fail to start altogether. 3. Inspect the appearance. Check if there are obvious signs of swelling or bulging on both sides of the battery. Also, look for any white or green powdery substances around the battery terminals. These are actually oxides from the battery. High-quality or new batteries generally do not develop these oxides easily. Once they appear, it indicates that the battery's performance is starting to deteriorate.
Having driven this car for over a decade, experience tells me that the key to judging a battery's condition lies in its starting performance. If the engine turns over particularly slowly during ignition, with a sluggish sound like it's struggling for breath, the battery is likely failing. Also, observe the headlights – if brightness noticeably drops or becomes unstable when turning on high beams or the AC, it indicates insufficient charge. It's best to periodically check with simple tools, like purchasing an affordable multimeter for a few dozen yuan to measure the battery terminals: a fully charged battery should read above 12.6 volts, and anything below 12 volts is dangerous. Battery aging often shows visible signs too, such as white corrosion at the terminals or leakage, which requires immediate cleaning or replacement. Considering batteries typically last 3 to 5 years, I conduct annual inspections, especially during winter when cold temperatures increase failure risks, to avoid being stranded on the road.
