Car Battery Maintenance
Battery Technology Continues To Improve And Batteries Still Fail
Here is an interesting statistic: Only 30% of car batteries last 48 months. And the life expectancy varies by where you live. It ranges from 51 months in extremely cold areas to just 30 months in extremely hot climates. That may seem surprising because we know that battery technology continues to improve. Why the decline in average battery life? It turns out that it is our modern cars with all their electric accessories that are to blame. Things like, GPS, DVD players, and entertainment computers are keeping car batteries from maintaining a full charge. The longer a battery goes with a low charge, the sooner it will die.
Battery Discharge In Stop And Go Traffic Leads To Premature Wear
Let’s step back and do a quick review of the science involved. The battery is essentially a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. We use the electrical energy to start the vehicle, run the radio, heat the seats and light the road. We can use a lot of electrical energy in a short time so the battery’s charge can become depleted. That means the battery must be recharged. Recharging is the job of the alternator. The problem comes when the car’s demand for electricity is high and we are driving in stop and go conditions or short trips around town. Then the alternator just can’t keep up.
When the battery is discharged, soft lead sulfate crystals are formed on the battery plates. If the battery is immediately recharged, the soft crystals are reconverted back to chemical energy. But, if the battery remains discharged, the crystals harden and can not be reconverted during recharging. In effect that kills part of the battery. The result is shortened battery life.
Keep Your Battery Charged To Ensure A Long Life
So what can we do to improve our battery’s health? We need to keep the battery as close to a full charge as possible. That can be hard because sitting for just 24 hours in hot weather between charges can be too long. When the weather is cold, sitting for several days will cause discharge. Some highway driving will help keep a full charge if the battery has not been deeply depleted. Car batteries are not designed to be run down really low, or deep cycled, as it’s called. So using your headlights or other power accessories when the car is off can deeply deplete your battery. Don’t use your headlights to light up the field for a little night football. Using the alternator to recharge from a deeply depleted state is very hard on your battery because it charges too fast. In fact, on average, your battery would only last for ten recharges like that.
Inspect A Dead Battery Before You Jump Start
Now, a word on safety. Batteries contain sulfuric acid which can severely burn your skin and could blind you. If you find yourself with a dead battery, carefully inspect it before you jump start it. If the case is bulging, cracked or leaking, do not jump start it. Damaged batteries can explode or catch fire. Deeply discharged batteries can freeze. Do not jump start a frozen battery. If you do find yourself with a dead or very low battery, use a good quality battery charger to slowly bring the battery up to full charge. Follow the instructions on the charger. Because our batteries are so often at less than a full charge, experts suggest that we use a battery charger from time to time to keep the charge up. They recommend once a month during hot weather and once every three months during colder times.
Good Battery Ventilation Can Improve Battery Life
There are other things that lead to shortened battery life. We keep talking about heat - that is a big factor. When batteries are dirty and greasy on top, they can not properly ventilate the heat they generate. A dirty battery will expire before its time. Your service center can help you maintain your battery. They can check for corrosion, damaged battery cables, electrolyte levels and acidity and test your battery’s condition. Good battery maintenance will extend its life by many months.
EZ Lube Battery Cleaning Service
After a quick rinse, a wire brush is used to clean the terminal ends and battery connectors. If your battery has removable caps, the water levels inside the cells will be topped off with distilled water. The clean battery is reinstalled, fastened securely, and dielectric grease is used between connections to ensure your battery has strong electrical conductivity.
Benefits of EZ Lube’s Battery Cleaning:
- Test battery's cold cranking amps and charge capacity
- Remove oxidation and neutralize corrosive acids
- Terminals cleaned and reattached with dielectric grease ensures strong electrical conductivity