Spring Forward and Change Those Smoke Detector Batteries

Sunday, March 14, 2010 is the day to move your clocks forward one hour for Day Light Savings Time. It is also the time to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors. Please do not forget to do this. In over half of the home fires, the installed smoke detector(s) did not work, too often with fatal consequences.

You can extend your time between changes with our new reliable 10 Year Smoke Detector Batteries. These batteries will not only save you time and effort, but will also save you money over the long term.

Order yours today.

The Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery

Since the late 80s, the NiMH battery has steadily improved.Some of the distinct advantages of this battery are:

• 30% more capacity over a standard NiCd.
• Less prone to memory than the NiCd. Periodic exercise cycles need to be done less often.
• Fewer toxic metals. The NiMH battery is currently labeled “environmentally friendly”.

There are some downsides to the NiMH batteries:

• NiMH batteries are rated for only 500 charge/discharge cycles. Shallow discharge cycles are preferred for this battery. The battery’s life is directly related to the depth of discharge.
• The NiMH battery will not accept fast charges. The recharge time for the NiMH is typically twice that of the NiCd.
• The NiMH battery will self-discharge at a rate of about 15-20% during the first 24 hours and then 15-20% per month thereafter.
• The price of the NiMH is about 30% higher than the standard NiCd, but delivers higher capacity in a smaller size.

The Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) Battery

The technology for the Nickel Cadmium battery dates back to 1899.Today, over half of all rechargeable batteries for portable equipment are NiCd. The advantages of NiCd over other battery chemistries are:

• Fast/Simple Charge
• High number of charge/discharge cycles
• Excellent performance in cold temperatures
• Simple storage and transportation
• Easy to recharge after prolonged storage
• Economically priced
• Wide availability

The NiCd battery performs best if fully discharged periodically. Failure to fully discharge the battery periodically will result in the formation of large crystals on the cell plates, which will hamper battery performance. The crystals are referred to as memory.

It’s Freezing Outside and My Car Battery is Dead!

It’s one of winter’s first and most unwelcome sounds — the sound of a dead battery. But you never have to hear that horrible sound if you keep the health of your battery in mind, and take a few precautionary measures:

Before you find yourself hearing this mechanical death rattle some cold wintry morning, check out the condition of your battery. As a general rule, if the battery is more than four years old, it should be replaced. . Even if it starts your car just fine right now, when the outside temperature next drops below freezing, the problem will become apparent. Cold weather reduces the operating efficiency of all batteries by half or more.

Most batteries will have a date they were put into service visible on a plastic tag on top of the case. It will show the month and year, letting you know about how much useful life is left. If your car has the original, factory-installed battery, however, it may not have a date label. But if you know how old your car is, you also know how old the battery is. If the vehicle is more than four years old, replacing the battery is good insurance, even if it’s working fine right now.

Make sure you get the right battery for your vehicle. Just ask your battery specialist to look up the correct application in his book. Don’t skimp and try and get by with a lower amp battery than listed for your car or truck. As with fuel recommendations and tire pressure ranges, there’s a good reason for abiding by what the engineers who built your car suggest. Trying to save a few dollars on a cheaper battery could cost you in the long run.

Motorcycle Battery Facts and Information

How do I determine the correct battery for my motorcycle?

First, you should check the motorcycle owner’s manual for proper size and minimum recommended cranking amps. You can also consult a battery application guide by looking up correct make, model, year, and CCs to determine the proper size for your vehicle. Never use a battery with a lower capacity rating than is recommended by the manufacturer. Using a battery with a higher capacity is never detrimental, and is recommended for older vehicles to improve starting and provide longer life for the battery. The increased rating will not affect the starting and charging system. You can also use our cross-reference data at http://www.abatterystore.com.

What is the proper way to charge my motorcycle battery?

Consult your battery owner’s manual for the proper amount of charging time. A 1- or 2-amp charger is recommended for motorcycle batteries. When you activate a new battery by filling it with acid, it will need to be charged. All batteries shipped from Battery Specialist are charged and ready to go.

Is my motorcycle battery sealed?

More and more motorcycle manufacturers are using sealed motorcycle batteries in new models. Sealed VRLA batteries offer higher power and longer life over conventional designed. You may replace a conventional battery with a sealed VRLA, but you can not replace a sealed, VRLA with conventional. See owners manual. Batteries that are sealed have no vent caps, vent tube, and will state sealed lead acid.

How long should my motorcycle battery last?

The life of a battery is determined by a number of factors, with the most important being proper maintenance. Amount of use, proper charging and climate are all elements that also need to be considered. A battery that is stored for prolonged periods of time without use or recharging can develop sulfation on the plates which will greatly reduce the time a battery will perform.

What is the proper way to store my motorcycle battery?

Clean battery case and terminals with baking soda and water, being careful to make sure the solution does not get into the battery. Always check to ensure the battery is fully charged before storing. Batteries stored in a discharged state are susceptible to freezing and an increased rate of further discharge. Store in a cool dry place ( not next to a furnace or other heat source) and out of reach of children and pets. Check the state-of-charge every 45-60 days and add distilled water if needed. We do not recommend battery maintenance charger/tester for prolonged time.

New: The Weather Channel Hand Crank Powered Flashlight

As much as we battery specialists hate to admit it, your home is not stock full of replacement batteries for the devices you may need in the case of an emergency. There is little worse than grabbing your flashlight during a power outage, only to find that the batteries are shot.

The solution is to ensure that you have several of The Weather Channel Crank Powered L.E.D. Flashlights handy. Cranking for only one minute will give you 12 minutes of light. Cranking for 3 minutes will give you 27 minutes of light.

Battery Specialist, Inc. has these lights available for immediate shipment. Don’t let severe weather leave you in the dark.

Order yours today.

XM Radio Batteries

We are pleased to announce the addition of a new battery line on our website. We now offer quality replacement XM Radio batteries for all of the major radio brands:

• Ascom
• Audiovox
• Delphi
• Giant
• Jensen
• Pioneer
• Samsung
• Sirius
• Tao
• Thuraya

All XM Radio batteries are warrantied for one year by the manufacturer, and are guaranteed to meet or exceed the performance of the original factory installed battery.

Quality Batteries on eBay at Discounted Prices

We are overstocked on some of our Energizer Alkaline Batteries and several of our Odyssey Batteries. Help us reduce stock by taking advantage of the opportunity to save big. We have the following batteries available:

• 12 Pack Energizer C Cell Batteries
• 24 Pack Energizer AA Batteries
• 24 Pack Energizer AAA Batteries

Click here to view all of our eBay items.

Updated Motorcycle Battery Line

We have updated our line of Motorcycle and Motorscooter batteries at abatterystore.com. We have a crossreference of batteries for most Motorcycle applications, as well as Jetski/Watercraft, ATV, Snowmobile applications.

All batteries listed on our site are UPS shippable. You will not need to activate the battery upon receipt. Just install and ride.

Portable DVD Travel Kit

Battery Specialist is proud to announce a new product. We are introducing the new portable DVD Travel Kit, designed to protect your portable DVD player and accessories, while keeping them organized. The kit consists of:

DVD Player Bag 2 Stereo Headphones Stereo Mini Y Adapter The bag is designed to carry up to a 10″ portable DVD player, and holds up to six disks in soft secure slots. It also has four large zipper compartments. This heavily padded bag is the perfect protection for your portable DVD player while on the go.

For more information, and to order yours today, click here,