Mazda Service Centre Advice: Understanding Car Battery Types

Table of Contents

1. The Car Battery
2. Different Types of Car Batteries
3. Lead Acid
4. Gel Lead Acid
5. Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM)
6. Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB)

 

It’s advisable to get a regular Mazda service. Perth drivers can then rest easy that their car is well maintained and safe to drive. However, there are maintenance tasks that can be carried out by anyone with some basic knowledge. One of the critical parts of any car is the battery, and there are many different ones available.

The Car Battery

It’s a terrible feeling when you jump into the car in a rush to get somewhere, you turn the key, and the engine will not start. The battery is dead, and now you have to look around desperately for someone kind motorist to give you a jump start, or maybe you even have to change the battery. A recent CTEK study showed that Australians spent $761 million on car batteries last year alone. Let’s take a closer look at the types of car batteries available and how they differ from one another.

Different Types of Car Batteries

If you have a more modern car equipped with a stop start system you may have other types of batteries fitted to your car to power this function. Here are some of the more common types of battery that you may find in your car.

Lead Acid

This is the classic wet battery that most of us will be familiar with; lead plated electrodes are suspended in a sulfuric acid electrolyte fluid to provide a short burst of power quickly. They are cheap to buy and an ideal choice to start a car, but they do have a couple of disadvantages. Firstly, they both delicate and heavy at the same time which is a bad combination if the battery is dropped while being moved into position. Secondly, they are not very good at providing power to auxiliary systems over any kind of prolonged period. 

Gel Lead Acid

Often referred to as gel batteries, these overcome many issues of lead acid batteries by mixing the electrolyte fluid with a gel agent. This makes this battery quite resistant to damage, and it can be cycled quite a few times. These batteries are very resistant to heat damage, and they are more expensive.

Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM)

An AGM battery is similar to a lead acid battery, but the electrolyte fluid is absorbed into a glass mat inside the battery. These batteries are quite robust, they can be cycled many times, and they are even suitable for auxiliary systems. They are also capable of supporting a stop start system, and they are expensive to buy. The main downside of an AGM battery is that it’s vulnerable to heat and it cannot be stored near engine components that generate heat.

Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB)

This is an updated version of the wet lead acid style of battery. The EFB was designed as an affordable alternative to gel or AGM batteries. It is capable of supporting a stop start system, and it’s often found in non luxury cars.

If you need help with your battery, book a local Mazda service here at Melville Mazda, we'd be delighted to assist you.