7 tips to extend the life of your car battery

A battery is an automobile part that goes ignored under the hood until it starts giving trouble. There is nothing worse than a flat battery to slow you down on a busy day. At times like these, you wish your battery could have lasted just a little longer. But can you do anything to extend the life of your battery?

Amaron batteries are factory-charged and not subject to inconsistent charging by the dealers. Hence, they are made equal. They are zero-maintenance, which means there is no need to top up water or acid. These batteries also come with really long warranty periods proving the brand’s confidence in its product.

But is the life of the battery solely in the hands of the battery maker? No, the life of a battery depends a great deal on its usage. The customer has a huge role to play in how long a car battery lasts.

Read on for a few cues that can help you, as a customer, to extend the life of your car battery.

TIP 1 - Consolidate shorter trips into one trip

Did you know that your car uses maximum battery power during ignition?

Every time you start your car, the ignition pulls energy from the battery, but once the car engine starts running, the alternator begins giving power back to the battery to recharge it. If the drive is short, it does not provide the battery a chance to get recharged entirely. If this keeps on repeating on a regular basis, it drains the battery and reduces its life.

Hence, it is better to combine multiple short drives into one. For instance, if you have a habit of going to the grocery store multiple times a week, you can make a list of all the things you need during the week and plan one trip instead, saving time, fuel, and of course battery power.

Alternatively, you can also take your car for a long drive after short drives so that the battery can get enough time to get fully charged.

TIP 2 - Reduce the use of car accessories when the engine is not running

Remember how your car battery needed a jumpstart after the headlights were left on while the car was parked? That is because your lights were using the stored power of the battery all this while, hence draining it.

When car accessories like headlights, music system and air conditioner are operational while the car is idling, these accessories use the stored power from the automobile battery without any simultaneous recharge from the alternator, which runs with the engine.

Therefore, avoid running accessories for a long time when the car engine is idling. It is a good practice to start the car engine first and then turn on any accessories so that the accessories do not drain the battery.

TIP 3 - Drive your car regularly or disconnect the battery

The car battery loses some charge automatically even when the car is not in use. When you take your vehicle out for a drive regularly, the spent energy gets replenished by the engine. But when you don’t drive the car for a longer time, the battery loses all the power, breaking the cycle of charging between the battery and the engine. Hence, the battery needs a jumpstart and if it is old enough, even a replacement.

In case you are aware that you will not be using your car for two weeks or more, disconnect the battery from the vehicle, removing the negative terminal first, and keep it aside, hence saving the charge and a lot of efforts later on.

TIP 4 - Always try to park your car indoors

Have you ever tried to warm up a phone battery in winters to make it last longer? A little heat helps improve the electrochemical reactions happening inside a phone battery and hence makes it work for a little while more. Prolonged exposure to adverse heat, on the other hand, ages the battery quickly and reduces its life; this is how high temperature affects your car battery as well.

If you have ever driven a car in cold weather, you will know that it is difficult to start the vehicle when the temperatures are low. Low temperatures generally increase the internal resistance of the battery and reduce its capacity.

Always try to park your car indoors to avoid exposing your vehicle to extreme temperatures. In case that is not an option, park your car in the shade or put a car cover on it.

TIP 5 - Test your car battery once a month

Partial and full discharging can drastically reduce the life of a car battery.

Check the output voltage of the battery once a month using a multimeter and make sure it stays over 12.4 V to enable the battery to hold the charge. The ideal voltage level is generally 12.7 V or more. If the voltage level drops to 12.0 V, the car battery is considered dead.

In case the battery voltage level is low, plug the car battery to a car battery charger and let it charge until the voltage is up to the ideal level.

TIP 6 - Make sure that the battery is tightly fastened

The vibrations of the car engine can severely impact the car battery by damaging its internal parts, causing short-circuits, hence reducing the life of the car battery.

Clamp your car battery and secure it properly to limit the effect of the vibrations on it.

TIP 7 - Keep the top of your car battery clean

Does your car battery have moisture, dirt, or grime on top of it? The buildup and corrosion at the terminals can cause short circuits and reduce the life of the battery. You should immediately get rid of it.

In case you are planning to do the cleaning yourself, remember to wear rubber gloves. Remove the car battery by disconnecting the negative terminal, followed by the positive terminal. Scrub the battery terminals using an old toothbrush dipped in a mixture of one tablespoon baking soda in one cup of water.

Wipe off the terminals using a damp cloth. When the terminals are dry, apply some petroleum jelly to them to keep them lubricated and reconnect the battery by attaching the positive terminal first.

How many of these battery maintenance tips did you know?

Hope these tips help you in extending the life of your car battery. In case of any query or challenges, get in touch with Amaron through Facebook or Twitter.