How to extend the life of your car battery

How to extend battery life?

The service life for batteries is usually considered normal around 5 years. But with proper use and proper care, this figure can be increased. A short instruction contains tips on the necessary handling of such devices.

What reduces battery life?

The following factors directly influence the amount of service life:

Constant undercharging of the battery, which is typical when traveling short distances and having a large number of energy consumers located in the vehicle.
Electrolyte evaporation is a common occurrence during the hot season. A process of rapid sulfation is observed due to a drop in the level of this component and the battery plates being open.
At sub-zero outside temperatures, low density parameters lead to a risk of freezing. In this case, the plates in the cans almost always warp.
Poor or missing fastening may result in the device toppling over or subject to shock. Careless operation leads to damage to the terminals and housing, which may result in a short circuit.

It is important to constantly monitor the condition of the electrical wiring. The service life of the battery is significantly reduced due to existing problems in the network.

How to extend battery life

Carrying out preventive measures and regular inspections do not require much time, but will help avoid the troubles that we listed above.

What you need to do first:

The service life is affected by compliance with the requirements for the charging process and frequency. The main mistake of inexperienced car enthusiasts is keeping the battery in a discharged state. Charging is done immediately after a complete discharge, with the heated windows connected, headlights and other consumers on.
It is important to check the serviceability of on-board wiring. In this case, the main emphasis is placed on the network voltage regulator and generator. It should be understood that the resistance increases due to the presence of loose and oxidized contacts and deformation of the wiring.
An increase in temperature under the hood provokes the evaporation of distilled water and a drop in the electrolyte level. The plates are exposed, and the process of their oxidation and destruction begins. It is necessary to ensure that there is always 10-15 mm of electrolyte above the lead elements.
Difficulties starting the engine during cold weather require significant consumption of charge. And turning on the stove and glass heating also increases consumption parameters. Short trips should be avoided to give the battery time to regain its charge on a long trip.
The presence of a specific white coating on the terminals is excluded. If such signs are detected, it is necessary to remove the battery and treat the terminals with an aqueous solution of baking soda, followed by thorough drying. If there is a large layer of corrosion, carefully remove it with fine sandpaper. It is recommended to coat the terminals with a special compound for contact connections.
The formation of dirt and smudges on the surface of the battery creates an additional conductive layer, which accelerates the discharge of the device. You need to keep the battery clean.
Periodic inspection of the condition of the housing and terminal connections is necessary.

Important! The optimal solution when the vehicle is idle for a long time is to remove the battery, fully charge it and store the battery separately.

How to extend battery life. And why does it discharge quickly (even new)

After my article on how to choose a battery (an informative read), I often began to receive letters and comments from my viewers and readers with the following questions - “I bought a new battery, on your advice, but after a week it doesn’t start the car again - why?” Others ask to tell you how to increase the service life (operation) of the battery. And you know there are quite a lot of such comments. That’s actually why I decided to write an article and shoot a video to answer all the questions at once...

THE CONTENT OF THE ARTICLE

Generator (undercharge or overcharge)
Leakage current
Electrolyte level has dropped
Terminal oxidation
Housing mount
Thermal case for battery
High energy consumption – listening to music for a long time
Cold start - preventative charge
Starter - battery polarity
VIDEO VERSION

To be honest, with the era of maintenance-free batteries, many motorists simply do not know how to properly maintain their car’s battery. They think it’s been used for a couple of years (if you’re lucky, five) and scrapped, but that’s not always the case. The most banal and simple advice is that if the car “does not turn over”, check the charge, perhaps from some short trips, from a large number of “consumers” it has become discharged and simply needs to be recharged. There is no need to immediately run and change it for a new one.

Today I will give you some tips that will help you extend the life of your battery, and sometimes understand why a new battery discharges so quickly. Let's not delay, let's go:

Generator (undercharge or overcharge)

The generator is our everything, it replenishes the battery charge (when it gives it up to start). This generating installation can have many different breakdowns (especially after long runs), I won’t go into too much detail, that’s not the point right now, but I’ll describe the main ones:

The brushes are out of order
Yes, it’s commonplace that the belt is torn or slipping

All this can lead to undercharging (then either sulfation, and in winter the battery can freeze) or overcharging (water will boil away from the electrolyte, the plates will become exposed, they may heat up and simply crumble). This will not extend its service life in any way, but on the contrary, it will shorten it as much as possible (you can kill it in literally a week). I have an article on how to check a generator , I recommend reading it.

