One of the most notorious causes of car breakdowns is a "dead" battery. How well you take care of your battery can impact greatly on its lifespan. If you feel that your previous batteries have been failing a little sooner than they should, here are some tips to help you get the most service out of your current car battery.
Keep your engine in check
A poorly taken care of engine subjects your battery to overloading, and this will cut short the battery's life. Take your car for aroutine engine checkup to help identify and fix any problems that may cause your battery to work harder than it should.
Maintain the charge rate of your battery
Leaving your car parked at one place for a long duration will cause your battery to lose its charge. To ensure that the correct level of charge is maintained, make sure to take your car for a regular spin, even if you rarely need to use it.
If your car battery falls short of charge, you will need to recharge it. A common mistake that can suck the life out of your battery is to overcharge or undercharge it. To ensure that your vehicle maintains just the right amount of charge, consider acquiring a battery maintainer. These devices monitor battery charge and can automatically regulate the voltage to prevent an overcharge or undercharge.
Additionally, it's advisable to ask your car dealership or auto repairer to check the charge rate of the alternator when your car is being serviced.
Keep your battery warmer in winter
The cold winter weather can be very unforgiving to your car battery. With chemical reactions taking place in your battery at a slower rate due to colder conditions, fewer electrons are created. This will reduce the amount of charge the battery can receive, thus increasing the chance of battery failure.
Whenever you are not using your car, park it in a garage to help keep the car battery warmed up. This way, your battery will bear up to the cold weather and perform much better than when the car is left parked outside.
Good car batteries do not come on the cheap and for that reason, it is important for every car owner to be aware of what he or she should and shouldn't do to get the most service out of their car batteries. If you can follow the above-discussed tips, you have a better chance at prolonging the life of your battery.
Share