Just because a company offers a good warranty, does not mean it can deliver. Not all high-performance batteries possess a more extended duration warranty—read the piece below and clear up the dilemma.
Okay, What Brand Of Car Battery Lasts The Longest, In Warranty?
IN SUMMARY, IF YOU CHOOSE
• A high-performance battery for your cars
AND
• A consistent car battery brand for your batteries
YOU CAN—ALMOST—EXPECT
• A significantly “long” battery warranty without sacrificing amazing features of safety as well as quality products for a longer battery lifespan.
AND, the battery product with (perhaps) the most extended period for a battery warranty comes from the Exide brand—with a 108 months partial period warranty and 40 months period for replacement (insanity, man).
Now, granting, it all sounds a bit hopeful. –and you are “right; it does look utopian and perfect.
While the above statement sounds cool (and all), let us explore more on what it means to possess a “long” warranty in a battery.
A warranty is a designation term (usually for industry manufacturers) to highlight just how long a product of theirs is free for different quality assurance processes:
SOME OF THESE PROCESSES ARE
• Observation on how a product performs for a couple of months
• Inspection for an auto-parts store or outsourcing store (like Costco to Interstate batteries) who can cater to the needs of customers
• Replacement for products that under-perform or are defective according to customer’s complaints.
AND, MANY MORE (DEPENDING ON THE BRAND’S OFFERS)
• Some brands give their battery products up to 3-years in warranty
• Some brands give their battery products up to 6-years in warranty
AND
• Some brands give their battery products up to more years than 3 or 6 in warranty
What gives, right? –is it all just arbitrary and for the heck of it (not exactly, as you will know).
Believe it or not, some battery brands, as well as industry manufacturers, actually care about quality assurance and customer satisfaction.
But, keeping what appears to be the “minimum” standard of up to 3-years also assures the customer (and brand) that the circulation of these batteries will be efficient and effective.
JUST THINK ABOUT IT
• 1st year will be for observation
• 2nd year will be for inspection
• 3rd year will be for replacement (if that even happens)
Heck, if you can, guarantee customer satisfaction in 1-year (all three of the above processes), you are going to (probably) get more time to sell more products—increase business reputation, too.
And, if you look at many of the top brands when it comes to consumer ratings and reviews, you are going to get 3-years as that relevant standard and promise.
Now, you may be wondering, what does this say about 6-years (or more warranty periods.
These kinds of warranties usually fall into these categories:
• The warranty comes from an affiliate group of the brand (again, Costco and Interstate comes to mind)
• The warranty begins from a sales promotion from a store that sells batteries (think AutoZone or Walmart or Batteries Plus and yes, Costco again)
• The warranty comes from the brand itself (the Exide car battery brand comes into this category).
It does not mean, mind you, that the batteries themselves are troublesome or, worse, defective (although they can, of course)—it is most likely a gig to sell more batteries and generate more of a buzz around consumer interest.
So, all good, right? –this discussion hopefully clears up some things, folks.
What Is The Best Car Battery For The Money?
While it can be a temptation to choose Exide as far as the duration of battery warranty is a concern—but no, the fact of the matter is, there are a lot more factors to invest your money on (not just the basis of warranty alone).
Okay, let us take a look at some of the best contenders in recent years (around 2018 and 2019) when it comes to the car battery.
OVER HERE IS A ROUNDUP
The D6500 Power XS Battery – Editor’s Choice – 5 DOLLAR SIGNS
• Sealable and safe AGM features, reducing problems of leaks and spillage
• Resistance to vibrations and shocks is a priority
• Mountable in just about a lot of different positions
• If you like sounds and sound effects, this is a great match
The 8004-03 Optima Battery – Editor’s Choice – 4 DOLLAR SIGNS
• Fantastic starter function does it through a time “burst” feature (usually five seconds)
• Adaptable for a lot of daily use vehicles, performance race cars, designer cars, and your classics
• 2-X the battery lifespan in comparison to other batteries
• Relatively “free” of maintenance issues and sealable
The 857 AGM VMAX Battery – FOR THE MONEY (LONG-TERM)
• Quite easy when it comes to carrying the product and putting it in different positions
• Easily one of the better lightweight products in comparison to other batteries
• Specialty features like exclusive design grids that ensure proper compression and suspension for long-term performance.
The PC680 Odyssey Battery – THE BEST (OVERALL)
• Brings two essential car battery functions together—works as a starter and as a deep-cycler
• Excellent capability to resist different shocks and vibration, inside and outside
• Durable and expansive, enough to give power to various applications on a vehicle
• CCA range borders on the 750 number, amperage powerful to drive and sustain RV applications
• Compact when it comes to structure and design as well as relatively lightweight for all its benefits
Do note that, on a general level, they all possess close to similar warranty levels.
Warranty aside, and as high as performance markers are, longevity and safety matters to the “common man” quite more than most think.
What Is The Best Car Battery For Winter?
Now, the VMAX brand wins out in overall safety features coupling with quite the lightweight package—a common wheelhouse factor for many customers, especially on a budget.
But, when it comes to the cold weather or when “winter is coming” (hah), the Odyssey brand wins out due to its heavy-duty vehicle applications and dual-purpose functions, coupling with both a lightweight structure and durability.
