TOP 8 Best Car Batteries

With the help of our partners, we have tested many batteries and compiled an honest rating of the best all-season car batteries in 2020 for Russia. Basically, cold weather prevails in the regions, therefore, they chose a battery for such conditions.

A high-quality battery can last up to 5-7 years, but in the harsh Russian winters, batteries usually fail in three years. The choice of a battery should be taken very seriously, taking into account all aspects and technical characteristics. We will tell you what you should pay attention to when choosing a battery so that the car starts up in a split second, even in the most severe frosts.

We have already written about:

• 9 Best Batteries for Winter
• 10 Best DVRs
• TOP 15 Best speakers in the car

Why is it important to pay attention to battery performance?

The main criteria for a car battery are related to its role in the device and internal characteristics. The battery is a chemical, galvanic, rechargeable cell that contains the cathode, anode and electrolyte. And because cars require a wide range of operating temperatures, and the weight of the battery is not so significant, they often use lead acid batteries. At present, they are being improved with calcium additives, AGM batteries, with an electrolyte absorbed into glass fiber (they are also called SFB - they can be turned over, they can more often give a higher current) and helium batteries, unstable to overcharge.

Important criteria for choosing a winter battery?

1. Battery capacity. The more energy the battery contains, the greater its electrical capacity. It is measured in ampere-hours, that is, it shows how many hours of operation the battery can give at a current of 1 Am. Accordingly, the higher the capacity, the longer the battery will be charged from the generator or at the charging station, but the longer it will deliver current, the longer it will be able to store it - in the case of high quality, the more capacious battery has a lower self-discharge current.
2. Terminals: their size and connection type... The battery delivers hundreds of amperes. If you inadvertently drop a screwdriver on the terminals of a powerful battery, the metal between the terminals will evaporate, and the remnants of the tip and handle will weld to the terminals. If the terminal is loose and has high resistance, the result is the same - sparks and heating. Examine your battery, terminal types, polarity information. New batteries have different plus and minus locations.
3. The next criterion is subdivided into three subcriteria related precisely to the delivered current. The fact is that in domestic conditions we are dealing with relatively stable temperature and consumer indicators. But we leave the car on the street at different temperatures, in addition, we can either drive smoothly and stably, then start and stop the engine several times every day. Therefore, there are three main indicators: the starting current given by the battery during the operation of the starter (just those three hundred amperes, remember the screwdriver?).

3.1 Starting current. Cranking or cranking current is the amount of current that is needed when the starter starts. This current is maximum, on average, 250-270 amperes are required to start a car, it depends on many factors: the type of engine, air temperature, oil temperature in the engine.

3.2 Cold start current... This is the current that the battery can deliver in working condition at an air temperature of -18 ℃. When freezing, the battery power drops to forty percent of the nominal, therefore, in harsh conditions, a large capacity is required for the same current.

3.3 Hot start current. This is the number of amperes required to start the engine at +27 ℃ when the engine overheats significantly.Starting a high-compression engine in an air-conditioned car is especially difficult. When heated, it is almost the same as when starting in a cold: the capacity and the maximum current output are reduced.

The good news is that in starter mode, the battery needs to work for a maximum of 30 seconds - during this period, either the engine will start, or the car owner will take a break between attempts to start it.

So, to summarize, the list of characteristics is as follows:

• Electric capacity;
• Terminal type and wiring size for connection;
• Discharge current:
  + rated starting current;
  + cold starting current;
  + hot starting current.

Rating of the best batteries for a car

The recognized leaders in the category of all-season batteries are Varta units. Their Silver dynamic AGM model was developed specifically for cars in which the load on the battery was too increased, which in urban roads with a continuous series of traffic lights and jerky traffic would be fatal for conventional units. Stable high current output, good capacity with proper operation, fast charging and high quality battery performance under different external conditions have made the company a leader in the car battery market. And about the work of Silver dynamic AGM at temperatures below -20 degrees Celsius, there are legends. The only negative is the high price. From the factory, such batteries are installed on premium cars - for example, BMW.

The second line of our rating is occupied by the younger brother of the previous all-season battery - VARTA Blue Dynamic D59. In general, these two batteries have similar technical characteristics, but in the Blue Dynamic D59 the cold cranking current is 540 amperes versus 680 in the Silver dynamic. If you believe the reviews of the owners, it will work even after three years in the garage. The battery plates have superior corrosion resistance, wear resistance, fire safety, and large reserve capacity. The battery can be used both on ordinary cars and on cars equipped with the "Start-Stop" system. The downside, as in the case of Silver dynamic AGM, is the high price of the product.

