How does the cold affect the battery?
Accumulators are most often damaged during the winter. When the temperature drops to “zero”, the battery loses capacity up to 40 percent, and at minus 18 up to 60 percent. Also, the battery will be completely damaged if the car is not driven at all for a long period of time during the winter. That is why drivers are advised to remove the battery during the winter and store it in a dry room with a moderate temperature if they do not plan to drive the car in cold weather.
How to properly store the battery?
The battery can last four to five years if properly maintained. This means, first of all, regularly charging the battery, servicing the vehicle, maintaining the appropriate temperature and cleanliness of the battery, as well as carefully starting the engine.
How to clean the battery?
The battery must not have rust or dust on its poles or connectors, let alone corrosion. It is recommended to clean the battery with a wire brush and anti-corrosion agent. Also, you should regularly check the cleanliness of the terminals and poles of the battery because when they are too dirty, the engine will not be able to start regardless of the fact that the battery is full.
How to check battery condition?
Many drivers remember to check the condition of the battery only when they find it difficult to start the engine, notice a flickering on the dashboard or restart of the radio. However, if you want to properly maintain your battery, and don’t wait for those warning signs, check the condition of the battery with the help of a test device that determines the percentage of charge, check the correctness of the charge, the condition of the battery, the voltage and the starting power of the battery.
How to protect the battery from thieves?
The battery is one of the parts of the car that is most often the target of thieves, which is why a large number of vehicle owners try different ways to protect it from theft. Unfortunately, no protection can guarantee you 100% that battery theft will not happen, but there are certain ways to, if nothing else, make it more difficult for thieves. You can set an alarm or place the battery in a cage with a padlock that can be unlocked if necessary.
Can the battery be recharged and how?
This is the most common question of everyone who struggles with the battery, and there are several answers. If you run out of electricity in your car, look for ignition cables, and then the help of a friend or the driver of another car, so that with the help of the cables, you can “switch” the electricity from someone else’s battery to your battery. When you start the vehicle with the help of cables, it is necessary to drive it for about 15 minutes to recharge the battery. You can also recharge the battery with the help of a charger, which takes an average of six hours. If you just want to start the engine, it is enough to top up 30 percent of the battery capacity with the help of a charger.
What is the service life of the battery?
The working life of the battery is between two and three years, although many think that the battery can last longer, at least four years. In order to achieve this, you need to do everything you can to extend the working life of the battery, and this first of all means regular maintenance.
How to prepare the battery for a long trip?
Preparing the car for a long trip must inevitably include checking the condition of the battery as one of the most important parts of the car. Before setting off on the road, it is necessary to first check the appearance of the battery, as well as its voltage and capacity. Corrosion is definitely a sign that the battery is not in good condition. The battery capacity must be checked by a tester and topped up if necessary.
How long is the warranty on the new battery?
The warranty for a new battery is from two to four years, depending on whether it is a passenger or a cargo battery. Interestingly, the average service life of the battery is so long, so it is recommended that vehicle owners slowly think about a new battery after the warranty expires.
How long can the battery (when the car is turned off) last with the headlights on?
One of the biggest problems with older cars is that the headlights do not automatically turn off when the engine is turned off. Because of this, the drivers of these four-wheelers sometimes leave their cars with the headlights on, and that’s when the battery suffers the most. How long the battery can last with the headlights on when the engine is turned off depends on how much it was previously charged, i.e. what is its primary capacity. If the battery has a smaller capacity, it is enough to leave the headlights on overnight and the battery will be so discharged that you will not be able to start the engine in the morning.