Preparing the battery for the winter season
To successfully start the engine even in cold weather, you need a working and charged battery. On how to properly care for him and diagnose, we tell further.
Monitoring the status of the battery is very important, otherwise you will have to do it after it does not start. This means that your plans will be thwarted and you will have to spend time on reanimation of the battery. Yes, you can do in some cases without specialists, for example, you can check the voltage at the battery terminals or the tension of the drive belt of the generator. And if the battery is also serviced, it is better to check the level and density of the electrolyte.
But all these actions require some technical knowledge. Do not hold the two terminals at the same time. And to check the insufficient tension of the belt is another matter, rather than sagging of the clothesline. Faced with such difficulties, many drivers pass the process of checking the battery to the experts.
Looking for reasons
Car service workers have special mechanisms for testing batteries. Using them, it will be possible to determine how the battery behaves under load, whether it delivers the necessary starting current. If there are any deviations in the work, it is better to immediately identify their cause.
For example, there may be leaks that are easy to detect during inspection of a structure. And if the battery self-discharges, then there is nothing to fix, have to look for a new device. If a reduced electrolyte level was detected, first you need to determine why this happened.
As you can see, battery diagnostics are complex measures. Checking the status of the battery is only prophylactic. And the mistake of many drivers is that they start doing it when it is already quite late.
Of course, in the summer or spring there will be no problems and you will successfully start the car. But during cold weather, the load on the battery increases. Starter spin is one thing. Here we must also take into account the increased power consumption, short light day and the need to more often light the headlights, slower speed.
Automotive Battery Life
Even manufacturers can not guarantee a clear battery life. After all, this parameter is very dependent on operating conditions.
How to ensure the battery a long life? There are several conditions:
- Good on-board network. Do not overcharge or undercharge.
- Timely recharging of the battery. Best suited automatic devices that independently determine the strength of the current and turn off when performing a task.
- Save energy. At the time of parking disable all unnecessary devices.
- Maintain the cleanliness of the structure itself, which will eliminate current leakage and self-discharge.
Unattended and serviced batteries-which is better?
The most advanced are maintenance-free batteries, since they last longer due to low gas emission and self-discharge. Well, their special advantage is that they do not need to constantly monitor their work.
However, their tightness is not always good for cars. If your car is already far from new and the problem with the battery occurs often, it is better to buy a serviced battery. So, you can, if necessary, add water or increase the density of the electrolyte.
Observe the polarity
When choosing a new battery, take into account the location of the pole wires. Please note that polarity must be taken into account: for batteries with direct polarity, the negative terminal is on the right, with reverse polarity on the left.
Warranty does not help
Factory marriage can be found not only in the budget products, but also in products from famous brands. On average, any problems make themselves felt within 6 months of use. Therefore, the warranty period is not so important, since it is always more than a year.
Defective models are simply replaced. But to recognize your damage warranty, you need to provide not only the battery itself for diagnosis, but also the car. So, if a malfunction occurred due to a generator, a relay controller, then a free replacement may not be provided.
With delivery in Ukraine a car battery in Kiev, Kharkov, Odessa at 130.com.ua.