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If your car troubles you a lot during road trips, consider checking the fuel tank and the engine. And most importantly, your car’s battery power.

Your car battery acting up every now and then means that you may need to look for ways to make it last longer. To have your car batteries last for longer periods, avoid short trips, keep the battery terminals fastened, minimize heat exposure, buy a battery maintainer, and prefer a trustworthy brand.

Now let’s look into the details to make your road trips smooth. Keep on Reading!

How To Conserve Your Car Battery Life?

A car battery will still drain when not in continuous use. Below is a step-by-step guide to extending the life of your car batteries.

Avoid Short Trips

Whenever you start your car, the batteries are in continuous action. And as long as you continue the journey, your car batteries are getting charged. Now, suppose if you are going for a short trip. In that case, your car’s battery will not get the right time to recharge or regain the amount of power lost.

And if you have these short trips daily, it will reduce the battery voltage to the point you can no longer start your car. To maintain your car battery’s life drive it for longer periods. But if you can’t do so, buy a battery charger to have a stable battery voltage.

Keep Your Battery Tightly Fastened

Your car’s battery life gets the most affected when it is not secured in a fixed position. Otherwise, it ends up producing a lot of excessive vibrations. It can further damage the battery’s internal components or cause a mild short circuit.

To avoid excessive vibration, have your car battery held by battery clamp nuts. Make sure to go for approved battery clamp nuts. It would be better not to end up with tightly fastened battery clamps to an extreme extent. Ensure to tie the battery clamp nuts to the point where you feel resistance and then an extra half-turn to avoid damaging the battery.

Minimize Power Used While Engine Is Off

Avoid walking away with interior lights or headlights on when your car’s engine is off. Car batteries are in the perfect state when fully charged. So leaving out anything on while the engine is off can eventually flatten the car battery’s health.

Clean Your Car Battery and Battery Terminals

A dirty battery or battery terminal can self-discharge waste like grim or dirt on the top of the casing. This can cause a short circuit which will eventually flatten the car battery’s internal components. Ensure to clean the car batteries once in a while and dry them using a clean cloth.

Dirty battery terminals are most prone to corrosion. To have them in shape, clean them regularly. You can try scrubbing the terminals with an old toothbrush dipped in a baking soda and water mixture. Proceed by using a spray bottle with cold water to remove the mixture, followed by thorough drying using a clean cloth.

Try To Minimize Heat Exposure

A popular myth about car batteries is that they lose charge during the winter months. People believe extreme temperatures can cause a mild short circuit when you start cold engines.

But this is not the case every time, extreme heat your car batteries went through the last summer plays a huge role in a car’s battery life. Heat increases the rate of water evaporation from the cells even if you have sealed top batteries.

As we try to start cold engines with thick oil, the cold reveals a weaker battery, as lower temperatures drain the remaining cranking power. You can avoid such a situation by parking your car under a shade or in the garage.

Invest In A Battery Maintainer

You can also invest in a battery maintainer that helps to send a small amount of energy to your car’s battery. Because of this, you can have your car unused for long periods.

Test Your Car Battery life

Testing battery voltage once a month with a voltmeter is a great way to extend the life of your car battery. Lead acid batteries will discharge when left unmonitored. The voltage of a fully charged lead acid battery can be 12.7 volts or above. Remember that a lead acid battery is a half-charged battery at 12.4V and is a flat battery at 12.0V.

Don’t Leave The Car Unused For Long Periods

A lead acid battery will naturally lose charge over time – a process known as self-discharge. Parasitic loads from the vehicle increase the discharge rate. Thus, a car unused for more than a week will need a trickle charger to keep the battery in excellent condition.

Check Out Doing This Will Make Your Car Battery Last Twice as Long:

What Car Batteries Brands To Avoid?

Here are some car battery brands to avoid:

Exide

Exide is one of the oldest car batteries manufacturer. But, their quality is not somewhat up to the mark as it used to be. Even though the batteries resist temperature-subjected changes, you still have to change them every now and then.

Cheap Autozone Batteries

Autozone batteries can last up to 3 to 4 years only if you buy high-end ones. The cheaper ones need replacing within a year or so.

Cheap Walmart Batteries

Based on reviews, Walmarts Everstart Value can last up to a good 2 to 3 years. But if you get a high-end pick like Everstart Maxx, it will cost you more and last longer.

How Long Does A Car Battery Typically Last?

If you notice any signs of a flat battery, you can consider replacing your car’s battery because turning the ignition just not to see a running engine can actually be exhausting.

A car battery can last for about three to four years. After this time, you must change your car’s battery to have the engine running.

How To Keep Car Battery Charged When Not In Use?

You can take the following measures to keep the car battery charged when not in use.

Disable Parasitic Drains

If you want to park in your garage, you can turn off your vehicle’s security system. Turn off all lights, trunk, glove box, and doors.

Use A Battery Maintainer

If you’re not using your car, trickle chargers or battery maintainer is ideal for your battery’s longevity. They can also keep things known to drain your car’s battery at bay.

Disconnect The Negative Battery Cable

Disconnecting the negative battery cable will extend the life of the battery. But remember that you will most likely lose your radio presets, clock settings, and other settings.

Remove The Battery Entirely

If you intend to store your car for longer, you should remove the battery and keep it in a dry, ventilated place with a constant temperature between 40 and 60 degrees F.

How To Store A Car Battery?

Keep in mind that even if you detach your car’s battery, it will continue to drain, and you will have to recharge it after some time.

So, to store your car battery properly, keep it in a battery box to protect it from dirt or moisture. Also, make sure the temperature remains between 40 to 60 degrees F.

FAQs

How Often Should A Car Battery Be Replaced?

According to experts, you must replace a car’s battery every 4 or 5 years. However, this also depends on different factors like weather conditions, driving habits, vehicle type, or the brand of the battery.

How Often Should I Drive My Car to Keep The Battery Charged?

It is better to drive your car at least once a week for 30 seconds to keep its battery fully charged.

How Many Times Can You Recharge A Car Battery?

It is good to recharge a car battery once every six weeks so it stays functional.

Can I Put Baking Soda In My Car Battery?

Baking soda is not known to recharge or jump-start your car battery. But it can ensure a deep cleaning that can resolve many battery issues.

What Is Draining My Car Batteries Overnight?

Short circuits can actually cause excessive current draw and drain your battery overnight. Other reasons can be leaving the headlights or interior lights turned on.

Final Considerations!

To sum it up, no matter how many safety precautions you take, your car battery will drain over time. However, the least you can do to make it last longer is to look after it according to the steps provided in this post. If you ever land up in a troubled situation while you are out, don’t forget to have some assistance at hand.

Agustin is part of the team at Road Speed Solutions, a reliable and efficient roadside assistance business with over a decade of experience in New Jersey.

What sets Road Speed Solution apart is the team's commitment to giving back to the community, regularly donating to local charities and supporting small businesses. Choose Roadside Speed Solutions for prompt, trustworthy roadside assistance services.