Wet cell vs dry cell battery

Battery is an essential part of your car. Without it, you can’t even start the engine of your car. Battery is the power source for ignition, the lighting of your car and other electrical accessories.

Batteries produce current from electrolytes. With the advancement of technology, there are now two types of batteries available in stores. The first one being the wet cell and the second, being the dry cell. Here, wet cell batteries generate a current through electrolyte and dry cell batteries produce current from a moist paste. 

So the real question that lies here is, what’s the difference between both and which one should you buy? 

Wet cell batteries 

It consists of a pair of electrodes and a liquid electrolyte solution that produce power. The lead plates are in a solution of sulphuric acid which are commercially used for more than 100 years. 

These can be found easily in markets and are not costly at all. Although you have to constantly check to see the electrolyte level as if it goes below the recommended level then it will provide reduced performance and then the battery will have to be charged again. 

This battery requires constant care and a lookout to prevent any sort of acid spills. To prevent acid spills, the battery should be used in upright direction. Along with this, make sure the battery vent plugs are tightly closed so that acid does not evaporate. They are way heavier than dry batteries but still are used on a wider range. They provide lesser resistance to cold weather.

Dry cell batteries 

A pasty electrolyte is used that has only the right amount of moisture required to allow current to pass through. Nowadays, dry batteries are used more and come equipped in automobiles as they’re taken as environment friendly because no acid vapors are formed and no chances of acid leakage. 

These batteries are easy to use as they don’t require maintenance like the wet cell battery does. They are lighter in weight than wet cell batteries but more expensive. As there is no danger of acid spills, dry cell batteries can be operated in any direction. They have a greater resistance to colder weather.

You should make sure that the charging system of the vehicle is working properly as if the car is being overcharged or undercharged, it will cause damage to the battery which will need replacement and that can be costly. 

This shows that no matter what battery you choose, you will have to take a little care of it to make sure it works efficiently for a longer period of time. 

Don’t try to use a low-rated battery just because it’s cheap as it will constantly require replacement which will add up to the cost of a good battery. Hence, it is a smarter decision to invest once in a good battery and then take care of it. 

Don’t let your battery get dirty as dirt can act like a conductor which in return will attain power from the battery, thus reducing its power output. Along with this, if corrosion starts to gather up on your battery terminals then it will act like an insulator providing resistance to the flow of current.

To make sure your battery lasts long, drive it for longer distances to make sure the battery charges fully as short constant trips will drain the charge without giving it enough time to charge it back.