Batteries & Chargers: Market update

Knowledge is power and battery replacement will continue, so keeping up to date on the latest trends is not time wasted.

THE KEY TO POWER

Whether you are confronted with a thumping big V12, or a Citroën Ami EV quadricycle, none of them works without a functioning 12-volt lead-acid battery. Rob Marshall, therefore, approaches leading manufacturers to find out the latest post-lockdown news and tips.

When discussing this magazine's theme of power with Editor Nicola, we decided that we could not avoid discussing batteries, such is their vital technical importance. With so much focus within the news and elsewhere on high-voltage EV batteries, the reality is that most workshops deal with 12-volt lead-acid types on a far more regular basis, if not exclusively. The point is emphasised by LKQ Euro Car Parts' research, which states that 40% of national breakdowns are caused by battery failure. Closer to home, Ecobat's study into aftermarket workshops agrees. It found that 40% of cars that enter independent workshops either need their batteries recharging, or replacing. These findings are simply astonishing.

Market Update

The last time AT covered batteries, the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns had turned everything upside down. Cars were either unused, or were covering very short distances, both of which led to battery voltages dropping to such an extent that their lifespans were reduced considerably. Instead of dying batteries failing to start cars at the first sign of a late autumnal frost, replacement cycles started to even out throughout the year. However, even with new batteries installed, some companies predicted that the new replacement cycle would continue, because the new batteries would also suffer from premature degradation.

“Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB) are fitted to cheaper Stop-Start vehicles and offered manufacturers a cost-effective way of reducing their official carbon dioxide emissions figures"

Battery sales mix

Out of the three different technology types, the standard SLI (Starter, Lights Ignition) remains the most popular type of replacement battery by volume. Considering virtually every new car in the UK is fitted with Stop-Start, the next most popular is AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat); Banner Batteries reports that 096 AGM is one of its fastest-moving product lines.

Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB) are fitted to cheaper Stop-Start vehicles and offered manufacturers a cost-effective way of reducing their official carbon dioxide emissions figures. Generally, EFB sales are lower than those of AGM, although Ecobat reports that EFB sales have grown dramatically. Yet, never be tempted to fit EFB technology into a car designed for AGM. Overall, AGM sales are increasing annually, while those of SLIs are decreasing slowly, as a percentage of overall transactions.

Top 5 Tips:

Making batteries a win-win situation

1. Test every battery that enters your workshop for state-of-charge (voltage) and state-of-health (amperes).

2. Disconnect the positive terminal before the negative. Doing otherwise can damage the smart charging system.

3. Fit like-for-like technologies. Varta reports that it sees SLI batteries fitted to Stop-Start vehicles repeatedly.

4. When replacing a Stop-Start battery, reset the charging algorithms within the ECU. Otherwise, the new battery will not be recharged properly. Do not forget to charge for this service.

5. Support the battery, when performing diagnostic operations.

Over the past twelve months, Varta reports that vehicles have been used more often, compared to 2020/21. School runs have resumed and many workers have returned to their places of work, albeit with degrees of home working. Varta finds that this situation has created a more regular replacement cycle than in 2020/2021, when record numbers of breakdowns were being caused by battery failure after months of inactivity.

Banner Batteries agrees that the pandemic saw a significant spike in battery sales but replacement cycles have since stabilised, as life started to return to some semblance of normality.

Ecobat adds that the post-pandemic scene has seen fuel costs rocket and this is why many vehicles have covered fewer miles than pre-COVID. In addition, the ageing vehicle parc is a further reason why new battery sales remain buoyant. Yet, the company reminds us that many batteries, fitted during the first lockdown of 2020, were not kept charged sufficiently and have failed early as a consequence. Both Varta and LKQ Euro Car Parts highlight that 2022's hot summer damaged batteries that are approaching the end of their natural life. If these batteries have not been finished off in the pre-Christmas freeze, failure cannot be far away as we venture into 2023.

What garages must do

With most customers understanding that a 'flat' battery will leave them stranded, it is important to communicate the battery's condition. Banner Batteries implores technicians to test the battery on every single car that enters the workshop, irrespective of why the car is visiting.

As checks can be conducted swiftly (presuming that the battery is easy to access), free-of-charge testing has reputational and trust benefits, especially when you print out a report from proprietary testing equipment. After all, you are reporting an issue to the customer to save them from an emergency situation. Banner Batteries argues, quite reasonably, that testing is a preventative maintenance procedure and, because battery plates deplete by around 10% per year, even one kept well-charged will not last forever.

Electric Cars – The starting force

Despite most of the attention being on their highvoltage circuits, it is easy to overlook EVs' crucial 12-volt systems. Most ancillary circuits are similar to those of ICE vehicles, so the central locking/keyless entry, in-car infotainment, lighting, signalling and even the connectivity still rely on traditional 12-volt electrics. While battery charge is replenished by the high-voltage system, the 12-volt battery reduces voltage fluctuations, in times of high, or sudden, demand.

