How to store a car battery

f you expect your car battery to sit unused for more than a month, you should consider removing the battery and storing it away. This will help reduce wear on your battery and allow it to better hold its charge in the long run.

Now, there’s a lot more to storing your battery than just placing it on a shelf in your garage. Follow these steps for battery storage:

1. Make sure the battery is fully charged

Always store your battery at full charge. This will help prevent most damage and deterioration that can happen while in storage.

2. Look for possible damage

Batteries can sometimes crack or corrode with age, so inspect your battery for any sort of damage. It may need to be replaced if the damage is serious.

3. Clean up the battery

Corrosion and electrolyte buildups should be cleaned before the battery is put away. Grime such as this can interfere with the terminals, causing the battery to discharge faster.

The easiest way to clean a battery at home is by applying a mixture of baking soda and water and scrubbing with a wire brush. Once you’ve taken care of the deposits, wipe down the battery’s casing according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

4. Find the right storage location

While you should count on your battery discharging in some capacity while it’s in storage, you can take measures to limit the amount of power that is depleted. Outside of the length of time your battery is stored, the main factor that will impact your battery’s discharge rate is temperature.

Ideally, you want to keep a battery in a dry, well-ventilated area that remains between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid spots that could get too hot or cold, as it could make the battery discharge faster. In addition, keep away from places with excess humidity; this can cause the battery to corrode.

5. Recharge the battery regularly

Monitoring your battery while it’s in storage is crucial to maximizing its life. Make it a point to check in on your battery at least every 12 weeks (though the more frequent, the better). If possible, test the voltage with a voltmeter to gauge how much power your battery has left. When it’s at 70% charge or less, recharge it.

TIPS

6 Warning Signs that You Might Have a Dead Car Battery

Getting stranded with a dead battery in an unfamiliar place is always inconvenient, but getting stranded with a dead battery in the middle of winter can be dangerous. Thankfully, batteries usually give us a few warning signs that they’re about to fail, so you can get a replacement battery before you’re stranded. Watch for these 6 telltale signs of a bad battery so you aren’t caught out in the cold!

1. Slow or no start while cranking

In an ideal situation, whenever one turns the key to start their car, they can hear a chirping sound that the starter makes before it lets the engine take over and begin running. 

That chirping sound is called ‘cranking’. If your car battery is dead or about to die, you’ll either not hear the cranking or experience a very slow, staggered crank when you turn the key to start your car. 

This is one of the most common signs that will tell you that your car battery needs to be checked.

 

2. Clicking sound during ignition

 Another very common sign of a dead car battery is if you start to hear a clicking or grinding sound whenever you try to start your car.

Generally, during extremely cold weather, there’s a chance that you hear the clicking or grinding more often since it takes time for the engine to crank to life.  

However, if you’re experiencing such sounds even during normal weather or after your car has heated up sufficiently, it’s a sign that you need to get your battery checked.

 

3. Engine starts but then stops

 Once you start your car and the engine cranks up, it should keep idling till the time you switch gears and start driving.  However, instead of idling, if your engine stops, your battery might have a problem.

While this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to replace your battery since its charge was good enough to turn over the engine, it still poses an issue since it’s failing to send consistent signals. 

 

4. Headlights are dim or completely out

This might be one of the easiest signs that point toward a dead or weak battery.

If you see that your headlights are dim while your engine is idling but they start to brighten up as soon as you press the accelerator and rev up your engine a bit, you most probably have a weak battery. 

On the other hand, if your headlights fail to turn on completely, and you’re certain that they’re not burnt out, then it’s clear that you have a dead car battery.

 

5. Check those dashboard lights

There might be a lot of lights on your car’s dashboard, but two of the most important ones that you must always keep an eye out for are the battery light and the check engine light.

If you see that your battery light is on, it’s a direct indication that something is wrong with your battery. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a dead battery as it could just be a loose terminal connection or perhaps an indication that the battery isn’t sufficiently charged.

If your check engine light is on, it could mean a lot of things, which include issues due to a faulty battery.

 

6. Something smells like rotten eggs

If you smell something funny when you lift the hood of your car, don’t ignore it.

When your car battery is about to die, it will sometimes release a gas that smells like rotten eggs. This is due to the battery releasing sulfuric acid, which can cause significant damage if not checked on time. 

