Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Begin your tutorial with the essential basics of car batteries

The basic type of battery for regular automobiles is the lead-acid battery. It provides power for the ignition and electrical systems in most cars. The most common type is referred to as a flooded-cell battery, although in some applications, the absorbed glass mat battery is used. For electric carts and other smaller vehicles, consider the use of wet cell batteries.

I recommend: Get more detailed information on car batteries and related issues by checking out AutoBatteries.com, which has info such as handling, maintenance and recycling. You can also find out more about automobile battery types, testing and charging by looking at BatteryStuff.com.

Determine your needs by performing an automotive battery comparison of types and models

Obviously, the configuration of your vehicles' engines and electrical systems will determine what kind of battery you need, as far as where the terminals are located. You also have to take size and power requirements into consideration. For most modern vehicles, a distributor can simply look up your fleet's makes and models and tell you the best car battery for your needs.

I recommend: Discover some of the different kinds of product types and sizes available by checking out AllAboutCarBattery.com to determine some characteristics. Then, figure out the best car batteries for your fleet using automobile batteries information from Consumer Reports.

Seek car battery supplier companies for your business

Many dealers and suppliers of car batteries are available to the average consumer. Depending on the size of your fleet, you might look for a wholesaler and see about bulk orders, or simply check out the nearest auto parts store. Parts store employees are also knowledgeable about what types of batteries will work best for you.

I recommend: Check out various car battery suppliers to determine which companies can best serve your business needs. Compare suppliers on ThomasNet, or consider ApexBattery, which sells various types of auto batteries for different vehicle models.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Working with car batteries can sometimes be dangerous; they contain highly toxic acids that can cause injury if exposed. Make sure you're aware of safety whenever working with your batteries; some of the resources mentioned in this guide have helpful information.

Guide to Car Batteries

The right car battery keeps your fleet on the road and you in business

By Donna Harvey

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Gather information about your cars and the automobile batteries you need

Most battery manufacturer's websites have an interactive area where you can enter your car's make, model, class and engine data, then get a list of recommended auto batteries to fit that car.

I recommend: A tough battery with a great warranty is ACDelco. Their website has interactive areas that will give you a list of products and help you locate a dealer. They also offer maintenance planning and reminder service on their site.

Choose maintenance-free car batteries for less hassle

Yesterday's automobile batteries required periodic checking, filling with distilled water, and recharging. Today most batteries are maintenance-free. To prevent leakage, some are entirely sealed.

I recommend: Optima Batteries manufactures zero maintenance completely encapsulated lead acid batteries that come with a great warranty and good CCA's. Use the "Find a Battery" tool along with the "Find a Retailer" section of their website. For a Superflex maintenance free battery, Superior Battery has an interactive website to help you compare car batteries and locate a dealer in your area.

Look for a nationwide vehicle battery replacement program for cars that travel great distances

Your car wouldn't start in Billings, Montana, one cold morning, so you bought a new vehicle battery. A week later, you are in Phoenix, Arizona, and your car is starting sluggishly. Hopefully, your new battery has a nationwide replacement program.

I recommend: The best nationwide replacement program is on Interstate batteries and they are opening new franchises every day. Interstate also makes the best car battery around. Find the local dealer using the interactive tool on their website.

Get hard-to-find car batteries for specialty and collector cars.

If you are in the business of restoring antique cars or you own one, you might need a source for specialty batteries for these vehicles.

I recommend: New Castle Battery Mfg offers new reproduction vehicle batteries to fit most collector cars. They offer online ordering, ship the batteries dry, and then you fill them with sulphuric acid and apply a charge.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Drive the car to the dealer so they can look at the installed battery to get a perfect match, or measure the height, width, and depth of the vehicle battery and note whether it uses side or top terminals.
• •  Save some money replacing your battery when you know you will be replacing a car soon. Compare car batteries to find one with a lesser warranty. Batteries come warranted for a period of anywhere between 18 months to seven years.
• •  Select the highest cold cranking amps possible if you live in a cold weather area for faster starts. You'll find these ratings from 500 to 900 CCA. Ensure you aren't looking at the warm cranking amps; those are higher because your car starts more easily when warm.

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Keep a closer eye on your automobile batteries with battery testing equipment

As a business owner, you need to be aware of the condition of assets essential to operating your business. Having a way to monitor the power source in your fleet vehicles will give you an edge and prevent a dead battery in the middle of a route or delivery. Get information about car batteries testers and know at the start of each day if one of your vehicles is losing power.

I recommend: See what's available for your business in the way of automobile battery testers by checking out Battery Mart, which sells various digital and needle gauges, as well as hydrometers. You can also choose from among the testers and kits found at Grainger.

Get information on car batteries chargers for keeping your fleet running

In the event that one or more of your vehicles does have a low or dead battery, having a device immediately available to recharge the battery is a huge benefit. With battery chargers, employees can recharge a battery 'in the field' or at your business without the need of another vehicle. Most are portable and thus they are easy to store in the vehicle.

I recommend: Get chargers for your fleet's auto batteries from suppliers such as Overstock.com and AutoBarn. Overstock has myriad portable models you can choose from. Compare car batteries chargers from AutoBarn, which has numerous products of different amperages from makers like Black and Decker, Schumacher and Vector.

Look into the best car battery jumper cables for your company's vehicle fleet

Another asset that comes in handy in lieu of a battery charger is a simple set of jumper cables. Your employee can connect a set of cables from the dead battery to the battery in another vehicle to immediately restart it. This is a perfect product for getting a vehicle running again without the delay of waiting for a recharge.

I recommend: Check out jumper cables for your business vehicle batteries by comparing prices from various distributors at NexTag, or select from different power grades and lengths from Arizona Tools. You might also consider the convenience of a portable jump-starter like those available at Autosport.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In the case of jumper cables, make sure that your employees and drivers are trained in the proper use with vehicle batteries. Incorrect cable placement can lead to damage to your vehicle or injury to your employee.

Action Steps
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Cell

A standard 12-volt battery is composed of six cells connected to create two volts each. Each cell contains an electrolyte which is an ionized compound that creates an electrical current. Each cell also includes plates.

I recommend: Read more about cells at Edmunds.

Corrosion

Corrosion is solid sulfates that can form on car battery terminals over time. Corrosion can decrease a battery's performance by preventing good electrical contact between the battery terminals and cables.

I recommend: Learn more about corrosion at Exide Technologies.

Jump start

Jump start is a method used to restore power to a car's battery. This technique starts a car by using another car's battery through a connection established by jumper cables.

I recommend: Read more about jump starting a car’s battery at Progressive.

Amp hour (Ah)

The amp hour measures a car battery's power capacity. The higher the Ah rating, the longer the battery can run.

I recommend: Read more about amp hour at Power Factor.

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)

Cold cranking power measures the battery's ability to start in cold weather. The measurement determines the amount of amps a battery can produce for 30 seconds at zero degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the number of amps delivered, the higher the battery's performance in cold weather.

I recommend: Find out more about CCA at EE&S.

Reserve capacity

Reserve capacity measures a battery's capacity to start a vehicle with a faulty alternator or fan belt. Reserve capacity determines the battery's ability to deliver ample amounts of power at 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

I recommend: Learn more about reserve capacity at AutoBatteries.com.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If the car battery dies in a vehicle that has an automatic transmission, the vehicle will not start unless it is jump-started. However, a vehicle with a manual transmission can still be started if the car battery dies as long as the alternator and voltage regulator are in good working condition.