As dictated by legislation, the high-voltage system is isolated in the event of an impact. Therefore, in such emergencies, the 12-volt system must be sufficiently robust to support the brakes, power steering and even active emergency systems, from airbags to the eCall SOS system.

Perhaps of more interest to your customers is that the 12-volts circuit activates the high-voltage system. Should the lead-acid battery be discharged, the car will not move. According to OE battery manufacturer, Bosch, the German ADAC organisation found that over half of EV breakdowns were caused by discharged, or defective, 12-volt batteries.

Look into the improvements incorporated by some brands' batteries. Yet, this does not mean that you can downgrade the technology type.

Especially in cold weather, it is feasible that the car's alternator cannot replenish the energy taken from the battery to start the engine, especially when hungry, power-sapping accessories are also being used by the occupants. If the battery is in a discharged condition (i.e. its voltage is below 12.4 volts after any surface charge has been removed), you may recommend and offer an overnight charging service that will prolong overall battery life. You may wish to advise the customer how best to operate the car to try and keep the battery charge as high as possible. Varta advises that this includes using the vehicle regularly and avoiding trips that last under ten minutes. You may wish to show your customer how to connect a smart charger to their vehicle; some types include a wiring loom plug adaptor that can be wired permanently to the battery – something that you might wish to offer a non-technical owner.

Upgrading opportunities

If your tests reveal that a fully-charged battery has a state-ofhealth (SOH) reading that is less than 75% of the stated Cold Crank Amps figure, then advise replacement. Ecobat advises that sulphation build-up on the plates, which acts as a barrier to charge acceptance, would be very significant at this stage. Once the SOH falls below 25%, the starter motor will be unable to turn the engine over.

Putting the power back

While the topic of battery charging could take over this whole feature, Sealey advises that garages be aware of the differences between the traditional transformer-based 'linear' chargers and modern smart charger devices. It advises that you use smart chargers for modern cars, because they use programmed algorithms to supply the optimum charge rate, while protecting the vehicle's delicate electronics. As most batteries are sealed, smart chargers will power off completely, thus avoiding the risk of battery liquid electrolyte levels falling, through overcharging. As many EFB and SLI batteries are sealed and manual topping-up is impossible, this is an important consideration.

Old-fashioned linear chargers are not so sophisticated and overcharging is a very real risk. Furthermore, they do not possess charging modes that help to mitigate the damage caused by low voltages, such as sulphation. Yet, Sealey argues that these less advanced chargers still have their place, especially on historic vehicles. When using one, you will need to monitor the state of charge regularly and disconnect the charger, when the battery is recharged.

Sealey supplies linear and smart chargers for workshop and domestic use, which is worth considering, if you also retail accessories to the public. Ecobat, meanwhile, endorses the Swedish CTEK brand's new 'CT5 Time To Go' smart charger, should you be asked to recommend an easy-to-use but capable smart charger.

When recommending a replacement, both Banner and Varta endorse batteries from OE suppliers. One reason is that thicker lead plates are used, which leads to a longer service life thanks to a reduced rate of plate degradation. With household budgets under extreme pressure post-Christmas, you may have a task dissuading customers from unbranded, or lowerspecification alternatives, but explaining that such a false economy can leave them stranded may lead them to change their minds.

The Battery Management System and the Electronic Battery Sensor (pictured) monitor the battery over its lifetime. They also assess both the state of charge and health, while controlling the charging rate.

advises that, for vehicles carrying out predominately repeated short journeys, you can recommend a higher capacity battery, along with the benefits of longer runs that facilitate a degree of recharging, before the battery becomes discharged excessively. Yet, it is also worth keeping up with refinements in battery development. Take Exide's Carbon Boost 2.0, for instance, which has carbon additives included on the negative plates, which improves charge acceptance and cuts charging times by up to half.

All battery retailers and manufacturers agree that you should never downgrade the technology type. Yet, you can upgrade. Varta says that this is useful, especially for modified vehicles. If any aftermarket modifications place extra demand on the electrical system, you could advise upgrading the technology type from a standard battery to an Enhanced Flooded type, or even an AGM, both of which do not have their SOH degraded as much by deep discharges.

Looking to find out more?

Banner Batteries carries out all training on request and so it is best to contact the company directly, should you wish to discuss any aspect of building your knowledge, including the topics of Stop-Start, smart charging, brake regeneration, e-boost and regenerative braking. Similarly, Ecobat is also a faceto-face training provider and highlights its recent developments with training for the road haulage industry, where 24-volt electrics are abundant. Meanwhile, Varta highlights its team of technical trainers that provide training and insight into factors and garages, which include live demonstrations of its Varta Partner Portal, https://www.varta-automotive. com/en-gb/varta-partner-portal/log-in, to which technicians have free and unlimited access.