How Do you Keep a Car Battery from Dying When not in Use – Introduction, and Usage

One of the worst things that can happen to your car battery is it dying simply because you are not using your car. It can happen when seasons change, trips where you leave your car parked, or in a situation where you have multiple cars, and a specific one is not used frequently.

However, whatever the situation is, you must know how to keep the battery from dying. If the battery dies, it can be problematic in emergencies because the car won't start. So, here is all you need to know about the right things to do to keep your battery in good working condition.

How to keep your car's battery from dying when it is not in use?

Say that you are leaving your city for a few weeks, and you have to leave your car parked, or you are not using your car very frequently. In both of these and many similar situations, the battery of your car will die because of the following reasons:

Not starting the engine to charge the battery

Accessories that keep draining power from your car’s battery.

Here are a few ways to prevent the battery from dying.

1.Use a trickle charger to keep your battery from dying.

Get a trickle charger that will keep the battery charged and maintain a consistent voltage. This charger charges the battery at a very slow rate, almost equal to the draining rate. So the consistent battery charge can be maintained.

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2.Unplug any unnecessary accessories from the car.

If you have accessories like dash cams, audio units, simplifiers, or subwoofers that keep draining the battery even when the car is not in use, you need to unplug them. The better option is to install switches for each one and turn them off when parking your car.

3.Start your car and leave it on idle for 20-30 minutes.

If you are not driving the car but parked at your place, start the engine and leave it idle for 20-30 minutes. Repeat it once weekly, and the battery will stay in good shape.

4.If you ever have to use the car, make sure that the trips are not short.

If your car is not in frequent usage and you take it out, take it for a longer trip of almost 30 minutes, where the engine keeps running. Doing so will charge the battery. Shorter trips will do no benefit to the battery.

How to prevent a car battery from dying at the drive-in?

Drive-in movie theaters and restaurants are great until your car battery dies on you, and you are left with a car that does not start. It usually happens when your battery is not in the best health. However, if you are not going to replace the battery but want to prevent it from dying inside a drive-in, here are a few things you can try.

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1.Leave your car idle before you shut off the engine.

As soon as you reach the place, refrain from turning off the engine. It is because your air conditioning and radio unit are using the battery for the trip. When you reach there and let the battery charge for a few 20-30 minutes, it will be charged enough not to die on its own.

2.Turn off all the lights.

If you are there during the evening or at night, you need to turn off all the lights as lights waste a lot of energy. The drive-in will have lights where you need them, and while your car is parked, you won't need to keep headlights or tail lights on. It is a great way to save the battery from automatically dying.

3.Use a portable radio to take prevention to the next level.

If you are at a drive-in movie theater, taking a portable radio will be a good option instead of using your car's built-in radio. The portable one will run on its batteries, and you will not need to keep your car on. Thus, the battery will not drain on its own inside a drive-in.

How long can a car's battery hold a charge when it is not in use?

If your car is not in use and you are not starting it, the battery will hold a charge for up to 2 weeks. However, if the battery is not in the best health, it may not be able to hold a charge for over a few days. That's why it is good to start the car once a week and leave it idle for around half an hour.

What does the voltage of your battery tell you?

The voltage of your car's battery tells you about the charge it holds. For 12 bolt batteries, volts over 12.6 will signify 100% charge. However, the good minimum voltage must be over 11.8. if the voltage drops below that, you may need to jump-start the car.

What to do if your car battery does not hold any charge?

If your battery does not hold any charge and you cannot start the car, there are a few things that can get your battery to work again, and here are the details you need to follow.

Start your car's engine and let the engine run for some time.

If you know your battery is not in good health, you can try starting the car every day or 2 days and leave the engine running for some time. It will make sure that your battery is well-charged.

Jump-start your car if it won’t start.

Take a donor car and jump-start your car using it. As the car starts, you must not turn it off and let it run for 30 minutes or so before you turn the car off.

Conclusion

Carelessness is among the biggest reason for your car battery dying when the car is not in use. It is because starting the car for some time or using a trickle charger will keep the battery in good health. However, if it ever happens to you, you can use the most effective solution discussed above and save the situation from worsening.