How To Maintain Car Battery
How To Maintain Car Battery: Modern car batteries are considered maintenance free, however there are some actions you can take to extend operating life of your used car battery.
How car battery works
Car batteries are Lead-acid type of batteries, invented over 140 years ago. Lead-acid batteries turn chemical reactions to electricity using cells and battery acid. Car batteries usually have six lead oxide cells each creating 2 volts, hence a 12 volt battery.
Car battery powers engine starter, electronics, radio and everything else electrical in your car. Battery is charged by alternator when engine is running.
Battery voltage with engine off should be between 12.2 to 12.7 volts. 12.7 volts indicate 100% charged battery, 12.2 volts indicates a 50% charged battery. Voltages lower than 12 volts indicate a weak car battery while voltage under 11 volts points to a failing battery which should be replaced.
Car Battery Lifespan
Usually car batteries last about 4 years, depending on operating environment and battery quality. However, you should get at least 3 years out of your battery.
Environment is a deciding factor, very cold or very hot weather will most certainly shorten battery lifespan. Most of Canada (and northern Ontario) kind of cold weather.
Battery consist of 6 flooded cells and lead plates. Each cell produces 2 volts by using chemical reaction. Battery lifespan is all about climate and location of battery mostly. Batteries located on vehicle trunk will generally last longer than batteries located on engine bay.
Heat is number one enemy of batteries located in engine bay. Heat will speed up chemical reactions and shorten battery lifespan. Engine heat to be more precise, thats why batteries located under hood have a plastic shield covering. It helps to protect battery from engine heat.
Maintaining Battery
Battery Usage
Try to reduce use of battery when engine is not running. Radio, heating system or charging electronic devices will take a heavy toll on your car battery when your car is not running and alternator not working to charge it.
Keep engine running when you need electrical power for long periods of time. If your battery is completely discharged once, it will not fully charge again to previous level. It will hold 25% less charge than before discharging. If discharging is done repeatably, battery will soon fail.
How Car Battery is Charged
Car battery is charged and maintained by alternator when engine is running, charging mostly occurs when car is at high speeds. If you don’t drive much, your car battery will discharge. Try to idle your car for few minutes on days you don’t plan to drive it. However, alternator will not charge a battery enough with engine idling and you might need to consider a trickle charger instead.
Use a battery charger to charge battery in your car if discharged. Idling your engine for 15minuts wont cut it. It takes at least 4 hours for alternator to fully charge a battery and makes no sense to leave your car idling that long. Fuel cost alone will add up quite a bit.
Use a Trickle Charger
A trickle charger is a battery charging device which can be easily attached (or detached) on your car battery. Trickle chargers are designed to maintain and stay connected long term to a car battery, keeping it charged with very low amperage, usually about 5 amperes or less. Chargers are easy and safe to use, price-wise you are looking at about $100 or less, depending on quality and function.
Clean battery terminal posts
Battery terminal posts tend to oxidize. Oxidation will lead to poor contact between battery terminal posts and battery clamps. Use a wire brush with plenty of water to clean battery terminals. Apply grease on battery terminal posts after cleaning.
Be careful as battery acid is very corrosive, use gloves and glasses when cleaning a corroded battery. In any case, if you have corroded battery terminals chances are your battery is leaking acid vapor. A leaking battery cant be fixed nor charged, you will need to replace it with a new one.
Battery Blanket
Cold kills batteries too, especially on places where -20 Celsius is the normal for 6 months. Consider a battery blanket if you leave in place with a very cold climate. Battery blankets are plug in devices which protect battery form freezing temperatures usually during night time. Cost is about $50 and you can get them on Amazon or automotive stores.
Car Battery Testing
Test your battery voltage regularly as car batteries often fail without symptoms. Testing battery on your car is easy and cheap. All you need to check battery condition and voltage is a voltmeter .
Voltmeters prices depend on quality and model but you should be able to get a decent one for about $20. You can also use voltmeter to check charging voltage of alternator. Details here on How To Test Car Battery.
Symptoms of Failing Car Battery
Most common symptoms of failing car battery are:
1- Dim or flickering headlights and dashboard lights
2- Slow or sluggish starter operation
3- Corrosion on battery terminals. Corrosion on battery clamps can indicate acid vapor leak from battery case of terminal posts.
4- Deformed battery case. If you see deformation on battery case then your car battery will need replacing very soon.
5- Bad smell. If you smell rotten eggs coming from your battery, you need to replace it. Rotten egg smell is a sure sign your battery is dying.
6- Battery light is on. Battery light is mostly a warning of a failing alternator but there are cases when battery light is triggered by a bad battery which can not hold a charge. Check battery and alternator voltage if you get a battery warning light.
According to battery manufacturer Varta, charging level is an important factor to prolong lifespan of battery in your car.
(If you are also looking for a fast and easy solution to sell your car, more here on “How To Sell Your Car Fast In Ontario” )
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