Safely Remove The Securing Bracket
Many car batteries include a securing bracket, which holds the battery in its proper position. In case, the bracket is in place then you will not be able to move the battery. Hence, it is recommended to use pliers or a wrench to undo any connections and remove the bracket. Once the battery is unsecured, you can remove it without any hassle. Make sure that you have the insulated gloves and safety glasses on and lift the battery with a firm grip. It is better to know some batterymaintenance tips than to spend money on a new battery.
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The most common temporary solution for a dead car battery is to recharge the battery using another one as a power source. The battery gets just enough power for a trip to the auto parts store. A car battery charger is designed for this purpose, but it is commonly done with jumper cables and a second car.;;
Follow these steps for jump starting a car battery:;
- Position the car with the good battery next to the car with the dead battery. They should be close enough for the jumper cables to reach, but the vehicles should not touch each other.;
- Attach the clamp of one end of the positive cable the red cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.;;
- Connect the clamp of the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the good battery.;
- Next, clamp one end of the negative cable the black cable to the negative terminal of the good battery. Attach the other end of the negative cable to the engine block of the car with the dead battery.;
- Start the car with the good battery that provides the electricity.;;
- Turn the ignition key of the car with the dead battery. If it starts, left the car run for about 20 minutes to allow for a recharge.;;
- Disconnect the jumper cables in reverse order. ;
Tip: Check the vehicle owner’s manual to guide you in choosing and buying a replacement battery.;
Youve purchased a replacement battery. Now, follow the steps describing how to change a car battery. The first step is to make sure the vehicle is immobile.;;
Find The Right Wrenches
You will need at most only a couple of wrenches to get the job done, depending on how much space there is to maneuver the wrench and whether the battery cable uses a single bolt on the clamp or one that also uses a nut on the other end. You’ll have to borrow the wrenches from a friend or relative or buy a set. Most but not all battery-cable clamps have 10-millimeter bolts, so you’ll likely need a 10-millimeter open-end wrench to disconnect the cables. A socket-wrench set that includes that same-size socket will be helpful as well. In some cases, you can get by with just an adjustable open-end wrench.
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How Do You Keep A Car Battery From Dying When Not In Use
Apart from disconnecting car battery for storage, there are 4 common ways to keep the lifespan of the battery:
- Get a car battery charger. When you go on a vacation or do not use your car for a long time, a charger is definitely needed.
- Reduce the drain of car battery: Car owners can turn off some car features like DVD players, radio, navigation systems, since they are draining the energy.;
- Increase your driving time: It may sound weird, but driving short distances with many stops actually affects your battery life.
- Keep it clean and cool: Heat is one of the most common factors that drain the car battery. If your battery has dirt and grease covered, they will trap heat around. For that reason, drivers should usually clean the battery by towel.
Ways To Help Avoid A Dead Car Battery During The Summer
Most of us have experienced that dreadful moment when the car simply refuses to start. While we often equate dead batteries with those frigid temperatures of winter, did you know that summer months are actually harder on your cars battery? In fact, batteries in cold climates have a life expectancy of 51 months, while those in warm climates are given just 30 months.
After you drive your car in warm weather, your battery begins discharging on its own in just 24 hours something that takes several days in cold weather. That means you could easily find yourself waking up to a dead battery in extreme heat conditions if you dont take proper steps to keep your battery healthy. Here are five ways to give your battery the TLC it needs this summer:
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Learn What Can Go Wrong; Before You Disconnect Your Car Battery
It all depends On; The Year, Make And Model Of Your Vehicle.
This may cause the engine to run poorly. Because, the air/fuel mixture is too rich or too lean; until the can, relearn the fuel trim adjustments. The transmission may not feel the same; until the or transmission control module, relearns the shift adjustments. The affected module may; prevent the or airbag systems from working.
It also, resets the climate control module. So, on some vehicles, that means the A/C will not work. Until the module is programmed, with the correct instructions. It also, resets the body control module . This can mess up the operation of power accessories. Such as, power windows, memory seats; power sunroof or electronic suspension settings. It may, reset or disable the anti-theft system. The engine may crank but not start. Because, the anti-theft system thinks; somebody is trying to steal the vehicle.
Loss of power window and/or power sunroof position settings. Loss of steering angle sensor settings. The steering angle sensor will have to undergo a relearn procedure; following the battery disconnect. Replacing the car battery on some vehicles requires entering the new; battery info into the with a scan tool. This is necessary because; the vehicles charging system is programmed to; gradually increase the charging rate, as the battery ages. Finally, it causes a loss of channel settings on an, electronic radio and clock.