Leakage current

Nowadays, many different THIRD PARTY electronic devices can be installed in a car - alarms, gadgets (navigators, DVRs, COMBOs, etc.). All this drains energy from the battery. Think for yourself, you turned off the car and set the alarm, it must be “powered” by something, so it gradually sucks the battery. Really not much, large manufacturers keep an eye on this (usually about 20-30 milliamps per hour). But the alarm system may not always be of high quality, or it may not be installed correctly, so leaks can increase significantly (I read somewhere that up to 200 milliamps per hour) - and now imagine how much you spend per night! YES even if there is a cold start, short trips, etc.

If you bought a new battery, and after a week it died again, you need to check for current leakage , perhaps this is the reason.

Electrolyte level has dropped

In any battery, the electrolyte level drops over time, the capacity drops accordingly, the plates are exposed, sulfation accelerates (because the concentration becomes higher), and the plates can simply heat up and crumble - if you don’t add distilled water.

In “maintained” batteries this is easy and simple, just unscrew the plugs and add them.

But in the “non-discussable” ones it is VERY problematic to do this, they are not designed for this (although our craftsmen manage to do this), perhaps I will have an article about restoration.

Terminal oxidation

This can happen for many reasons, but the main one is electrolyte vapor between the current terminal and the housing. Vapors rise and oxidize the terminals. Because of this, the contact patch decreases, the charge is worse, and the current output also deteriorates.

It is necessary to eliminate oxides
We need to find the reason for their appearance. If there are microcracks in the battery case, they need to be eliminated. There are many videos on this topic, there are special compounds (composite adhesives), so you just need a desire to eliminate this problem

This is also bad because the vapors, when rising to the surface, form wet spots that may not dry out for a long time and a small self-discharge can also occur through them.

Housing mount

Many people neglect this, but it is also important. Any battery, on almost any car, has a rigid attachment to the body. You shouldn't remove it.

This is done specifically so that it does not hang out in the engine compartment and so that it does not break its “current leads” (microcracks about which I wrote above), and even in severe cases the body

Thermal case for battery

This thing is quite good, but only if done correctly. If the thermal case is not heated, then on the contrary it will worsen the battery performance. The point is: if it’s very cold outside, the battery will freeze very much overnight.

After starting and warming up the engine, warm air, on the contrary, will not flow to the battery case; it will be hampered by the thermal case, which will keep the cold inside. Thus, you need to understand that it must be heated, only then it will be useful. In all other respects there is only HARM.

High energy consumption – listening to music for a long time

If your car has a lot of different consumers (some kind of heaters, inverters, large subwoofer speakers, amplifiers), you need to understand that a standard generator can, but will not, cope with all this. And then it will take part of the energy from the battery, even if the car is running. That is, there will be a discharge. DO NOT exceed the consumption of your car, especially in winter, because it’s not easy for it anyway!

The same applies to those who listen to music with the car turned off, especially if there is a lot of it and, again, it is powerful. The battery runs out very quickly and this does not contribute to its long service life. If you are a music lover, then you need to install an additional battery in the car.

Cold start - preventative charge

Winter is also a test for our batteries. At extremely negative temperatures, it takes a charge very poorly (but still takes it). During a cold start, in addition to the fact that the battery itself (from the cold, has lost part of its capacity), the engine also needs to be cranked. So you start the engine, then warm it up for a couple of minutes, 10 minutes before work, the battery has not had time to take back the charge spent during startup. Then you go to work, the car is again in the cold all day and again a cold start - undercharging. And all this can be repeated every day.

In order to increase service life, you need to do a preventive charge at least once every month or two (and the colder it is in your region, the more often it needs to be done). If you don’t have a charger, then there is an easy way to recharge the battery - just take long trips at least once every week or two (40 minutes or more). Then your battery will warm up and recharge.

