A car battery is the heart of an automobile.
Your car needs a battery to start its engine. Besides, the battery provides the power required for ignition, electrical lighting, and other car accessories. Without battery power, your vehicle won’t start at all.
On average, most car batteries can last up to 3 to 5 years, depending on the use and overall performance.
But not many know how long their car battery can last, the type of battery they should use, or how to extend their car battery life.
Here are some car battery must-knows for your reference as a car owner.
Types of car batteries
Primarily, there are three types of batteries commonly used in Malaysia. They are Lead-acid, Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) and Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries.
Lead-acid battery
Conventional batteries such as lead-acid batteries are the most common type of batteries. This battery type is suitable for vehicles without start-stop technology and with moderate battery consumption by electrical components.
Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB)
EFB batteries are an optimized, higher-performance version of wet batteries (original type of rechargeable batteries).
This battery type is usually installed in vehicles with simple automatic start-stop systems.
Due to their superior performance, batteries with EFB technology are increasingly used as replacements for conventional lead-acid batteries.
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) battery
AGM batteries have high performance and are ideally designed for vehicles with automatic start-stop systems with braking energy recovery (recuperation).
They are also the right choice for cars with high energy consumption and many electrical components.
Car battery weaknesses
Three main factors drain car batteries over time – heat, excessive vibration, and discharging.
Heat
Beware! Heat is hard on batteries because it increases the rate of water evaporation from the cells, even in sealed top batteries. It also accelerates the corrosion and thus, damages the internal structure of the battery.
Excessive vibration
Excessive vibration can kill a battery, causing internal battery parts to break down. Too much jostling and vibration can easily crack the internal connections and plates as the battery is fairly brittle.
Therefore, avoid driving your car on extremely rough roads for an extended period.
Overcharging
Overcharging can kill a battery quickly by boiling electrolytes out of the cells and overheating and warping the cell plates.
An example is leaving the lights on for an extended period or leaving things charged in a car all day.
How to extend the lifespan of your car battery
The lifespan of a car battery depends on how you maintain it. You need to inspect and get it serviced periodically to retain its quality and performance.
Here are some tips that you can follow to increase your car battery lifespan.
Minimise heat exposure
Extreme heat can be tough on your car and drain its battery. It increases the rate of water evaporation which causes the water level to decrease over time. This will lead to internal damage to the battery.
Therefore, try to avoid direct sunlight to improve your car battery lifespan.
We suggest you park your vehicle in a shaded area or indoors more often when your car is not in use. Doing so also helps protect the paint on your vehicle from fading.
Avoid driving short distances
Driving short distances can be a surefire way to shorten your car battery lifespan.
The battery cannot fully recharge when you often drive short distances. Your motor engine may not reach its optimal operating temperature. The lack of heat can prevent your engine oil from getting the ideal viscosity to lubricate your engine components.
Try to make some long journeys to give the car a chance to recharge itself. Your car battery should receive plenty of time to be recharged.
Ideally, the engine needs at least 30 minutes for any meaningful charge.
Minimise use of power while the engine is off
Don’t use your electronics such as the air-conditioner, lights, and radio while your car is idle. It helps to put less wear and tear on your battery power and preserve its lifespan.
It can drain your battery if you keep the lights on or the infotainment system running without starting the engine.
This is because your car alternator is shut down when the engine is switched off. Hence, turning on your car electronic accessories when your engine is off can drain your car battery.
Therefore, ensure that everything is switched off every time you exit your car. Also, do not forget to lock your car when you leave it. This isn’t just for security purposes; your car computer system may still be running if you leave your car open, which could drain your car battery without you knowing it.
Keep your battery clean
It is vital to ensure the top of your car battery is constantly clean, dry, and free of dirt and grime. A dirty battery can discharge across the grime on top of the casing, creating a mild short circuit that will eventually flatten the battery.
Your car battery terminals will also corrode over time. Corrosion is when the white powder forms around the nodes or clamps of the battery. It can drain the battery and shorten its life.
Therefore, keeping the top of the battery clean from buildup is a great way to extend your battery lifespan.
What can you do? You can clean the clamps with baking soda, water, and a nonmetallic brush. You can then use a spray bottle with cold water, rinse the mixture and thoroughly dry them with a clean cloth.
Don’t leave your car unused for so long
Your car will perform at its best when it’s used regularly. Therefore, make sure you activate your car engine at least for 30 minutes, once a week, to warm up the engine and circulate your car’s fluids.
If your car is inactive for days at a time, the battery won’t have sufficient time to recharge.
Regularly monitor your car battery to extend its lifespan
Keeping an optimum battery charge and your car in a tip-top condition will ensure a smooth drive and help your car battery last longer, so you don’t get stranded on the side of the road.
Taking a proper course of action when a problem arises with your battery will also help you get a better price later on when you decide to sell your car.
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