4 Mistakes That Shorten Battery Life
Some car owners are not aware that are making mistakes which are shortening the service life of their car batteries. Below are some actions that you need to avoid to increase the interval between battery replacements.
Incomplete charging
Car batteries should be fully charged once they get discharged. The alternator usually charges the battery as you drive. However, some driving conditions, such as city driving in slow-moving traffic, denies the alternator an opportunity to charge the battery fully. Consequently, the sulphur within the electrolyte begins forming a coat on the walls of the battery compartments. This can eventually cause the battery to fail prematurely. This problem can be avoided by periodically going on a long drive so that the battery can be fully charged. Alternatively, remove the battery from your car and charge it from an external source so that no sulphur deposits form on them.
Not monitoring the electrolyte levels
Another costly mistake is forgetting to check the level of electrolyte in the battery. The water in the electrolyte can evaporate on a hot day. This reduced electrolyte level gives a chance for sulphur deposits to form on the exposed compartment walls due to their reaction with air. As discussed earlier, such coatings eventually result in battery failure. It is therefore wise to check the level of the electrolyte frequently, such as once each month. In this way, remedial action can be taken before battery life is affected.
Prolonged parking
Some people keep their cars parked for long. An example is when they have gone on an extended vacation. Such prolonged storage can give the battery an opportunity to discharge completely. All batteries self-discharge even if no load is draining power from them. Thus, prolonged storage can affect the battery due to the extensive formation of deposits on the walls when that battery sits for long without being charged. The solution to this problem is to ask someone to charge the battery periodically while you are away.
Exposure to the elements
Hot weather can damage a battery as easily as cold weather can. For instance, a car that is always parked under direct sunlight will develop battery problems sooner than another one that is parked in a garage during hot weather. Similarly, extreme cold can also affect how efficiently a battery can be charged since the rate of the reactions inside that battery will be low. Deposit formation inside the batteries arises from prolonged exposure to these weather extremes.
Have the electrical system of your car inspected by an expert in case the battery keeps failing prematurely even when you have taken steps to avoid the mistakes in the discussion above.