The battery of an automobile supplies electric power used for electrical components such as lights and wipers (general term for electrical parts of an automobile), and the most important role is a starter motor (an ignition plug to start moving an automobile). It plays the role of supplying electricity to the electric power that blows sparks and the parts that assist the engine to start running.
The battery is a rechargeable battery, and it deteriorates by repeating discharging and charging, and if it is used as it is, the light will be dimmed, the cranking speed will be slowed down, and in the worst case, the engine will not start. The standard battery life is 2 to 3 years. Due to the improved battery performance, the symptoms of deterioration may be difficult to understand and the life may suddenly expire. Regular diagnosis and replacement will help prevent sudden troubles.
Estimated replacement time
When the battery checker diagnoses that replacement is necessary.
Every 2 to 3 years (However, the service life varies depending on the usage conditions)
I would like to explain the types of batteries.
The basic function of the auxiliary battery remains the same, but the batteries used in general passenger cars are "open type", "dry", "maintenance free", "for idling stop vehicles", and "hybrid vehicles". There are five main types of "auxiliary battery".
Opening type
The "open type" is the most common type used in many cars. If you use it for a long time, the battery fluid (dilute sulfuric acid) filled inside will decrease due to evaporation, so regular inspection is required. If you can see that the liquid is running low, fill it with battery liquid (distilled water or purified water) sold at car supplies stores.
If you continue to use the battery with insufficient battery fluid, the battery may explode and cause a fire, which is dangerous . However, the products currently on the market are less likely to lose liquid than in the past, and it seems that there are cases where the liquid is not replenished until the average battery life (3 to 5 years).
dry
Whereas a normal battery has electrodes (metal) immersed in the battery fluid, a dry battery is filled with the battery fluid so that the electrodes soak into it, and each cell (small room) is sealed. It is an image of a powerful rechargeable battery. Its advantage is that it is much lighter than a normal battery, and it is often used in racing cars. On the contrary, the disadvantage is that it is very expensive.
maintenance-free
As the name suggests, the maintenance-free battery (sealed type) does not require maintenance (= inspection). Since it is highly airtight and there is almost no decrease in battery fluid, it can be used for the entire life without worrying about the decrease in fluid. Maintenance-free batteries have also become the mainstream these days and are often installed in imported cars, high-performance cars, hybrid cars and EVs (electric vehicles).
Battery for idling stop car
An increasing number of vehicles are equipped with an idling stop mechanism that stops the engine when the vehicle is stopped to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions. It is necessary to select a battery that matches this mechanism.
As is common with those that use electricity, the moment the switch is turned on, a lot of electricity is used. The same applies to idling stop vehicles, which require a lot of electric power each time the engine is started. Since electrical components such as air conditioners and car navigation systems are operating even when the engine is stopped, a battery with a large capacity and quick charging performance is required.
Auxiliary battery for hybrid
The "auxiliary battery" plays a role equivalent to the battery of a gasoline-powered vehicle, and supplies power to various functional equipment in the vehicle such as the power supply of the system, ECU (computer), and car navigation system. Without this, the hybrid car cannot move. Therefore, it has a larger capacity and a higher price than a normal battery. Please note that it will deteriorate significantly if the battery runs out more than a normal battery.
In recent years, the number of hybrid cars has increased. As many of you may know, hybrid vehicles have two batteries with different roles.
It is installed.
The first is the "auxiliary battery", which can be said to be a battery that works almost the same as a gasoline-powered vehicle. Gasoline cars are equipped with only this one battery.
The second is the "drive battery." This is a special battery that is many times larger and has a higher voltage, which is unique to hybrid cars.
Let's take the battery of a typical Toyota hybrid car "Prius" as an example.
The Prius differs not only in the number of batteries, but also in the role of each battery.
● Auxiliary battery (12V)
I wrote above that this battery is almost the same as the battery loaded in the engine room of a gasoline car, but in the case of the Prius, the auxiliary battery is loaded in the trunk, and the gas is outside the car. The fact that it has a tube to let it escape is different from the battery of a gasoline car.
* Since the car battery is a lead battery, hydrogen gas is generated when electricity is generated. In a normal car, the battery is loaded in the engine room and it is separated from the inside of the car, but in the case of Prius, it is in the trunk, that is, inside the car, so attach a tube so that the inside of the car is not filled with gas and gas outside Is missing.
● Drive battery (high voltage)
The main role of the drive battery is to literally drive the motor to drive the car.
In the case of a hybrid vehicle, the engine is also started by the drive battery. In the case of the Prius, this battery plays a very important role because it stops and starts the engine even while running.
And we need a mechanism to charge the drive battery. It can be said that the existence of this charging mechanism is the decisive difference from ordinary cars.
There is a smart brake called a regenerative brake to charge this battery efficiently, and the regenerative brake recovers the energy during deceleration and charges the drive battery as electrical energy.
When necessary, the power of the engine is used to generate electricity and charge the motor even when it is running or stopped, and when accelerating, the stored electricity is used to turn the motor to support the fuel efficiency of the Prius.
Another role of the drive battery is to supply power to the auxiliary battery. After the hybrid system is started, the drive battery powers the auxiliary battery. Therefore, when the engine is stopped (when ready), even if you watch the navigation TV for a long time, the auxiliary battery will not run out. Then, when the charge of the drive battery becomes low, the engine will start again and charging will start.
As mentioned above, the Prius uses the two batteries properly to support its driving performance and good fuel economy.