![]() In addition, they also act as a voltage stabilizer in the electrical system to even out voltage spikes and keep them from damaging the sensitive electrical components in your vehicle. They’re designed to rock on like a champ when you turn the key, then go back to their normal state and receive a recharge from the alternator.Ĭar batteries supply the extra power necessary when the electrical demand exceeds that which the alternator can provide. They are typically used for short bursts of power like starting the engine that has an alternator ready to top it off right away. SLI stands for Starting Lighting Ignition, and these batteries are designed to perform in high start output situations where only light surface cycling takes place. ![]() The change in vehicle electrical needs has increased as they have become much more sophisticated from an electronic standpoint. A deep-cycle YELLOWTOP battery is best where there is no alternator in play - but it must be maintained religiously to assure power is there when necessary. A daily driven vehicle will be best served with a REDTOP battery, while a racecar or occasional cruiser might be better served with a YELLOWTOP. ![]() It's critically important to determine the proper battery design for your needs. When an enthusiast starts modifying a vehicle, whether it’s for performance or creature comforts, that opens up a whole new can of worms. Communication with the key fob, or an alarm system, or whatever it might be, those things are all consuming some small amount of energy, and when you add them all up it can be a lot.” There are many more things that a car has to do today besides just keep the radio stations in memory – it consumes more energy to keep the car alive. An older car typically had no load when the key was off and could stand for 60 days, and would still fire up, but that term has shortened significantly. ![]() We have the privilege of working with the OE manufacturers to provide solutions to their needs in terms of key-off power. “What has increased over time dramatically is the key-off load and that’s pretty significant today. The computer keeps running when the car is turned off and this requires the battery to provide enough power when the car is turned off – what Douglass calls “key-off load”. Anytime the electrical demand exceeds the capability of the alternator is when a good battery is put to the test.”Īs all of today’s vehicles are computer-controlled, the need to provide power when the car is turned off is now a large part of specifying the proper battery for an application. I know a soccer Mom or two that lets the kids play power hungry entertainment systems in the minivan when the motor isn’t running. “The alternator should be putting out enough amperage to keep the car running properly but there are times when electrical demands peak above the capability of the alternator. Things like that can put a significant strain on the electrical reserve power in the battery,” says Optima’s Cameron Douglass. Since the introduction of OBD-II and moving forward, each year another component is powered by electricity – power steering, electric water pumps, minivans with dual power sliding doors, power SUV tailgates, and side steps. “The change in vehicle electrical needs has increased as they have become much more sophisticated from an electronic standpoint. ![]() Batteries are specified to provide the proper amount of Cold Cranking Amps for the application, but it’s the need for power when the owner is not attempting to start the car that has driven advancements in battery technology over the last several years. Starting a vehicle requires a quick burst of large power – that’s where the term CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) comes from. Positive plates and negative plates are connected (but not to each other) and to the terminals atop the battery. This cutaway of a REDTOP battery shows how each cell is organized within the battery’s case. ![]()
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