8 Battery Myths Everyone Believes

Folk wisdom about batteries is full of advice left over from the carburettor age. Some of it is harmless; some kills thousands of batteries prematurely every year. Let's correct the 8 most common myths with science.

Myth 1: "A battery on a concrete floor discharges"

A belief left from the era of wooden battery cases. Modern polypropylene boxes are perfect insulators; your battery self-discharges at the same rate (~3-5% monthly) on concrete or on a shelf.

Myth 2: "A new battery needs no charging"

A battery loses capacity every month on the shelf. An old-production battery can be undercharged even when "new". That's why production date and pre-sale voltage checks matter — every battery at Çetin Akü is tested before sale.

Myth 3: "I jump-started it, problem solved"

A jump starts the engine; it doesn't solve why the battery went flat. The cause may be parasitic drain, a dying alternator or a battery at end of life. Testing after a jump is essential.

Myth 4: "The water's low — tap water will do"

Minerals in tap water deposit on the plates and poison the cell. Only distilled water — and never acid.

Myth 5: "It died in winter; it'll recover in spring"

A cold-weakened battery partially recovers when warm; but a battery that surrendered in winter is telling you its capacity was already marginal. Waiting for spring just means failing again at the next freeze.

Myth 6: "The higher the CCA, the better"

CCA far above your vehicle's requirement does no harm but wastes money; case fit and correct technology (EFB/AGM need) come first.

Myth 7: "Disconnect the terminal while running to test the battery"

An old, dangerous workshop habit: pulling a terminal on a running engine creates voltage spikes that can fry the ECU. Never on a modern vehicle.

Myth 8: "The warranty covers every failure"

Warranty covers manufacturing defects; storage in deep discharge, wrong installation and charging system faults are excluded. Read our warranty terms — avoid surprises.

More questions answered on our FAQ page.