Do Car Battery Brands Matter?

We all get new car batteries every couple of years. Before purchasing, we consider several things, including the battery brand. But have you ever wondered if these car battery brands matter? If you have, search no further! This article is exclusively a treat for you!

Here is the short answer! Car battery brands do matter to an extent. When getting a new car battery, the first thing to consider is definitely not the car battery brand. However, quality car battery brands will provide you with a quality battery and a great warranty.

Well-recognized battery brands do not grow overnight. It takes time, consistency, and persistence to develop a trustworthy brand that can withstand time.

Unlike some industries, the battery production industry is one in which popularity accompanies quality. A battery brand product is either known to be of high quality and expensive, medium quality and affordable, or usable quality and cheap. Continue reading to learn more!

What is the first thing to consider when getting a new car battery?

Firstly, you must read your car manual and follow the manufacturer’s specifications. Take note of the car battery’s group size and the type of terminals.

After that, purchase a new battery based on the specifications. When purchasing the new battery based on the specifications, check the reserve capacity rating, cold-cranking Amp (CCA) ratings, manufacture dates, and warranties.

• The CCA determines the power needed to start your car in cold climates. It is best to get a battery with high CCA ratings if you live in a cold place.
• The reserve capacity rating is in minutes. It lets you know how long the battery can keep the car running if the charging system fails. The value of the reserved capacity is the number of minutes the battery can keep the car running in the absence of the charging system.
• The warranty should not be less than three years.
• Ensure that the battery’s manufacturing date is not that old. This is because batteries self-discharge. The more they stay on the shelf, the more discharged they are.

On the battery, the manufacture date is usually listed as the month and year – 02/19 means it was manufactured in February 2019.

Types of car batteries

Generally, there are three types of batteries.

Flooded Lead Acid

Batteries of this nature are known as lead-acid batteries or wet-cell batteries. They are the most common and affordable batteries. They work by submerging lead plates in an electrolyte (sulphuric acid).

Wet-cell batteries are quite advantageous because they are cheap and are not excessively affected by overcharging as they charge with a low charge over a long period.

They have a few shortcomings.

• You must refill the battery cells with water from time to time.
• You can not use them in a confined space. This is because flooded lead-acid batteries release hydrogen gas which, when concentrated in a confined space, causes hypoxia.
• They can only be mounted upright.

Any car owner with a flooded lead-acid battery can upgrade to an AGM battery.

Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM)

It is an improved version of flooded lead-acid batteries. Here, the plates have fiberglass mats between them which carry the electrolytes.

These batteries are quite more advantageous than flooded lead-acid batteries in that;

• They are non-spillable.
• They can withstand more shock and vibration.
• They can withstand colder temperatures.
• They have deep cycling abilities.
• They are maintenance-free.
• They are sealed.
• They have low self-discharge.
• They can charge five times faster than flooded lead-acid batteries.

Although they are quite advantageous, they are pretty costly. Another downside of these batteries is their inability to withstand overcharging. As a result, all AGM batteries require special chargers.

Additionally, they can only discharge to 50%, unlike flooded lead-acid batteries that can discharge 80%.

AGM batteries work best with a mid to high current and charge over a short period.

Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB)

They are quite common and similar to flooded lead-acid batteries. However, they differ in that they have enhanced charging and deep-cycling abilities.

They are better than flooded lead-acid batteries but not as good as AGM batteries. In most cases, cars with EFB batteries can upgrade to AGM batteries.

Some well-known car battery brands and their pros and cons

Several car battery brands out there have different specifications for different vehicles. Let us have a look at some.

Odyssey

This is a very well-known AGM car battery brand. Some even consider it the best car battery brand.

The Odyssey extreme series car battery is a premium Absorbed Glass Mat Odyssey battery.

It had a perfect score in Cold Cranking Amps, Reserve Capacity, and Life during testing and can last 400 charge cycles from 80% discharge.

It is available in most standard group sizes and comes with a four-year full replacement warranty.

The only issue with Odyssey is that it has premium pricing and is quite hard to find.

Everstart

Everstart is a known traditional flooded lead-acid battery. This brand is known to have the best affordable car batteries. It is quite affordable and has respectable performance.

The EverStart Maxx-35 is a traditional flooded lead-acid battery. Its Cold Cranking Amps, Reserve Capacity, and Life are quite impressive. It is better than some AGM batteries, which are two or three times more costly.

The EverStart batteries Maxx series comes in most standard group sizes and has a three-year full replacement warranty. It will last longer if properly maintained.

Everstart has quality control issues and is unsuitable for use in extreme situations like very cold weather.

Diehard

Diehard Gold car batteries are the best batteries for pickup trucks. They have a good performance and perform particularly well in extremely cold conditions. Their prices ate quite reasonable with a three-year full replacement warranty.

Why do car battery brands matter?

Battery brands make it easy to get a car battery that will suit your location. If you intend to upgrade your car battery type to suit your needs, it will be best to know the battery brand that will work for you.

Assume you have to move to a very cold place. If your vehicle utilizes a lead-acid battery, you may probably opt to upgrade it since lead-acid batteries can not withstand extreme temperatures.

Utilizing a battery brand like Odyssey, specifically Odyssey 34-PC1500T will be a great option as it is better at resisting cold temperatures.

Battery brands give you a sense of security.

When purchasing a new car battery, getting a branded one gives you a sense of security because of the warranty period. Unbranded batteries usually lack accountability. So, if anything goes wrong after purchasing it, the responsibility lies solely on you.

Conclusion

Car batteries differ in multiple ways to work with different vehicle specifications. When purchasing a new car battery, your vehicle’s specification is the first thing to look at. After that, you can check out the best battery brands to find the best battery that meets the specifications and can work well with your vehicle setup.