Start-Stop Batteries: Advantages and Safety Measures
An increasing number of vehicles are fitted with engine start stop battery systems. Unlike regular batteries, the ones needed for this have a longer lifespan and higher price tag.
Ordinary conventional batteries cannot be used in automobiles with a start-stop battery because their service life is short, and they have a low tolerance for charging currents significantly higher than the average. Exide, an American business, ran a test imitating city driving conditions and found that standard batteries can be charged between 20,000 and 25,000 times, while the special batteries mentioned above may be charged 60,000 times.
Especially in models with intelligent generator control, where charging occurs during acceleration and deceleration, ordinary batteries are not up to the task because the battery current is higher.
Various Battery Forms
Vehicles with start-stop functionality often employ one of two battery types:
- An EFB Battery
- Battery with an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)
The first type of battery has numerous refinements over standard batteries, and the second type is more advanced. Although the plates themselves are not submerged in the electrolyte (diluent sulfuric acid), the porous glass fiber separator does absorb a significant amount of the electrolyte. Furthermore, the battery is totally sealed, allowing for installation in the cab, and chemical reactions will attract the gas released during the charging process.
But there are some drawbacks to AGM batteries as well. You should only put them away from the engine since they can’t handle the heat, and if you must, make sure they have plenty of vents as the MINI does.
Vehicles like the Fiat 500 and the Alpha have a start-stop system that can benefit from the EFB battery because they lack intelligent charging control. An AGM battery is recommended due to the Romeo Giulietta’s clever generator management technology (like BMW Efficient Dynamics).
Specific insulating equipment, thinner mesh width, and a special combination contained in the electrode plate, etc., allow for higher charging currents to be tolerated by the battery without overheating the battery due to lower internal resistance. Furthermore, an AGM battery’s single material compresses before entering the electrolytic cell, making it more resilient to stress than conventional batteries.
Because EFB batteries need to resist high-intensity charging, manufacturers have incorporated these technologies to lengthen the timeframes it takes to charge and discharge the batteries. Unfortunately, it is still inferior to AGM batteries.
Conclusion
In summary, designers of conventional cars, as well as electric and hybrid ones, are again giving serious consideration to start stop battery. Lead-acid batteries have been the focus of our discussion up until now, but this new battery presents a considerably more nuanced set of challenges. While charging the battery has always been trouble-free, you must now exercise caution to avoid damaging the device.
