Vehicle Electricians Answer Some Common Battery Myths

Vehicle Electricians - Find some answers to some common battery problemsQuestion 1

Can my car’s fuel economy be affected by a flat (discharged) battery?

Vehicle Electricians Answer: YES

When a car’s battery becomes flat, the car’s alternator will work to recharge the battery and during this process there will be added load on the engine. With added load on the engine there will be more fuel consumed.

Question 2

If I’m not going to use the car for while or I’m going on holidays, should I disconnect my battery terminal(s)?

Vehicle Electricians Answer: NO

If the car’s battery is disconnected (for long period of time), it can affect the car’s on board computer systems. These systems require a certain amount of power to run even when the car is not used. If this power supply is disconnected, cut off or interrupted it can lead to operational issues such as engine, steering, transmission and security system problems. In some cases after the battery is reconnected, it may even prevent the vehicle from being started. To give you a benchmark and some piece of mind, generally a fully charged battery should last several weeks without effecting the operation of the vehicle.

If you are planning to not use your vehicle for an extended period, the best way to maintain a battery is to use a good quality maintenance charger. These chargers can be left connected for indefinite periods, ensuring your car battery will be fully charged while you are away.

Question 3

My car doesn’t get driven sometime for several weeks at a time while I’m away and when I am home I don’t drive my car very often and sometimes it goes flat. Is it normal for a battery to go flat if the car is not driven?

Vehicle Electricians Answer: YES

Given the usage pattern described above, it is understandable why the battery would become flat. Batteries have a natural self discharge or internal chemical leakage. Also it is normal that vehicle electrical systems draw a small amount of power from the battery when not in use. This is normal to keep all the electrical systems ‘alive’. Over time the battery will become fully flattened or discharged if not driven. The best way to overcome this is to use the vehicle regularly letting the cars charging system to charge the battery again through normal use or connect a good quality maintenance charger, which will keep your battery in good condition. These chargers can be left connected for indefinite periods, ensuring your car battery will be fully charged while you are away.

Question 4

I’ve had to have the car jump started a few times since the car battery was flattened a few months ago. I bought the battery less than 12 months ago so can I get it replaced under warranty?

Vehicle Electricians Answer: NO

The answer is subject to the warranty provisions of the supplier or manufacturer, but in general the warranty may not extend to cases where a battery has been fully discharged or affected by use. It should be noted that no amount of driving will recharge a fully flattened battery to a reliable level. By properly recharging the battery, such as by using an appropriate charger, this will usually restore the battery condition and prevent further breakdowns. On a side note you should also have your charging system inspected to ensure it’s producing enough power to recharge the battery and maintain the electrical systems on the car.

Question 5

Are ‘maintenance free’ batteries really maintenance free?

Vehicle Electricians Answer: Not Really

Regardless of the type of battery type, the battery terminals need to be checked and cleaned when necessary. Also the alternator charge rate needs to be checked during every service. Further, to reduce the likelihood of the battery self discharging, any corrosive build up on the outside of the battery will need to be removed and cleaned. Once flattened, maintenance free batteries along with all other battery types will require recharging using an appropriate multi-stage battery charger.

Question 6

Should I use normal tap water to top up the water level in the battery?

Vehicle Electricians Answer: NO

When topping up your battery use distilled, deionised or demineralised water wherever possible. These may be available at your local shops or service stations. The main reason why using tap water is not a great option is that it can produce mineral build up that can block the pores and coat the plates of the battery. One option, in extreme cases, is to use rain water from a clean container. Rain water does not have the impurities that coat the plates. Try not to use tap water. As a last resort use good quality tap water. Note that if the cell plates have been exposed for any length of time they can dry out and fail. It would be a good idea to recharge and test the battery.

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