22 Years' Battery Customization
Dec 25, 2020 Pageview：661
Batteries are prone to death, just like any other equipment that we use in our daily lives. However, some deaths come unexpected, and after a short period of use. You might buy a battery and use it for about one to two years, then it dies.
Several factors cause the death of a battery. Some of these factors are caused by human mistakes and carelessness. The other reason for the battery's death can be faulty issues from the manufacturer, which are usually rare.
Therefore, we must know the things that cause a battery to die and know how we can prevent the sudden death of a battery. This will then help us prolong the lifespan of a battery immensely and enjoy the right working conditions.
This article shall cover the factors that cause a battery to die and the things to do after the battery has died.
Several culprits can be held responsible for the death of a car battery. However, about 99% of these battery failures are caused by user error, electrical system malfunction, or poor battery maintenance.
Therefore, the significant things that cause you frequent problems include;
Failed charging system – if your battery dies while the vehicle is in motion, you need to blame the charging system. This means that the alternator is fighting to help send enough power to the battery, causing the car to stop. The alternator can stop working due to loose or stretched belts as well as tensioners.
Weak battery – a battery that has already served its purpose and is now weak is likely to die. It will be struggling to maintain the charge that it has received. This weak battery can die even with minor electricity draws, such as a clock that runs even when the car is off.
Severe temperatures – adverse weather conditions are among the causative agents that contribute significantly to a battery's death. Very hot or cold temperatures can significantly affect the battery. However, these conditions will not kill a good battery, but they reduce the charge, thus causing the battery to weaken over time.
Parasitic drain – after the car engine has shut down, a continuous power draw is caused by a short circuit or electrical devices left on, such as the trunk light, glove compartment light, or a computer module. These things will slowly rain on the battery, and as time goes, the battery will lose its ability to hold a charge for an extended period.
Corroded or poor battery connections – some people leave their batteries unattended for an extended period. A battery with poor connections will charge for a short period; then, the connection becomes loose, making it stop. When a battery is corroded, it will be hard for the power to be transferred from one section to another.
Lights left on – some cars have lights set to go off after 30 to 60 seconds. However, if the system malfunctions, the lights might fail to turn off after the time programmed. Headlights and interior lights left on for a long time can drain the battery and cause it to die.
End of the battery's life cycle – batteries are not designed to last forever. Most of the batteries that we have are designed to last for 5 to 6 years. Therefore, if your battery starts misbehaving, you should consider its age before thinking of anything else.
Failing to use the car more often can cause your battery to die. Therefore, how many minutes should you idle the car every day to prevent the death of a battery? We need to consider the period that a car can remain parked without affecting the battery.
A car can sit parked for about a month without affecting the battery unless it is a higher-end car with many power-hungry gadgets and computers. Batteries give electricity through an electro-chemical reaction. In most car batteries, electricity is produced as electrons flow from the lead oxide anode to the metallic lead cathode through an electrolyte that is usually sulfuric acid.
The reaction inside the battery keeps happening but slowly when the battery is not in use. This is what causes the batteries to die when not in use. If the battery is connected to the car, it drains faster because accessories drain the battery even when it is off.
Therefore, we usually recommend driving a car regularly for at least 15 minutes or 10 kilometers at a time. You should drive longer during winter because you are using the heater, rear defroster, and heated seats.
If you aren't going to drive the car more often, then idling the car will harm you more than good. Starting the engine draws a lot of power, while idling the car will provide a little current.
The car battery might die in a location that you cannot get any services faster. The first action should be to jumpstart the car to charge the battery ideally. Jumpstarting will make the battery hold charge for a short period.
In order to jumpstart your car, follow the steps below:
Take out your jumper cables – you should always have a good set of jumper cables in your car. However, if you do not have them, call for roadside assistance or hope you can find a Good Samaritan.
Get the vehicles ready – set the vehicles to face each other and leave about 18 inches between the two cars. Ensure that the parking brakes are engaged to keep the vehicles from moving unexpectedly.
Attach the jumper cables – open the car hoods of the two vehicles and locate the terminals in both vehicles. Attach the red +ve cable clamp to the positive terminal of the battery that is dead. Attach the positive cable clamp to the working battery and do the same thing to the negative cable clamp.
The jumpstart – start working the vehicle’s engine and allow it to run for a few minutes. Then start the dead car, and if it does not run, try running the other vehicle to ensure it charges the dead battery.
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