Did You Know?
The Nuts and Bolts of Batteries
Think you're already a battery brainiac? Check out these basic battery facts.
Heat is the number one cause of battery breakdown.
Heat evaporates water from the electrolytes and causes increased plate corrosion. The new Exide® Marathon® car battery is built to perform in extreme weather conditions, hot or cold.
CCA stands for Cold Cranking Amp.
The Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) Rating is an industry rating that measures the cranking power a battery has available to start a car's engine at 0 degrees F. Cars require more cranking power in cold weather to start a car's engine because motor oil is thicker, chemical reactions are reduced, and a battery's internal resistance is increased. Exide Marathon car batteries feature CCA Ratings that range from 570-770.
RC stands for Reserve Capacity.
Reserve Capacity (RC) is the length of time, in minutes, the car battery can maintain the vehicle's electrical needs in the event the alternator fails. Exide Marathon car batteries feature Reserve Capacities that range from 100-160 minutes.
Battery power is not always proportional to battery size.
A car battery's size is simply a measure of physical dimensions, and has no relation to its electrical capacity. Car batteries are equal in power if the RC and CCA ratings are the same.
Cold is not the leading cause of car battery failure.
Heat, vibration damage, and malfunctioning vehicle electrical systems are the largest contributors to car battery breakdowns.
In all states, it's illegal to put spent or used car batteries in landfills.
You cannot dispose of your old car battery by putting it in with your regular trash. Most service stations or automotive parts stores will accept your old battery when you buy a new one. Spent car batteries are picked up and delivered to EPA-regulated plants where the lead, acid, and plastic are separated and used in the production of new batteries.
Lead-acid car batteries are the highest recycled consumer product.
Batteries contain lead, acid, and plastic, which can be reclaimed and used in new batteries if recycled. At 95 percent, lead-acid batteries are recycled more than aluminum cans, glass bottles, and newspapers. To protect the environment and to assure that the battery materials are reclaimed, you should turn in your old lead-acid car battery when you buy a new one.
Battery disconnection could damage your vehicle's computer systems.
Engine and vehicle system computers could suffer memory or voltage spike damage when the battery is disconnected. To prevent these problems, a spare car battery system is installed before replacing the battery.
