Features of choosing a new battery for Lada Kalina

Characteristics of the standard Kalina battery

Since there are many companies in our country specializing in the production of car batteries, it would be strange if AvtoVAZ employees opted for a battery of a foreign brand. So from the very beginning, Akom brand batteries were installed on the Lada Kalina.

They cannot be called outstanding. Although they are adapted to the harsh Russian conditions, the average service life of these products is short by modern standards, about 3–4 years. This is due both to the imperfection of the technological process and to unsuitable operating conditions - domestic motorists are not always careful and disciplined.

As for the main characteristics, the polarity of standard batteries is straight, typical for cars aimed at the Asian market. This factor must be taken into account when purchasing a new power source.

The nominal capacity of Akom batteries for Kalina is 55 A*hour at 425 A starting current. Note that these are minimum characteristics, below which it is simply not advisable to buy a battery - it will not cope with its responsibilities.

The size of the battery for the Lada Kalina is 24.2x19.0x17.5 cm, but here you need to take into account that these are the maximum allowable dimensions - larger batteries simply will not fit on the landing platform. Such a battery costs from 3,000 rubles - a small amount, but most owners prefer to install more expensive products that have a longer service life.

Brand selection

There is no doubt that the manufacturer plays a huge role when choosing a battery.
The company must be trusted both by you and by influential rating agencies. It would be a good idea to consult with other Kalina owners who have been driving this car for many years and have changed the battery more than once. The results of a study conducted by specialists from the Central Research Institute showed that preference should be given to the following brands:

1. Tyumen Battery is a Russian manufacturer that deservedly occupies the first line of this rating. The Siberian plant produces reliable and high-quality lead-acid batteries mainly for domestic cars.
2. Mutlu is a Turkish company whose products are loved by many Russian drivers. The batteries of this company are distinguished by improved characteristics and increased starting current, which is especially important in the harsh Russian climate.
3. Varta is a German manufacturer of batteries for various purposes, occupying the first place in the production of lead-acid batteries. Batteries are produced at 7 factories; in Russia you can purchase a battery made directly in Germany. The high quality of the products is confirmed by numerous positive reviews from motorists.
4. Bosch is a German concern whose main activity is the production of goods for cars. All batteries from this manufacturer are distinguished by increased power and long service life. In Russia you can buy batteries made in Germany.

Of course, not all batteries from these companies can be suitable for the Lada Kalina - you need to choose exactly the battery that meets the above technical requirements and also has the best price-quality ratio.

Under what conditions should the battery be changed?

Average battery life is a relative concept and depends on many factors. Therefore, you should not rely on this indicator: there are very specific and obvious criteria by which one can judge that the battery needs to be changed. Otherwise, in the near future you will have to face difficulties when starting the engine cold.

So, let’s list the main signs that eloquently speak of the imminent “death” of the battery:

• the engine starts is problematic not only in winter, but also in the warm season;
• a light on the instrument panel is often or constantly lit, indicating that the battery is undercharged;
• after a trip over a distance of more than 15 km, the battery charge level is less than nominal - if the generator is working, this indicates the impossibility of fully charging the battery;
• if after charging using a charger the electrolyte density does not exceed 1.25 g/cm3. If adjustment by adding electrolyte does not help, the battery should be replaced;
• the liquid has acquired a dark tint, this indicates shedding of the plates - a phenomenon that requires urgent replacement of the battery.

If you turn on the radio for about 60–80 minutes while the engine is not running, and after that the engine does not start or starts with great difficulty, this means that the battery no longer holds a charge, and it’s time to invest in a new battery.

Signs of an upcoming battery replacement

There are several criteria by which the owner of Kalina can determine the need to replace the battery. For example, this is a lit lamp on the instrument panel in the cabin. It may indicate that the product has exhausted its service life and is unable to recharge while the motor and the corresponding system are running. In this case, the battery will need to be replaced and the question will be relevant: which battery to choose?

Sometimes after installing a new device, the lamp still remains on. This situation indicates the need to check the charging system and generator unit. If you have no experience in this matter, it is recommended to go to a qualified technician.

How to choose a new battery for Lada Kalina

When choosing a battery to replace an old one, it is recommended to follow the recommendations of the car manufacturer, but they are not always optimal. Let's look at the most important criteria that should be followed when visiting a car dealership.

Brand

Of course, the popularity of a brand can be considered an important measure of quality for any product. In our case, this is all the more justified: although there are several domestic brands whose products can be called competitive, in general, Russian batteries are still noticeably inferior to foreign ones (except for Chinese batteries).

And yet the brand is far from the main selection criterion. The main thing is that the characteristics match.

Date of manufacture

The shelf life of batteries, unlike food products, is not indicated, but the length of time a battery is stored in a warehouse is an important indicator, especially for conventional lead-acid batteries. It is best to buy products that were manufactured less than 4–5 months ago, and it is better not to look at batteries that are more than a year old. And the basic rule - be sure to check the purchase with a load plug, so as not to become the owner of a half-dead battery.

Capacity

This is one of the main criteria on the basis of which you should decide which battery to choose for your Lada Kalina. In our case, the lower marker is the capacity of the standard battery, or 55 A*hour. The upper limit is 65 A*hour; a standard generator will not support more powerful batteries, and the dimensions may not be suitable.

