A car battery is located under your vehicle’s hood and provides electricity for the doors, lights, sliding windows and other accessories. Your car battery is crucial for starting your vehicle. Your car will cease to function if it has a dead battery.
It is often difficult to spot a problem in your car’s battery. Sometimes you just need to recharge the battery. Other times, your car will require a new one. It is easy to monitor your car’s battery if you know what to do. This guide will teach you how to charge, boost, check, and replace your car’s battery.
How long does a car battery last?
There is not consensus about the life expectancy of car batteries. Some people may claim that a car battery lasts less than four years. Others will say that six years is the most reasonable.
There are many factors that affect how long a car’s battery will last.
Climate Extreme temperatures could cause the battery’s overall capability to decrease.
Vibration –Vibration can also adversely affect a vehicle’s battery life. Therefore, ensure your battery is securely fastened under the hood, and that all bolts and brackets are in their place.
In-car electronics: Many in-car features use power which eventually drains the battery. These features include windshield wipers and headlights.
How do you replace a car battery?
Although it is difficult to assess the battery health from the outside of your car, there are ways you can get a better understanding. Slow cranking is one of the most obvious signs that something is not right. It is possible for your vehicle to wheeze during ignition. This is especially true if it is not cold outside.
Wheezing could be caused by a weak alternator that is not charging the battery fast enough. There are some things you can do to help determine if your battery is in need of replacement.
You need to check your car battery for damage:
If your car has been in use for more than three years, it is a good idea that you start to check the battery more often. You can do two tests: the eye test or the load test.
The eye test
Simply lift the hood to perform an eye exam. You should inspect the cell connectors and posts that hold the batteries for signs of corrosion. Also, look out for unusual stains or broken cables. You might need a new battery if you see any of these signs.
The load test
You can test the charge and its capacity by performing a load test. A multimeter or handheld voltmeter are required. These can be easily found at any hardware or automotive store.
These are the steps involved in the load test:
- Set the multimeter/voltmeter at 20 DC Volts.
- Matching the prongs with the black (negative), and red (positive), battery terminals is as easy as lifting the hood.
- Pressing the Start button (you don’t need to start your vehicle yet).
- You should look for a reading of 9.6 volts. It is bad news if it drops to zero and then reaches the mark. A problem is also indicated by a drop to zero immediately.
- Start the engine and wait for the reading to reach around 12.6 volts. Your car’s battery will need to be charged slowly if it is lower than 12.9 volts.
- You can also connect your high beam headlights to remove excess charges.
- An electric cord should have two jumpers, alligator clips, and a plug to charge the battery. The alligator clips should be connected to the negative and positive terminals. A slow charge can be more beneficial to a car’s battery over a faster one in the long-term.
It is time to replace your battery if you find that it is not retaining its charge well.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a car battery:
- Size:
Car batteries can be divided into groups based on their length, width, or height. Ask a mechanic for help in determining the size of your vehicle’s battery. Or refer to the manual. The battery tray should be able to hold the battery securely.
- Reserve capacity
The reserve capacity of a car battery is how long it can run on its own power, without the need for an engine, and before it goes into full discharge. A high reserve capacity battery will allow your car to withstand difficult situations like alternator failure, noncompliant engines or accidentally left on lights.
- Power requirements:
The Cranking Amps are (CA) or the Cold Cranking Amps(CCA) used to measure power requirement. Cranking Amps are the required power to start a vehicle at zero degrees Celsius. CAA is the ability of a battery to start a car at zero degrees Celsius. CCA is useful in colder climates. The higher the CCA of your car, the better.
- Maintenance:
There are two options: a low-maintenance battery or one that doesn’t require any maintenance. This type of battery is sealed, and the liquid electrolyte can continue to work throughout its life without needing replacement. The low-maintenance battery, however, is not sealed and has caps that allow the owner to occasionally add distilled waters.
How to replace a car battery
If you’ve determined that your car’s battery needs to be changed, the following steps can be used to replace it yourself.
- Make sure that your vehicle is off and that you have the parking brakes in place.
- Before you remove the battery, take a photo with your smartphone. You will be able to remember the location of the new battery by taking a photo.
- First, disconnect the negative (black), cable. Next, disconnect your positive (red) cable.
- With the help of a wrench, remove the battery restraint.
- Remove the battery. When lifting the battery, make sure you keep it upright.
- You can reverse the installation process and install a new battery.
Be sure to properly dispose off the old battery. It can be taken to a store that sells new cars batteries.
