A car battery is the life of any car. If it wears out while you’re in the middle of a journey, you’re in a serious pinch. Just like any other car accessory, a battery also has an expiry date. But you can extend its life with some little care.
A battery runs for hours in a car and it gets exhausted after a time. So if you ignore the maintenance of your battery, it’ll wear out sooner. As a result, you’ll have to bear the sporadic ordeals of pushing your car to a nearby battery service. Sounds terrible, isn’t?
But worry not as we can save you from going through any such experience. All you need is to follow the given guidelines:
1. Keep Batteries Clean And Dry
A damp surface of the battery is prone to rust and corrosion. Therefore, it is important that you keep the surface dry as much as possible, especially when you are refilling the water.
Similarly, you need to make sure that the terminals of the battery are free from any kind of grease or oil. These things are essential to secure the safety of your battery.
2. Check The Water Level
Water is just as essential to a battery as it is to a human. To ensure optimum levels of water in your battery, you need to make sure that water level touches the opening of the battery.
Always regularly check the water levels by removing the caps and refill the water after every 2-3 months. Use distilled water and pass it through a funnel to avoid a fall on its body. Be careful not to overfill it.
3. Make Sure the Terminals Are Properly Connected
A battery supplies the current to your car. Therefore, you need to make sure that it is functioning properly. Improper battery connections are one of the many reasons car fails to start.
Therefore, you must make sure that every terminal of your battery is properly connected. Similarly, you must make sure that the terminals do not have any residues of rust or corrosion. You can use water and a wire brush to clean the terminals.
However, you must wear the right gear prior to doing this job. Use eye protection and gloves so that the poisonous white powder of the battery doesn’t come in physical contact with your skin.
4. Be Wary of Any Vibration in Your Battery
A vibrating battery shows that there is something wrong in its mechanism. Overlooking a vibrating battery can be hazardous as it can cause short-circuit in your car. This can be quite drastic if your car is parked in a garage.
5. Insulate The Battery
Since extreme temperatures make your batteries vulnerable to corrosion, it would be wise to keep an insulation kit with you. Some of them are already included in new cars. The sleeves for the battery are plastic or of acid/thermal resistant material.
6. Inspect Cell Voltage Every Time After Oil Change
Be very particular when it comes to checking the voltage of your car. In fact, it is better to just take it to your mechanic since they know how much voltage is required. Usually, a car battery requires a voltage of 12.6 volts.
7. Make sure your battery is Fully charge During Winter
If you leave your vehicle unattended for a long time, the battery will lose its juice. Severe winter conditions cause a cessation in the battery. Therefore, you have to fully charge the battery to keep this from happening. Buy a car battery charger or jumper cables to help you in the long-run.
8. Don’t Miss the Service
Make a habit of having your car services by an expert mechanic. It’s mandatory that you have it tuned up at least once in a month. For the maintenance of battery, you need to take it to a professional electrician who can check its power and any other issues it might have.
Remember that a battery is a sensitive part of your car as it gives the power to your car. Therefore, it is important to be very particular about its maintenance and safety to avoid any mishap.
About Writer: David Cairns is a professional car dealer at UK firm. He is also a pro academic writer who enjoys his time writing a dissertation on variety of subjects.