Tyumen Premium 6ST-60 is a product of our domestic engineering thought. We will support our own manufacturer, besides, where else can they create an all-season battery with a harsh Russian character, which does not care about Siberian frosts. More lead in lead acid batteries! - this was the motto of the Tyumen engineers. The battery turned out to be heavy, but the delivered current of 510 amperes, the possibility of adding electrolyte if necessary, excellent work in frost - even at thirty degrees, neutralize this small drawback. Pay attention to the terminals and electrolyte level, as a powerful battery must have a perfect electrical connection. Dried electrolyte will lead to a deterioration in characteristics: capacity, current, charge rate.

Next in terms of characteristics are Turkish batteries for summer and winter MUTLU, developed on the basis of SFB technology, which determines their wide applicability. These are calcium-supplemented lead batteries in which silver ions are added to the electrolyte, plates in fiberglass bags are used, and a pressure regulation valve system is inside the battery. Keep in mind that these are maintenance-free batteries with a closed case, they need to be charged with a voltage of 16 volts and a current of no more than three amperes, before and after charging, the unit needs to stand for about eight hours to maintain capacity.Calcium batteries must be handled very carefully, if you just forget to turn off the headlights at night, they can be practically killed, because MUTLU products can be attributed to the middle price segment.

The BANNER POWER BULL brand produces lead-calcium batteries for winter and summer at a comparatively high level. The cold start current is 600 amperes, in winter, at -25 ⁰С, its characteristics exceed even some AGM analogs, and the capacity, in contrast to the standard 60 ampere-hours, is increased to 63. The battery, unlike competitors, recovers its capacitive potential faster. Well suited for small trucks and cars, it is versatile and can work in any car brand. The batteries are fitted with a heavy-duty casing for long battery life. Be careful, the high current of this battery can cause problems at the terminals - carefully strip them and ensure reliable electrical contact!

6th place. As an alternative to the previous battery, you can consider the Bosh S4 004 - unlike the AGM brother, it has a traditional layout, and the produced battery versions have a capacity of 95 Ah. Technical characteristics allow the product to be classified as middle class. Advertising slogans write that thinner charging grids and increased density of the internal layout made the battery very efficient, thanks to which the battery turned out to be very compact and small-sized. But actually the BOSCH Battery upset us a lot. It gave out characteristics almost below all. Minus - thinner metal can wear out faster. This battery will have to pay more attention when charging and discharging. In the price / quality category, this battery loses.

Another strong midrange in the battery list is the Forse 6CT-65VLR winter battery. Capacity 65 ampere-hours, maximum starting current of 660 amperes. Premium batteries have really excellent characteristics - the batteries produced in Ukraine really correspond to their performance. They have minimal water consumption, increased electrode strength, high starting current, and they are also resistant to high discharges. Unfortunately, the production of cans was opened in a number of countries, and their quality is sharply lower than the original: they quickly lose capacity when used, a high percentage of rejects from the factory, a decrease in capacity and incorrect labeling. If you buy, be sure to make sure that the place of production of the battery is Ukraine.

A little-known, but quite reliable brand of batteries is the Korean manufacturer Delkor: in particular, the Medalist Standard CMF 56077 model for standard 60 ampere-hours copes well with loads in cold winter and hot summer, has a reliable internal structure, which allows the motorist to pay less attention to the battery. Due to the use of alloyed silver in the construction, water consumption is significantly reduced. Resistant to external conditions, undemanding to the charge. Of course, its cost is slightly higher than average, but the ability to start in frost and reliability is worth it. Also Medalist batteries are not always easy to find on sale.

Which battery should you choose in the end?

For example, if the battery installed on the car by the manufacturer has the following parameters: capacity 60 A / h, cold start current 550 A, then it makes sense to purchase a replacement with higher parameters for use in winter.At the same time, if you choose between two models with the same geometric dimensions and the same cold start current, but with an increased capacity of 65 A / h for one model, and the second model with the same cold start current as the standard one - 60 A / h , but with a higher starting current - 600 A, the second option is preferable. In severe weather conditions with low temperatures, it is able to greatly help out the car owner.