The first really high-quality Korean batteries appeared in 1952. Most of the technology and experience was borrowed in Japan, which was more advanced in this regard. The Koreans built the Global Battery plant and launched a full battery production cycle for light and heavy equipment. If you look at the reviews about the Rocket battery, you can get confused. After all, some talk about decent quality and price, while other motorists were extremely dissatisfied.
World market appearance
The Global Battery plant is large enough, and more than one thousand Koreans work at it, and yet, in order to bring products to the world market, I had to try hard. To begin with, they built the so-called Central Institute of Battery Technologies (CIAT). The main developments and experiments were conducted in this building.
After the appearance of TsIAT, Koreans received the necessary certificates, which allowed them to sell their batteries around the world, including in Russia. Currently, the company distributes its products in 140 countries. Yes, and as the original components, "Rocket" is installed on the "Deu", "Volkswagen", "Kia" and other cars. This at least suggests that it is profitable to install such batteries. After all, their service life is above average, and the price is more than affordable, as evidenced by numerous reviews. The Rocket battery is an optimum ratio "price / quality".
Briefly about the characteristics
In order to successfully develop in the conditions of fierce competition, it is necessary to offer the consumer what others cannot give. But to realize this is quite difficult. That is why it is necessary to try to maximize your range so that the buyer in any situation finds what he is looking for. In this regard, the Koreans have no problems, because they offer the buyer the following:
- a large number of battery sizes;
- wide range of capacities (44-230 Ah);
- various modifications (maintenance-free, low-maintenance) batteries.
As for such an important characteristic as inrush current, then the Koreans do not stand out from the general mass, but they are not outsiders. The battery with a capacity of 65 Ah for Asia and Europe has the same starting current equal to 580 A. This is not much and not small, it is enough to start the car even in severe frost.
Car battery "Rocket": consumer reviews
As noted above, the opinions of motorists regarding this battery were divided. Consequently, the reviews are mixed in nature, and therefore it is rather difficult to draw conclusions.
Nevertheless, many are extremely pleased with the battery. Often, such advantages as a long service life, a sealed, sealed housing of high strength, sufficient starting current, etc. are often noted. If we take into account the price tag, which is below the average level, which, by the way, is often emphasized, it’s just excellent battery. Ordinary motorists who purchased the Rocket battery agree with this. Korea, according to reviews, has significantly tightened the quality of its products in recent years, so the battery is selling pretty well in the Russian Federation. But you need to understand that no one canceled the production marriage, so isolated cases of a new battery malfunction still occur, albeit quite rarely.
You need to know
One of the most important details, which, unfortunately, few people pay attention to, is the battery shelf life. The fact is that if the battery is new in the warehouse, then this does not mean its performance. Over time, the active element loses its characteristics and begins to crumble. The battery will work, but it will not be possible to achieve the declared capacity. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that you check the year and month of release before purchase. If the battery is older than 3 years, then it is better to pass it by.
The Korean car battery has a very non-standard marking of the year, month and day of issue. Therefore, it is necessary to dwell on this issue in more detail. For example, on the battery case we see the following markings: KJ5K16. We do not take the first two letters into account, since they indicate the city in which the battery is produced. Five means that the product is 2015. Next comes K - the month of production. It is necessary to count in alphabetical order from A to L. It turns out, in our case, this is November, respectively, the 16th day. You can buy such a battery, because 2 years have passed since its release, which is not a critical mark. In general, nothing complicated, but you need to always check that then there are no complaints against the manufacturer.
Charge or not?
Many car owners believe that if the battery is maintenance free, then it cannot be recharged. But this is not at all true. After all, if there is any problem with the starter or with the alternator belt drive and you plant a new battery, then do not throw it away. That is why it is possible to charge unattended "Rocket" batteries, and indeed any others. But here it is necessary to know some nuances, because if you do not follow simple rules, then you can make the battery unusable.
The main condition is low current. Usually the smaller the better. It is advisable to set about 3-4 A on the charger and leave the battery overnight. Please note that in no case should you try to remove the battery cover in order to unscrew the banks. All the same, you will not succeed, and the tightness will already be broken. The cover design is such that all gases exit through a special outlet, and the condensate formed flows back. If the Rocket battery is still alive, then when charging for 8 hours at a current of 3-4 A, you will completely replenish the supply of energy and will be able to hit the road.
Modern technologies
As noted above, most of the technology was borrowed from the already experienced Japanese at that time. It is possible that this factor played a decisive role during the development of the Korean company. But the point, in fact, is not the point. The main thing is that good results have been achieved, numerous positive reviews of the owners speak about this. Battery "Rocket" boasts a "pulled" plate manufacturing technology. And such a solution significantly extends the life of the product. Such a battery is less afraid of deep discharge and does not lose its capacity.
The method used for stacking plates and placing stiffeners made it possible to achieve high strength. Consequently, vibration is not so bad for the Rocket battery. All in all, a great battery. What is a lid with a labyrinth system? Gases go outside, and water returns back to banks, and all this with a sealed enclosure. Testing showed that the Rocket car batteries behave stably at high temperatures and provide sufficient starting current at low temperatures.
Few features
Currently, many manufacturers have almost completely switched to the production of maintenance-free batteries. These are the batteries that are installed, and after 3-5 years of operation are simply disposed of. For the entire battery life you do not need to add water. But there is a "rocket" and low-maintenance batteries. These are batteries that require periodic refilling of the distillate. In the summer season, it is advisable to check the level more often, since at high temperatures the liquid evaporates.
The SM series is good because the Koreans were able to significantly reduce the amount of gases that are formed during a chemical reaction in the battery. The battery case has a special indicator showing the current charge level. Therefore, you can always control this parameter and recharge the battery in time.
A little about prices
As for the cost, it is more than acceptable. For example, a European battery for 40 Ah will cost about 3,000 rubles. In this case, the battery has a direct polarity and 340 A inrush current. Very good for that kind of money. Although this option cannot be called the most budget one. But if you take into account that a 65 Ah battery costs only 3,700, then it is not even very expensive. Again, many stores always have a discount if you rent your old battery with a surcharge for a new one, so you can save up to 1,000 rubles.
The "Rocket" battery, the characteristics of which we have already examined, is without any doubt worthy of attention. This is a relatively inexpensive battery and quality enough, as evidenced by numerous reviews of motorists.
To summarize
These batteries have one big minus, which is the service life. There are reviews about this on the Web. The Rocket battery usually lasts no more than 3 years, although the manufacturer claims about 5 years. Nevertheless, for 3 years you can not worry about the fact that the car will not start in severe frost.
Although, on the other hand, there are motorists who have Korean batteries working for 5-7 years. It is likely that a lot depends on the technical condition of the car and operating conditions. Nevertheless, if we talk about whether it is worth taking the “Rocket” battery, the reviews are inclined to believe that you need to try, because the price tag here is not so big. Nevertheless, “Rocket” earned a name for itself not just like that, but for its quality. Therefore, it is worth trying to put such a battery on your car, however, you need to carefully select the capacity that would be enough for your car. That's all there is to say about the Korean Rocket battery.