When a car battery is first made it does not need to be charge as it is at full energy, or "fully charged". However, car batteries will gradually lose charge if left standing.
Changing your car battery doesn’t require special skills or tools. The most important step in changing your car battery is the first one-choosing the right battery for your car.
Walmart shares these five things to keep in mind when choosing a new car battery:
- Consult the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
What are the dimensions of your original equipment battery? If you don’t have the owner’s manual, check the battery label for specifications, or look it up at the battery retailer.
- Find the battery size.
Size refers to the height, width, and length to properly fit in the car’s battery tray. The Battery Council International (BCI) uses a number to identify the height, length and width of OE sizes. The size is usually a number like 34, 35, 65, or 75. Refer to your owner’s manual, or Applications Catalog, to determine the correct battery size for your car.
- Check the reserve capacity rating.
The reserve capacity (RC) rating refers to the number of minutes the battery can supply minimum voltage needed to run the car should the car’s alternator or fan belt fail. Listed in minutes, the longer the RC rating, the better. If not listed on the battery label, check with a store assistant. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended RC rating.
- Check the battery’s age.
Look for the manufacturer’s date code stamped on the battery case or label. The date is usually a 2-character code, like “L4”: the letter represents the month (A = January, B = February, etc.), and the number represents the year (4 = 2014, 5 = 2015, etc.). Less than six months is considered good. Choose the battery closest to the current date.
- Check the cold-cranking amps.
Cold-cranking amps (CCA) measure the battery’s ability to start your car in extremely cold temperatures. The higher the cold-cranking amps, the greater the starting power of the battery is. For maximum starting reliability, select a battery with the highest cold-cranking rating available that will fit your application. If the exact CCA rating isn’t available, don’t choose a battery too much lower or higher than the CCA rating in the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
Check out these 6 Great Car Battery Maintenance Tips shared by HowStuffWorks.