It’s important that at times like these you do not touch the liquid as it could be dangerous. Instead, take your car to a mechanic immediately and get your battery tested or replaced.

TIPS

7 Warning Signs You May Need a New Car Battery

Everything electronic in your vehicle relies on a properly functioning charging system. The fluctuating weather temperatures take a toll on your car’s battery. Hot summer heats can put a strain on your battery causing failure and the cold temperatures in the winter can cause a weak battery to fail faster than normal. The last thing you want to happen when hopping into your car, trying to turn on your vehicle, and not have it start due to a dead car battery. If your battery is getting older, here are 7 warning signs that your car battery may need to be replaced.

7 Warning Signs You May Need a New Car Battery

  1. When starting your vehicle, you notice the engine cranking slower than normal.
  2. Constant need to jump startyour vehicle.
  3. Extended use of interior lights along with the radio while the engine is not running, can cause the battery to drain.
  4. Rotten egg or sulfur smell can indicate a leaking or overheated battery.
  5. White/silvery powder like material around the battery post could indicate a problem and the battery should be checked.
  6. If the battery OR check engine light comes on, it’s time to have the battery and electrical system tested.
  7. Low battery fluid levels.

Be Proactive with your New Car Battery

When you have yournew car battery installed, be sure to:

  • Keep track of the batteries age. The average life of a car battery is 3-6 years.
  • Test your car battery periodically. As part of our complimentary Visual Vehicle Check, your car battery will be checked when you have your vehicle serviced at Sullivan Tire and Auto Service.
Maintenance

7 Tips to Extend Your Car Battery Life

Car batteries are an essential part of an automobile. From getting your car started to charging your phone on-the-go, batteries provide the zap your vehicle needs to keep rolling. That’s why it’s so important to know when to start considering a car battery change, as well as what you can do to extend its lifespan.

On average, car batteries last between 3 and 5 years. One of the most important factors that affects how long a car battery will last is the weather. A running engine under the hood is already producing high levels of heat. Throw in a scorching hot day and you have a severe drain on your car battery, which can lead to an increased chance of a dead battery if you don’t take proper summer driving precautions.

Warm weather can cause fluid in car batteries to evaporate, damaging the internal structure of the battery. That’s why average battery life is shorter in warmer climates. So when estimating how long your car battery life will last, consider the climate you will do most of your driving in.

Regardless of the temperature you drive in, properly taking care of your car battery can help keep it running. Check out the seven tips below on extending the life of your car battery:

1. Limit Short Rides
Quick car rides prevent your car’s battery from fully charging. Maintain your car’s battery power by driving it frequently and for extended periods. If you don’t use your car often, consider investing in a portable car battery charger. These portable chargers can jump start your battery without another vehicle in case you’re ever stranded.

2. Keep Your Battery Tightly Fastened
A battery that’s not securely fastened could vibrate, potentially resulting in internal damage and short circuits. Have your battery terminal checked regularly – especially if you frequently drive on bumpy roads – to ensure it is tightly and properly positioned in the mounting bracket.

3. Turn Off All the Lights When You Exit
Accidentally keeping your headlights and car door lights on can put a heavy toll on your vehicle’s battery. To keep yourself from forgetting, post a note on your dashboard, attach a sticker reminder on your car remote or park in a direction where you must walk past your headlights to get to your destination.

4. Control the Corrosion
Battery terminals corrode over time but keeping them clean from buildup is a great way to extend the life of your car battery. Scrub the terminals with a toothbrush dipped in a baking soda and water mixture. Then, using a spray bottle with cold water, rinse the mixture off and follow up with a thorough drying with a clean cloth.

5. Test Your Battery Often
Knowing the condition of your car battery matters when you want to maximize its life. Test your battery’s output voltage level with a car battery tester to keep track of how well you’re maintaining it and if you’re due for a new one.


6. Don’t Use Electronics While Idling
Turn off functions like the radio or air conditioner when your engine isn’t running to put less wear and tear on your battery power. Extended periods of idling also can wear a battery down.

7. Care for Your Whole Car
Your car is comprised of many parts working together. Making sure you are taking your car in for routine tune ups, as well as properly storing your vehicle are also simple ways to ensure your battery’s lifespan can reach its full capacity. The battery is just one component of a well-running car, so make sure to properly maintain all parts of your car to extend its life and the life of your battery.

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