If the heat of summer is wearing you down, it is likely
taking its toll on your car battery too. Contrary to popular belief, summer
highs rather than winter lows pose the greater threat to battery life.
To get the most life out of a battery, the Car Care Council
suggests the following simple steps:
- Be sure the electrical system is charging at the correct rate; overcharging can damage a battery as quickly as undercharging.
- If your battery is the type that needs to be topped off, check it regularly, especially in hot weather. Add distilled water when necessary.
- Always replace a battery with one that’s rated at least as high as the one originally specified.
- Keep the top of the battery clean. Dirt becomes a conductor, which drains battery power. Further, as corrosion accumulates on battery terminals it becomes an insulator, inhibiting current flow.
Sooner or later all batteries have to be replaced. Excessive
heat and overcharging are the two main reasons for shortened battery life. Heat
causes battery fluid to evaporate, thus damaging the internal structure of the
battery. A malfunctioning component in the charging system, usually the voltage
regulator, allows too high a charging rate, leading to slow death for a battery
Content credited to: http://www.carcare.org
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