February 2020

Batteries on modern cars are often hard to find. 50% of batteries on Stop/Start cars are not under the bonnet. Often, they can be located in the cabin, in the boot or under the driver/passenger seat. “Next, TEST every battery that enters the workshop. Testing every vehicle’s battery is recommended to check if it may soon need replacing. Accurate testing can identify batteries in a poor condition and could result in a new battery being fitted, keeping your customers happy and on the road. Then, you need to SELL the right battery for every vehicle. Stop/Start Systems need like-for-like or like-for- better battery replacement. It is recommended never to downgrade. The VARTA Partner Portal identifies the correct battery technology for each model of vehicle. C ustomers come into the winter forgetting the strain that under-use and warm weather can have on their car batteries. Despite this being an annual trend, it still comes as a shock to them. When winter came, were you surprised about the number of dead batteries you were seeing? We suspect not. A spokesman for Bosch commented: “The most important battery check is the winter check. In this cold and humid season, vehicle batteries are additionally burdened. The extensive equipment of modern vehicles with many electrical consumers has enormously increased the stress on the batteries. Workshops should therefore check the battery during the workshop visit. If necessary, the battery can then quickly either be charged or replaced.” On battery choices, Bosch’s spokesman observed: “When choosing a new battery, it is important to consider especially its performance and service life. With the S3, S4, S5, S4 E(2) and S5 A(3) the Bosch battery programme for workshops contains a particularly wide range of types. In addition, using the universal battery charger BAT 645, the workshops can reliably charge and test all types of lead-acid batteries.” Routine According to John Rawlins, Marketing Manager for VARTA, battery testing and charging help a business, if it is successfully integrated into the daily routine: “To ensure a complete and thorough service, VARTA recommends performing a battery test on all vehicles coming into a workshop. With most vehicles entering the workshop just once per year on average, it is important for a technician to perform a battery test on the vehicle, even if the vehicle is not in for a battery- related job, as they likely won’t see it for at least another 12 months. With 40% of national breakdowns resulting from battery failure, there are many cars’ batteries not being checked until 42 AFTERMARKET FEBRUARY 2020 BATTERIES AND CHARGERS www.aftermarketonline.net THE POWER IN YOUR WORKSHOP Above: ECOBAT’s Christopher Jones and Rowena Harrison with the ONE BOX Batteries come to the fore at this time of year. Are you ready to deal with replacement and charging? it is too late. Accurate testing can identify batteries in a poor condition and could result in a new battery being fitted, keeping your customers happy and on the road.” If you are used to the traditional set-up on cars, you may need to look again at what you might expect according to John: “As well as Stop/Start vehicles requiring an AGM battery or EFB, many modern vehicles with an internal-combustion engine have two batteries; a regular 12-volt starter battery and an auxiliary battery – known as a dual-battery system. “More than 10% of the car parc with Stop/Start technology are already equipped with dual-battery systems in order to meet the increased power demands. This percentage is expected to grow even further.” Find – Test – Sell – Fit On how to maximise battery sales, John said: “Workshops that are well prepared can tap in to and profit from the increasing market opportunity of Stop/Start battery replacement. VARTA recommends following the FIND – TEST – SELL – FIT process to aid accurate battery replacement. “First, FIND the battery on the car.