The Battery of a Car, What is It Used For?
The battery plays a vital role in the operation of a car engine and all the electrical equipment found in it. Without it, a vehicle becomes unusable. This shows the importance of preserving it. Here is how a battery works and what its role is.
What are the Main Functions of a Battery?
As mentioned above, the battery plays a key role. If it does not produce current, its role is to store the electrical energy produced by its faithful ally, the alternator. This stored energy is necessary for starting the engine as well as for operating the various accessories requiring an electricity supply (electric windows, radio, air conditioning, door locking, etc.).
How is the Battery Recharged?
Note that a battery does not recharge by itself when the engine is stopped, except of course when using an external charging system. A battery also loses energy (discharges) if it is not being used for a long period of time. Except in the case of “manual” recharging, a car must be driven so that the battery can recharge itself. The current required for this recharge is produced by the alternator, which, by a system of belts, can only operate when the engine is running. It is like a mini power plant producing current to recharge the battery. Clearly, a car that is not moving sees its battery wear out, especially since certain elements continue to use energy even when the car is stationary (radio memory, watch, etc.). In cold weather, a long period of non-use can completely discharge the battery.
What are the Different Types of Batteries?
You could almost say that there is a type of battery for every car, so the choice is so big. But more generally, with regard to thermal vehicles, we can distinguish three types of batteries.
Gasoline Engine Batteries:
Gasoline cars do not require the same horsepower to be able to start an engine. Their amperage is generally lower, and therefore their purchase price lower.
Diesel Engine Batteries:
A diesel engine has more torque than gasoline, and therefore requires warm-up when starting. This type of motor requires a higher amperage, therefore a more powerful and necessarily more expensive battery.
Start & Stop Batteries:
As recent vehicles are equipped with the Start & Stop system, they require specific batteries capable of withstanding much more starts. They are also called “hardened” batteries. Their purchase cost is higher and their installation sometimes requires the intervention of a professional.
If a car needs fuel to run, it also can't do without a battery that's shaped to drop you when you least expect it. And if your engine starts to start hard, a quick glance at the battery size may be necessary.
