Tips for car battery maintenance – You have decided to buy a brand new car, you’ll probably ask a lot of car owners about what car you should buy? You get advice from your family, neighbours and even from strangers!! But what happens when your car battery broke down or any other situation comes up. Did you get any advice about how to maintain a car battery? No, right. Car owners don’t have any idea when it comes to maintaining a car battery.
The battery is the heart of the vehicle and one should maintain it so that your vehicle can run longer. While maintenance, the car battery is often forgotten as it is not visible as other components of the car. A car battery is made up of six cells of the lead plates, lead-dioxide plate and sulphuric acid, a chemical reaction between these three helps to generate electricity to other parts.
A car battery goes through a lot of technical hitches which is affected due to weather conditions, lifespan or other factors. Weaken car battery can also affect the performance of the car. If the condition of the car battery gets worse then you need to replace the car battery which can cost a lot of money. The best way to prevent your car battery from deteriorating is to make sure that it is in good shape. Here are few basic maintenance tips for car battery:-
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Basics Of Battery Maintenance
Even if your car battery is old or you have just purchased a new one it is important to maintain a car battery to get more distance out of it. To avoid the risk of getting stranded in an unfamiliar place it is essential to car battery maintenance.
A stationary vehicle drains more energy than a vehicle being in motion. A car sitting idle means it will give a low driving performance of the car and apart from that the components of the car start to worsen due to external causes.
Regular servicing of car batteries not only increases the life of the battery but also the other components of the car. If additional power is used from the battery that means the engine is not working properly. Driving in potholes, bumps and gravel-covered roads can slow down your car, the vibration while driving due to these roads can lead to damage to the clamps and reduce the battery’s life.
Car battery tests must be done regularly, not when you notice a problem in your car. Regular servicing can lessen the damage to the car battery otherwise you have to deal with car battery replacement.
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Inspecting The Battery
A visual inspection of a car battery is important to check whether you need to change the car battery or not. The car battery may stop working due to damaged leads or corroded battery terminals or any other. The damaged leads cannot transmit energy to the other parts of the car. Inspect for any cuts or breaks in the wires, if noticed one or found any corrosion in the leads then it is better to replace the damaged leads.
For every six months, you need to inspect the terminals of the car battery. Corrosion and damage can lessen your car battery’s lifespan. If corrosion is founded in the battery then you need to remove the cables, clean off the rust around battery terminals with a brush or for damage then changing a car battery is the only option.
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Checking Water Levels In The Battery
The liquid inside the battery is the solution of water and sulphuric acid. Checking the water level of the battery in the car is necessary, as the water inside the battery evaporates due to this electrolytes become low which leads to damage to the battery plates. Some batteries have accessible caps to check the water level inside the battery.
If the water levels are low in the battery, then refill it by using a hydrometer or pour distilled water to raise the level. You need to be extra cautious while refilling it has it contains acid if it spills then it can cause great damage to your well-being so it is better to leave this to professionals.
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Clean The Battery
Dirt and rust are like two evil sides in the car battery. If it gets into the cell then it can cause damage to the other parts as well. So it is important to clean the top side and even around the terminals of the battery. A solution of baking soda and water with a toothbrush can be used for cleaning the corrosion or purchasing a pray that is effective against the rust in the battery.
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Other Maintenance Tips
“A disaster always strikes when you waver your attention”. It is necessary to pay attention to the car battery so disaster won’t strike you. Here are other maintenance tips to know:-
- Keeping the battery warm: Your car battery can freeze in the winter season, so it is advised to keep your car battery remain working. They make it easier to charge and even minimise energy consumption.
- Never over-charge: Never overcharge your battery as it can lead to severe damage to the car battery. Check your battery every 30 minutes to see the progress.
- Don’t take a short trip: Each time you take your car for a drive on errands and short trips uses a lot of battery power, so it is advisable to coordinate your short trips.
- Turn off all the lights: This is one of the important pieces of advice that car owners must follow is that always turn off the lights such as headlights or car door lights before getting out of the car as it could drain the battery energy from the car.
CONCLUSION
The battery is an essential part of the automobile. The battery is just one component but it is the heart and soul of the car. Remember warnings signs in a car such as clicking sound when you try to ignition, the crank of the engine, dim headlights, bloated battery case, pungent smell from the battery case or when the battery is old it means that it is time for car battery replacement services. Even though how much you take off the car, you can never foresee when it dies. Keep your eyes, ears and nose open to notice the warning signs.
