Most drivers blame a dead battery on cold weather, but ask Randy Marsh and he’ll tell you summer is the real culprit.
“Hot weather actually brings out the weak points in a battery that the cold didn’t,” said Marsh, assistant manager at Battery World in Lloydminster.
During winter, drivers often insulate their batteries with thermal jackets. That’s a mistake when summer rolls around.
“If they forget to take that jacket off, that battery’s gonna overheat on the hotter days, and it’s going to cause it to boil out,” said Marsh.
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Inside the battery, heat causes real damage.
“It boils out the battery,” Marsh explained. “If there’s any sort of condensation or residue out of the vent tubes, that’s an indication of moisture escaping.”
That moisture is vital.
“As soon as the cells (are exposed) to raw air, that’s what shortens the lifespan of the batteries.”
Not driving vehicles frequently also causes more problems, according to Marsh.
“They are sitting dormant, they’re at a lower charge,” he said.
“When the vehicle starts to run, it’s trying to charge that battery up quickly. You’re overheating that battery on your hotter days and it’s just going to knock it down.”
Marsh says there are a few key signs a battery is close to dying.
“If your vehicle is taking longer to start, it’s slower to start — those are two of the big indicators, or when it doesn’t start.”
A standard car battery lasts about five years, but Marsh suggests testing it at four. He also suggests testing it before going on a long trip, regardless of age.
“Anything past that five-year mark is something that I just call borrowed time,” said Marsh. “It’s always a good idea to have a checklist when you’re going on a longer road trip … make sure your battery is part of that check.”
Car batteries aren’t the only ones that could cause issues if not treated or serviced properly.
If you have a dual-battery setup on a diesel, you need to rotate them
frequently.
“They need to be swapped from side to side every 10 to 15,000
kilometres or every second or third oil change. The batteries are singularly charged, but dual grounded and electrons take the path of least resistance,” said Marsh.
“One battery is dedicated to engine starting, whereas the other is
dedicated to accessories. When you swap the battery sides, you even out the amount of load coming off the batteries over a longer period of time, therefore extending the battery life.”
Battery World will test your battery for free.
Marsh explained the difference between a basic battery test and a full-charging system check.
“We put it on one of our high voltage chargers, then we let it sit for 24 hours, then we test the battery,” Marsh said.
“That’s putting the battery into a resting voltage state, which will give us the truest reading.”
For drivers using a lot of accessories or off-roading, Marsh suggests AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries.
“It allows them to build the battery with more lead, which means more power. It’s more vibration resistant as well.”
To help any battery last longer, Marsh advises:
“If it’s going to be sitting for an extended period, disconnect it or put a trickle charger on it once every week or two weeks.”
Lastly, what if the battery dies on the road?
“It could be the battery was on its way out or a failing alternator,” he said.
“Bring your vehicle to a mechanic or battery professional. A lot of us will test your battery for free.”
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