For most motorists, the first time they are aware a car battery may be nearing the end of its life cycle is when they have a starting problem. This can be overcome by battery testing, but realistically, most drivers are not going to do this proactively. It is therefore down to the workshops to put a battery testing regime into practice and Ecobat Battery has highlighted the importance of this.  

Despite it taking just a couple of minutes, workshops rarely do a battery test. This is a wasted opportunity as Ecobat Battery has found that some 27% of the vehicles that enter independent workshops either need their batteries recharged or reconditioned, and a further 11% need a replacement. This means 38% of the vehicles entering a garage have a battery issue and it is no coincidence that 40% of roadside breakdowns are due to battery failure. 

To encourage and assist workshops to introduce a battery testing culture, Ecobat Battery can, through its motor factor customers, provide them with point-of-sale support material that includes battery testing report cards, counter displays, A4 leaflets and A2 posters, which are available in a choice of Lucas, Exide, VARTA or Numax branding.

Ecobat points out that a typical lead acid SLI (starter/lights/ignition) battery will self-discharge at the rate of 0.1-volts per month, which means that a fully charged battery at 12.7-volts will be discharged to the point that it would struggle to start an engine (11.8-volts), in just nine months.

This natural discharge process is also exaggerated by numerous electronic devices, such as clock, alarm, remote locking mechanism running when the engine is not and opening and closing the vehicle without driving anywhere. Added to this, when the temperature drops to freezing, the battery can lose up to 35% of its power. 

When it comes to why most batteries reach their end of life, it is generally due to a process called sulphation, which is a chemical reaction that takes place in the electrolyte within the battery when the voltage drops to 12.4 or below, which causes lead sulphate crystals to build up on the lead battery plates. This reduces the battery’s capacity and cranking potential and signals the beginning of its demise.

Ecobat says, these combined effects along with reduced car usage means that whatever the weather, the future remains bright for the replacement battery sector.

For further details, please visit Ecobat Battery at: www.ecobatbattery.com