Starter - battery polarity

Often, poor starts may not be caused by the battery, but by the starter. It can also fail (it simply jams or the solenoid relay does not work normally) and therefore starting the engine is not possible. Again, before purchasing, you need to check the old one, the voltage (should be 12.7V), the electrolyte level (if possible), you can use a load fork . And a non-working starter will make itself felt in any case.

Many people ask me, what will happen to the battery - if you accidentally mixed up the terminals, took the wrong polarity? Nothing good, although not fatal! Most likely you will burn the wiring, fuses (I even have them on the positive terminal), and the ECU (there is a high probability). So be careful.

These are the tips, I think it was useful. Now the video version of the article

I’ll finish here, take care of your battery and its service life will DEFINITELY increase. That's all - sincerely your AUTOBLOGGER

( 8 votes, average: 4.88 out of 5)

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How to properly extend the life of a car battery?

Car batteries, which you can buy at the link: https://makb.com.ua, have a service life of no more than 5 years. That's exactly what it says in the instructions. But if you properly maintain the battery, its service life can be increased to 10 years. To do this, you will not need to carry out any complex manipulations, but simply follow some rules.

What affects the life of a car battery?

Damage and breakdown of the battery is caused by various consequences, among which there may be subjective and objective factors - some arise due to the user, and others on their own. If you prevent such situations from occurring, then you can avoid breakdowns by extending the life of your car battery. Among the main causes of failure are:

temperature – use the battery in cold and hot weather with caution, because this can negatively affect the condition of the battery, or rather the electrolyte in it. When exposed to inappropriate temperatures, it begins to evaporate or freeze, which most often happens in discharged batteries;
charge level - if the battery is overcharged, the service life of the battery may decrease, and if the battery is not sufficiently charged or the battery is discharged for a long time;
Corrosion is one of the negative factors during which battery elements oxidize. During sulfation, the electrolyte is poured into water, and the component settles on the battery plates;
electronics – if the car’s electronic system malfunctions, problems with the battery may occur, which also applies to the generator.

If you follow the operating rules, taking these factors into account, then you can be sure that the battery will last for a long time.

How to extend the life of a car battery?

Do not overheat or overcool the battery - you need to insulate the equipment by placing it in a housing with several layers of insulation, which minimizes the influence of external factors.
Avoid overcharging or undercharging the battery - you need to regularly monitor the battery charge level, especially if the car is parked in the garage for a long time or driven short distances around the city. Buy high-quality chargers that will avoid overcharging and other negative factors.
Avoid sulfation and corrosion - this can be avoided by monitoring the electrolyte level and preventing leakage; you should always wipe the battery dry. Internal elements can also be protected if distilled water is added during maintenance.
We adjust the electronics indicator - they should be no more than 12V, and the maximum indicator is 12.6V. It is necessary to measure this indicator from time to time.

This will allow you to avoid rapid wear of the battery. Always do a visual inspection of the battery when you open the cover, clean it, check the electrolyte density and check the acidity level.

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How to extend the life of your car battery

Most experts are unanimous in the opinion that the average service life of a car battery does not exceed 3.5-4 years. At the same time, this is not the final “verdict”, since a high-quality battery model under optimal operating conditions can last much longer. Modern batteries do not require the participation of the car owner in maintenance, and are produced in two variations - low-maintenance and maintenance-free. In both cases, the driver's participation is mainly limited to keeping it clean and cleaning the terminals.

Is it possible to extend the life of a car battery?

One of the most important rules, the observance of which will help preserve the performance of the battery and increase its service life, is not to operate a car with a discharged battery, especially in the cold season. This is due to the fact that in cold weather, along with sharply increased energy consumption, the time to fully charge the battery increases. Compliance with this rule is especially important when making short trips around the city - the battery simply does not have time to charge. The easiest way to help the battery charge is to turn off as many power consumers as possible before putting it in the garage and leave the engine running for a short time.