Starting current

This parameter is just as critical as capacity, since it determines how easy the engine will be to start in cold weather. In severe frosts, the battery can be discharged by 30–40% overnight, so a product with insufficient starting current will not be able to cope with the morning start of the power unit. Here the selection criteria are similar to the previous point: you need to install a battery whose PC rating is no less than that of a standard battery (425 A). The upper limit is limited only by the dimensions of the power source. Well, and the cost, of course.

Polarity

On most foreign cars presented on the domestic market, the polarity of standard batteries is reversed, corresponding to the European format. In Kalina it is straight, so it is important not to confuse this indicator when choosing. You are unlikely to be able to install a battery on your car if the terminals are located in the wrong sequence - most likely, you simply do not have enough cable length. However, some craftsmen manage to remake the seat to get around this obstacle.

Load fork test

When purchasing an expensive battery, such a procedure is not only advisable, but mandatory. As a rule, sellers do not refuse this opportunity, and many themselves check the charge using a load plug. Its essence is to measure the voltage at the battery terminals after applying voltage to the load for 10 seconds. If the difference turns out to be more than 9 volts, it is better not to take such a battery.

Guarantee

This parameter should not be underestimated. Although largely marketing in nature, to a certain extent the length of the warranty is correlated with the life of the battery. For example, most domestic products and many foreign ones come with a standard 24 month warranty. This is neither more nor less. Batteries are available with a 4-year warranty. They are expensive, but you can rest assured that they will last, on average, twice the warranty period. But the 12-month warranty is a reason to think about whether it is worth purchasing such a product.

Battery Type

This is the most controversial criterion. Classic antimony batteries are still popular, although they are noticeably inferior to calcium batteries in most respects. The latter have a significant drawback - fear of deep discharge. Hybrid batteries combine the advantages of calcium and antimony power sources, but they also share some disadvantages. In short, these are the most versatile batteries.

Batteries made using AGM technology, as well as gel varieties, are still expensive and have disadvantages that do not justify their purchase.

Which one is better to choose?

The fact that the standard battery for the Lada Kalina is the AKOM brand does not mean at all that this is the only and best option. There are many products with similar characteristics from different manufacturers. Which battery is better to buy?

Let's look at the rating of domestic and foreign batteries, compiled according to popularity among Lada Kalina car owners.

Foreign brands

Domestic brands

It is curious that neither AGM nor GEL batteries made it into the top five most popular.

Accumulator charging

A car battery is not a device that generates electricity. It only accumulates charge in the electrolyte and transfers it to the consumer when an external load is connected.

The battery is charged by the generator while the engine is running. But due to physical laws, the battery is designed for a certain number of charge/discharge cycles, which determine the life of the product. But there is one nuance: in some cases, the generator simply does not have time to restore the nominal charge of the battery, and if the car is operated in this mode for a long time, the likelihood of the battery being completely discharged increases. To prevent this from happening, from time to time they carry out the charging procedure from an external source, a charger.

The general rule is known - the initial charge current should be 10% of the battery capacity. The voltage at the charger terminals must exceed the rated voltage of the battery by the same amount. The optimal charging mode is using low currents, although the time in this case increases in direct proportion. In exceptional cases, fast charging with currents of about 30 A is allowed (no more than 20–30 minutes), but it is worth considering that such an extreme procedure is detrimental to the plates.

Trying to start the engine at -25 on a new battery

After installation, the engine started up instantly, literally with half a turn, but this took into account that about an hour ago I turned it with the starter several times until the old battery died. I also tried to start it at night, around 23:30 Moscow time. At this moment, the engine temperature was 26 degrees. The first time it cranked perfectly, but at idle, and on the second attempt the engine started without any problems.

AvtoVAZ equips its Lada Granta, Lada Kalina, Lada Priora and Lada 4x4 cars with the same batteries, which, as a rule, require replacement after the first winter. Simple tips in this article will help you determine which battery is best to choose to replace the standard battery.

On cars Lada Granta, Lada Kalina, Lada Priora and Lada 4x4, in 99% of cases, a battery (6CT55A) called AKOM “Standard” with a capacity of 55 Ah and a starting current of 425 Amperes is installed from the factory. When choosing a new battery, these values ​​should not be lower. You should not focus only on ampere hours, since products from different manufacturers with the same capacity can differ quite significantly in other parameters.

When going to the store, the procedure for choosing a new battery should be something like this:

1. The polarity and size must match the old battery.
2. Choose a brand (see rating below).
3. A unit of measurement of charge (in the old fashioned way called “capacity”). The amount of electricity that a battery is capable of delivering during a long-term discharge mode. We choose, as AvtoVAZ recommends (55 A*h), it is allowed to choose a capacity slightly higher than the rated capacity. The saying “a battery with a larger capacity than the standard one will not be charged” is not true.
4. The starting current must be at least 425 A. This parameter is an indirect indicator of the quality of the car battery: the higher it is, the lower its internal resistance! In other words, the higher this parameter, the greater the chances of starting the engine in winter.