Remember, what car has the best warranty must depend on context—in this case, budget versus the climate.
What To Do With A Smoking Battery Before It Is Too Late
Batteries are not invincible—for all the wealth they bring, they bring up a good number of problems, as well. This most troubling aspect of battery problem can occur on a reasonable level and (not surprisingly), there are many ways in which heat can enter unto the battery cell unit and “smoke” it from there. Throw some “caution to the wind” before that happens by reading this piece below.
First and Foremost, What Causes A Battery To Smoke?
The overheating and smoking of batteries can affect any cells you may be in your possession.
INCLUDING, BUT MOST DEFINITELY NOT EXCLUDING
• Your boat batteries
• Your car batteries
• Your cart (or golf cart) batteries
• Your radio batteries
• Your phone batteries
AND A GREAT DEAL MORE IN OTHER APPLICATIONS OR PRODUCTS
The overall message is that when a cell (especially a car) begins to smoke, the usual cause is because something in the internal system is in “overheating” mode—and you do not want any of that mess.
Now, there are a good number of common and uncommon signs that your precious batteries are actually in deep doo-doo even before a “smoking point” hits in—call them “smoke signals” if you will.
Examples of these smoke signals can be the following scenarios right below for your car batteries—and you may want to be a little bit more procedural, as these signs can overlap with other products as well.
IF YOU GET
• No available power for your electronics or vehicles that might be the smoke signal.
• If the cranking power of your car battery (in particular) is quite slow or non-existent, that might be the smoke signal.
• When a “smell of rotten eggs” seeps and pores out from your battery product, that might be the smoke signal (more on these below).
What Causes A Battery To Overheat?
There are, more likely than not, many reasons for a battery product to overheat—and cars are not even the end of the discussion.
The process of overheating is dependent on the kind of battery you are using and the material that these batteries use—several factors can all play a part.
THE USUAL CULPRITS, THOUGH?
Temperature
• If your battery is in a hot or hot and humid climate environment, the chances of overheating are almost an assurance.
Charging
• Though familiar to cars, the issue of overcharging can apply to other applications like boats and phones, just as well—voltage is voltage, and too much, for too long results in overheating your product.
Quality
• Not to bash products in the face, but the quality assurance is there for a reason: to give batteries design and structure in which you do not need to monitor too much these products.
Defects
• Remember that a battery is a “group of stuff” or parts put together quite well, so when just one part malfunctions, it can cause the whole to create too much heat as compensation.
Age
• If your battery multiplies all of the above factors together, you are going to get a faulty assault or a battery in damage—this may or may not warrant a battery replacement.
But, if car batteries are a concern of yours, the typical smoke signal you will get is usually an emergency light coming from a poorly performing alternator.
In that respect, let us see what we can do for troubleshooting a car battery that smokes up a joint.
FIRST, YOU ARE GOING TO NEED SOME ITEMS ONHAND LIKE
• A wrench or cable suitable for batter applications
• Some clean water will be useful
• A set of sockets—and a tension for belts can help out
• Some rags (useful for a lot of things) that you can find
AND, WHILE YOU ARE AT IT
• Do not forget safety items—a set of glasses for safety, and some gloves will keep you from significant harm.
Okay, now for troubleshooting your car battery (the common one is because of the alternator system).
1. Your engine must be in “off” mode, especially if you feel any of the “smoke signals” beforehand.
2. Let your vehicle rest up over the night and cool its engine and systems.
3. With your gloves and your glasses on, open up your car’s hood and use the wrench for the negative (-) cable disconnection.
4. Get caps of the battery in the removal and check for low water—put over some water if the need arises, cleaning any leaking or spilling sediments (especially battery acid water).
5. Remove alternator system using your set of sockets, going through a serpentine-like belt on the first part, utilizing your tensioner for belts—get that alternator out of your joint and to an auto-parts store or shop.
Is That “Rotten Egg Smell” From A Battery Dangerous?
Although not exclusive to just the batteries of your car, the “smell of eggs rotting” is something people will attest to when it comes to a bright and common smoking point of a battery in distress.
What makes this lousy concoction of things—well, ironically, it comes from the core material of the battery itself.
YOU SEE
• Most products use battery acid (usually of lead origin)
AND THEN
• They fill it up with a dosage mix of water and another one in acid from sulfur base materials.
BUT, THEN
• As your battery now grows old, that mix goes over, and evaporations happen—causing the likelihood of overheating (sometimes even, boiling) process to occur.
AND, GUESS WHAT THAT REMINDS YOU OF WHEN YOU “BOIL” SOMETHING FOR BREAKFAST?
• You get it, the “boiling” of eggs work the same way (although not identical)—in short, battery age makes the product more vulnerable to natural processes like the boiling of eggs.
Is the above smell or condition dangerous? –if you know the signal before the smoke happens, you can put it out.
If you do not know signs or signals, you are going to deal with much more than just a boiling egg, friend—the acid will erode your battery and cause even more significant problems if you are not too careful.
Nasty stuff, right? –but totally within the reason why manufacturers opt for designing batteries with more safety features in case you do not know what to do with a smoking battery.