The second point that will extend the life (service life) of a car battery is starting the engine. Naturally, in the cold. Before starting the car, it makes sense to “warm up” the battery, for which you can turn on the high beams for 10-20 seconds. After this, you can start the engine, remembering that it is not advisable to turn the starter for more than 10-15 seconds in the cold, and the pause between unsuccessful attempts should be at least a minute. At the same time, it is necessary to squeeze the clutch “all the way” in order to completely separate the gearbox and engine. On an automatic transmission, of course, you don’t need to press any pedals.

Regular inspection and cleaning of the battery terminals is another guarantee of its long service life. To do this, it is advisable to use a special liquid, and if it is not available, cleaning with a stiff brush and dry rag will help. It is also worth paying attention to the cleanliness of the ventilation holes. Quite regularly it is necessary to check how firmly the battery is fastened, since it reacts extremely negatively to vibration, which sharply reduces its service life. This happens due to the banal shedding of the active mass from the plates - even the most expensive battery is not immune from this.

The intensity of destruction of the plates depends precisely on the charge level - the lower it is, the faster the process. It is advisable to carry out additional charging at least once every four months in the summer, and in winter this procedure should be carried out at least once every two months.

The battery needs to be charged correctly

To maximize the average life of your car battery, you need to charge it correctly. At the same time, there are no intricacies of this process; it is enough to follow basic and simple rules, there are few of them.

A battery that has just been brought indoors from the cold cannot be charged immediately. It must be kept until it heats up on its own, without forcing the process with heating devices.
If possible, before the charging process it is necessary to check the amount of electrolyte and add distilled water if required. The plugs must be left open, which will allow the vapors generated during charging to freely “leave” the battery.
A mistake that even experienced motorists make is reversing the polarity when connecting the battery to the charger. Confused plus and minus may not have any effect on viability, but may well cause the battery to fail without the possibility of recovery, and at this point the service life of the battery can be considered complete.
For charging, you only need to use a factory “charger”, which, unlike a homemade one, is guaranteed not to damage the battery. An important point is the choice of the charging current value - it should not be excessively high; 1/10 of the nominal capacity of the battery itself is considered normal. It will take at least 10 hours to fully charge the battery.

Proper use – long battery life

To increase the service life of a car battery by several years, you will need to create ideal operating conditions for it, which is almost impossible in practice. Thus, there is a negative effect on the battery of low and high temperatures, but it is impossible to completely eliminate them. If frosts lead to a decrease in battery capacity and possible deformation of its case, then high temperatures can lead to overcharging (due to active evaporation of water and an increase in the density of the electrolyte). Both of these significantly reduce battery life.

Quite often, inexperienced drivers make a rather serious mistake by adding electrolyte to the jars, which cannot be done, since the decrease in the level occurs due to the evaporation of water, while the amount of acid does not change. If the electrolyte level in the battery being serviced has decreased, add water, and that’s it. A common cause of premature battery wear is its constant undercharging. If, in addition, this is accompanied by high operating temperatures, sulfation phenomena are often observed, the process of which, unfortunately, is irreversible.

It is necessary to think about the service life of a car battery even at the stage of purchasing it in a store. Currently, you can buy a battery filled with electrolyte at the factory, or you can prefer a dry-charged version designed for self-filling. There is no significant difference in the service life of both options, however, in the case of a charged battery, it is more likely that the electrolyte in it meets the standards for density, quantity and purity. Many drivers think about how to extend the life of a car battery, but do not take into account such an important point for this as the complete serviceability of all electrical equipment installed in the car.

A modern car has a huge amount of standard electronics, which is almost always supplemented by independently installed equipment. Additional equipment is not always connected correctly, and in some cases leads to increased electricity consumption. Then, when the consumption does not have time to be replenished, and the vehicle owner does not burden himself with periodic checks of the voltage at the battery terminals, the rate of its wear rapidly increases. The frequency of the check is, in principle, not regulated, and it can be performed as often as desired.

