Your car’s battery is the chief of the electrical systems in the car. It supplies power to start up your engine. When the car is running, its alternator charges up the battery, making it full of juice. A fault to your battery means that your car will find it difficult to start up, and your battery may require charging up or replacing.
Ideally, you should have a battery change every three to five years, however, with poor battery maintenance, it may require a replacement faster. A flat battery can cause unwanted stress and frustration, hence the need to take good care of your battery. Poor battery maintenance can cause the lifespan to reduce greatly. Here are five tips to take care of your car’s battery.
1. Don’t leave your car unused for long periods:
The battery of your car thrives on charging your car and being recharged as a way to keep its integrity. When your car is left for long periods, the battery gets weak over time. Your battery needs to be charged in a car for a minimum of 30 minutes a week. When parked for a long period, it does not get the required charging time, allowing it to get weak. When parking your car for a long time, ensure to remove the battery and store it in a cool place, away from the floor to avoid discharge.
2. Clean your battery regularly:
Regularly using your battery makes it release fluids at the terminals which can cause corrosion. This corrosion limits the connectivity of the terminals. Grime, dampness, and dirt can also accumulate at the terminals reducing its connectivity. Regular cleaning of your battery removes this dirt, corrosion, and grime from your battery’s terminals, allowing it to function properly.
3. Test your battery often:
Test your battery often to determine its condition. Voltage and electrolyte levels are tested, and if they are deficient, they can be worked on to bring the battery to top conditions. Testing your battery regularly can reveal possible problems in the near future, and take care of them here.
4. Avoid electrical problems:
Having electrical problems is the quickest way to damage your battery. Because there’s a fault in the electrical system, it weakens your battery, and in the long run damages your battery completely. Whenever you have any electrical faults in your car, minor or major, ensure to fix them up in the quickest time possible.
5. Don’t use electronics when idling:
It is advised to not use your car’s electronics while the car is not running to avoid damaging your battery. When your car is not running, electronic devices in the car make use of the battery to work. When the engine is running, the alternator takes charge of the electronic devices, easing the stress on the battery. If you must use electronics while idling, ensure to run the engine intermittently to keep the battery charged up.
Taking care of your battery can save you unwanted stress when your battery runs flat. It also saves you money for replacing the battery often. There are many more tips to take care of your battery and ensure it does not run out of juice, but taking these steps into account can help preserve your battery life.
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