Vehicle 12 Volt Batteries
Extract from Vehicle Electrical Principles course notes…
No longer is the wet-cell lead/acid battery the most common 12 volt battery type to be found on modern vehicles.
On PHEV hybrid and electric vehicles in particular, the size and capacity requirements of the 12 volt battery are much smaller.
This is due to reduced electrical demands (for example, from not needing a 12 volt battery to start the internal combustion engine – ICE).
So many ICE powered vehicles are now fitted as standard with stop-start and alternator management systems.
On these vehicles the 12 volt battery has to still be able to operate effectively at lower states of charge (i.e. deeper cycling), and also be compatible with on-board power management systems.
Conventional wet-cell lead-acid batteries lack the properties and durability to cope with such demands.
From the early 2000s, vehicle manufacturers have been looking to more advanced 12 volt battery technologies. Since then, Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) and Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) batteries have come into general use.
These 12 volt battery types are now to be found as standard on many vehicles. A select few vehicle manufacturers are also even offering a 12 volt Lithium-ion battery as a starter battery. The following 12 volt battery types are to be found on modern vehicles:
AGM
EFB
Lead/Acid
Lithium-ion (some vehicles)
Garage personnel need to be familiar with these different battery types to ensure correct service and maintenance routines are followed.
Most importantly, today’s 12 volt vehicle batteries require different procedures to be carried out when testing, charging and replacing the battery.
Wrong procedures when working on vehicle batteries can result in starting and charging system malfunctions and premature battery failure.
The Vehicle Electrical Principles course from AK Automotive describes 12 volt battery technologies and explains battery testing and maintenance procedures when working on modern vehicles.
For more information and to find out about the next available Vehicle Electrical Principles course with AK Automotive, click here…