Inverters are becoming increasingly common in cars, allowing the use of electrical appliances connected to a 220 V network. Uncontrolled use of such converters is also a common cause of premature battery wear and reduced service life. It is necessary to understand that the operating time of the inverter from a car battery is quite limited, and in most cases, when you turn on the engine, it must be turned off, otherwise it may burn out (unless the protection suddenly works). Therefore, you need to use the inverter extremely carefully and, preferably, for a short time. You can watch the video on how to choose a new battery and some of the nuances of its operation:

Proper handling of the battery is the key to increasing its service life for the benefit of its owner.

How to extend the life of your car battery

The content of the article

Did you know that the battery should last 5-7 years? Or, like many of us, are you used to buying a new one after a year or two of use? If yes, then our tips on how to extend the life of your car battery will help you save a lot and you won’t be caught off guard by the sudden failure of such an important element of your car.

Why is it so important to care for your car battery? The battery in a car performs a number of functions. Firstly, it starts the engine. Secondly, the battery ensures the operation of additional devices, even if the generator power is not enough for this. Thirdly, the battery serves to provide the vehicle with energy when the engine is not running.

What factors reduce battery life?

Reduced battery life is affected by:

The battery is not fully charged at all times. For example, if you only use a car for short trips
Insufficient electrolyte level. The electrolyte quickly evaporates in the summer, when its level drops, the battery plates are exposed, which leads to their oxidation.
The battery electrolyte has a low density. In this case, at sub-zero temperatures it will simply freeze, the plates will become deformed and the battery will fail.
A poorly secured battery may fall, causing damage and short circuit.
Problems with your vehicle's electrical wiring will also reduce battery life.

What to do to make your battery last longer

What needs to be done to extend the life of the battery?

Check the electrolyte level. If there is not enough liquid, add distilled water. The recommended level should be 10-15 mm above the plates.
Charge the battery periodically using a special charger. It has been proven that battery life is significantly reduced if you keep it discharged. The charging current depends on the capacity of your battery. For example, with a capacity of 55 A/h, a current of 5.5 A is required. In winter, the battery requires recharging more often, after about two months. In warm weather, this can be done after four months.
Monitor the serviceability of the on-board network. The battery life is significantly reduced with increasing resistance, which is caused by faulty wiring, generator, or voltage regulator.
Do not allow battery terminals to oxidize. If a white coating appears, the terminals should be washed with a solution of baking soda or removed with sandpaper. To ensure reliable contact adhesion, you can also treat the terminals with a special agent.
Keeping your battery clean will help prolong the life of your battery. Dirt accumulating on the battery serves as a conductor, causing a gradual discharge of the battery and a decrease in capacity. You can clean the battery using a rag, gently wiping the surface. If space allows, experts even advise building a cover over the battery.
If you do not plan to use the car for a long time, you can remove the battery completely, charge it and store it separately, or at least disconnect it by disconnecting one terminal.
After charging, it is necessary to check the density of the electrolyte. For a temperate climate it is 1.28 g/cm3. At low density, the electrolyte will freeze when cold weather sets in.
Every time you open the hood, inspect the battery so that you can notice any problems in time and fix them. Check the battery this way at least once every two weeks.

How to properly maintain your battery in winter

In winter, the load on the battery increases significantly, and the battery discharges much faster. If in summer the problem may not manifest itself in any way, then in winter there is a risk of stalling in the middle of the road. To avoid battery failure at the most inopportune moment, you should follow the care rules described above. Operating a battery at temperatures below 20 degrees has some peculiarities, since under these conditions the battery is more susceptible to breakdown

snow, rain, and other liquids more often fall on the case and reduce the charge level;
in the cold season, the tightness of the battery decreases;
the fragility of the battery case increases;
There is a risk of the battery exploding when connected to the network if charging is carried out when the electrolyte is frozen.

Experts categorically do not recommend using a discharged battery in winter. If the car is used for short trips, before parking the car, turn off all electrical consumers (radio, headlights, etc.) and let the engine run.

In winter, starting the engine is complicated by thickened oil and frozen spark plugs. The starter needs more time to start the engine. Remember that you should not “turn” the starter for more than 15 seconds. You can try again in a minute. Before starting, you can turn on the high beams for a few seconds to warm up the battery.

Following these simple rules will double the engine life and avoid risks at any time of the year.