Posted on 7/11/2013
Your car is starting just fine and everything is working as it should, so why be concerned about your battery until it stops working for you? Here is what you should know: batteries deteriorate over time from normal use, and the condition of a battery should be checked regularly as part of a complete automotive service. This is easily done by performing a load test on the battery using a special piece of equipment that is connected to the battery. This equipment applies an electrical load to the battery for 15 seconds at which time the voltage of the battery is measured. A healthy battery’s voltage needs to be at or above 9.7 volts. If the voltage measures below 9.7 volts, the battery is considered unreliable and may fail to start the vehicle at any time. It is also important to know that a weak battery causes the vehicle charging system to work harder than designed and will result in the alternator failing sooner, which is a much more expensive repair than replacing the battery ... read more