27 October 2013

How to maintain your car battery to last longer?

A car battery is quite expensive if you have to change it every year. A good battery can cost you around $100 or more. Buying fuels is already a pain in the ass, what if you need to change the battery every year. If you have this problem, you've been doing it wrong all these years to maintain your car battery.


A good car battery with a perfectly maintained procedure can last you around 4 to 5 years. This has been tested by my father (he's a mechanic). Here are several solutions told by my father:

1. Buying a car battery
Normally, people would just buy a car battery already filled with battery acid/battery water. Never ever buy a filled car battery. Before buying, ask them to open the box, see if it's empty. Buy the one that is empty inside, then you can ask them to fill it with battery acid and charge it.

Why you shouldn't buy the one that has already been filled with battery acid?
If you filled a car battery with battery acid and let it sit there without working or without continuous charging and discharging, this could damage the plate inside the battery.

Same as a fat person sitting at home, watching television while eating and never go outside to exercise. He either die early with diabetes or a heart attack. This is what my dad always says.

2. Placing the battery terminal
Some mechanics out there will force the terminal into the negative and positive post by hammering. This will damage the battery. Never ever let them or yourself do this. Just pry the terminal open with a screwdriver, gently wiggle the connector until it is fully in.
Connector / Terminal

Hammering the battery can cause the plate inside the battery to be damaged which shorten the life of the battery to work properly.

3. Maintain the charging voltage
Normally your car's alternator and regulator should be charging the battery with a voltage of around 14.4V. If it doesn't reach around that voltage, you should either change the alternator or the regulator

Alternator

Regulator

4. Battery acid level
Never let the battery acid level be lower than the indicated level. The plate inside the battery not in contact with the acid can cause the plate to overheat or may also melt the plate. Furthermore, damaging your car battery and shortening the life span

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