Keeping your battery healthy
A battery like many other components within the car requires looking after and maintained. Without doing this it will go flat and die. This means no matter how well you are taking care of your engine, should your battery die then you cant start your engine. In the cold winter weather and conditions. This has a diverse effect on batteries. These conditions can slow down the chemical processes which happen within the battery. In the worst case, there may not be enough current left to crank your engine to even start the car.
Starting the day with a flat battery which is preventing your morning commute is one of the worst ways to begin your day. So a more sensible option is to keep your battery in the best condition during the cold, dark winter months. Dead batteries are the number one causes of breakdown callouts during the winter in the UK. So I've created a list to help all of you guys out.
1) Keep Driving
Batteries are subjected o a peak strain when doing a regular amount of short journeys. As the engine and alternator are not given enough time and the chance to recharge the battery to its previous state. The best option is to try to do some long journeys to give the car a chance to recharge itself. Alternatively, invest in an external battery charger
2) Switch off
All modern cars are packed with energy-sapping tech which if left on will work on draining the battery very quickly. Heaters and lights are the biggest threats to flattening batteries. Although items plugged into USB or 12V supply will also quickly drain the batteries charge. Check all your interior lights, leaving them on overnight could be a costly mistake.
3) Ease The Strain
Depressing the clutch when the engine is turning on can help relieve stress off your car. It reduces the effort needed to start and therefore takes away some of the load on the battery.
4) Check Your Battery
You can do a quick visual check every time you lift up the bonnet to look for any corrosion. Although it is better to get a professional inspection. If you have bought a used car check the manual and make sure the previous owner had the correct battery installed, as a new battery could be a reasonable investment.
5) Check Other Battery-related Systems
If you are worried about your battery just get a professional to check the alternator. The starting system and charging systems for the car and battery. If any of these features are acting funny or malfunctioning, this could result in the battery being overcharged, not charged at all or just undercharged. This overall will affect your battery life.
6) Service Your Car
A poorly looked after vehicle can put extra strain on your battery from any uninflated tires. Which can also overwork the engine. A good idea if you have a garage is too keep it inside as warmer temperatures are better for the battery.
7) Know The Warning Signs
Noises like clicks as you are turning the ignition. The dashboard lights going dim or the engine turning over a lot slower than normal are all signs of the battery being flatter than it should be.
8) Don't Persevere
A battery won't magically regain all of its charges by itself. Therefore it fails to start the engine just stop trying. As you will only make it flatter than it already was.Completely flattening a battery damages it.
9) Safety First
If you have broken down it the worst place and it isn't very safe like next to a junction. Just try pushing it to a safer place first before starting to work on it. See if any passers-by will help you push it.
10) Jump Start
In an emergency only you may need to jump start the car. Keep a set of jump leads in the boot and learn how the procedure works.
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