Saving The Battery Juice
When you disconnect your car battery from the car, it helps prevent the electrical systems including the clock and on-board computer system from draining it completely. Therefore, if you leave the car battery unattended for longer period, then it might damage the battery and even need replacement. Not to mention, car owners can also;disconnect car battery to prevent drain.;
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Causes Of Battery Drain
There are things in contemporary vehicles that drain the power of your vehicle without knowing. They are called parasitic drains. Vehicles with plenty of gadgets and computers will stay for less than four weeks before the battery dies. This is because they will be getting power from the car battery even when it is off. This is why batteries lose charge even when the car is sitting. The life of a battery is difficult to predict. It will depend on the climate and also the age of the battery.
According to BMW, a car battery should sit for four weeks without removing the battery. When the battery is removed, it can stay for six weeks to 6 months. However, you need to keep recharging the battery over time. Ideally, the battery should be recharged every 12 weeks when the battery is disconnected.
How Fast Your Car Battery Will Drain And Why
The primary reason why your car battery drains when its connected to your car is due to the fact that all of the electronics on the car are connected back to the battery and they never truly turn off.
Your satellite radio, GPS system, anti-theft system, and radio presets all slowly drain your battery even when the doors are shut and the key is removed from the ignition.
This is known as parasitic draw.
On newer cars the parasitic draw is slightly higher than on older cars due to the increase of electronic systems. A normal parasitic draw is about 50mA or 0.05 amps, but the range can be anywhere from about 0.03 to 0.085 amps .
If your car gets above 50mA, then it might be completely normal for your vehicle especially if its new but you might want to look into it further by running a parasitic draw test or having a mechanic do it for you if the battery seems to be dying sooner than youd like.
Heres a very helpful video on how to do the test yourself .
If your car is between 50mA and 85mA, then its best to drive your car at least weekly to reduce the risk of not being able to start your car at all due to a dead car battery.
I have a chart below where I estimated the approximate days that you would have for any given car battery.
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Vacay Time Prevent Your Battery From Taking A Permanent Vacay
As the holiday season approaches, many families are making plans for their well-deserved breaks. Some of these arrangements include accommodation, flights and hiring of cars. This is in addition to making sure things are taken care of at home.
Even though youve taken precautions to ensure the house is secured with alarm systems and placing your refrigerator on holiday mode, dont forget the car battery. By leaving the car parked for long periods of time, the battery is slowly drained by its electronic systems, clocks and the alarm. While it may not consume as much battery capacity when the car is in use, it could drain the battery upon returning.
Follow this advice from South Africas trusted battery specialists, Battery Centre.
Unforeseen consequencesA flat battery is not just frustrating, it could also result in a costly battery replacement or in worse cases, the need to replace the alternator. Jumpstarting your car can result in,
- Weakening the battery
- Decreasing the lifespan of the battery due to there being not enough charge capacity to start the car
- Potentially damaging the alternator as it will need to work twice as hard to power the battery.
The Importance Of Disconnecting Your Vehicles Battery
When you disconnect the battery from your car before you leave, you can avoid replacing it and spending money on repairs once you return. Keep in mind that even when a car is not in use, certain componentsthe clock and on-board computer, among other electrical systemswill still drain the battery. So, if you leave your vehicle sitting for too long, once you use it again, it might not start.
Several car experts also claim that more advanced vehicles these days have several electronics and modules. So, in a matter of weeks, the battery can get drained. It is worth noting that the average cost of a battery replacement is around $40 to $100. Of course, you can always try to jump-start it. However, the life of the battery will still be reduced. Moreover, you will put too much work on the alternator, wearing it out faster.
However, before you disconnect the battery from your car, you need to know that doing so will bring back all the electronic systems to their default settings. So, you must be ready to reset the clock and any other systems. Needless to say, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the settings before you disconnect the battery. You should also learn about the other risks of disconnecting or reconnecting the battery. That said, make sure you talk to your dealer first. While youre at it, you can also ask for some car maintenance tips youll need for storing your vehicle.
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Locate The Positive And Negative Terminals
This is one of the most important steps. The positive terminal is marked with a “+,” and the negative is marked with a “-.” Some batteries have plastic caps covering the terminals that will have to be removed for you to gain access to the battery cablesthe wires connecting the battery to the rest of the vehicleand the cable clamps that you will have to remove to disconnect the battery.
How Fast A Car Battery Will Drain If The Terminals Are Disconnected
Its easy to think that if you disconnect your car battery that you can avoid the parasitic draw and preserve your car batterys health, but thats not the case at all.
Car batteries, which are lead-acid batteries, are just like any other battery in that they undergo self-discharge. What this means is that the chemical reaction inside of the battery reverses itself from a full charge to a state of discharge slowly over time as the result of not being connected to a float charger which keeps the battery topped off at 100%.
Luckily, lead-acid batteries have a fairly slow self-discharge rate and youll lose about 4-5% of your overall charge on a monthly basis.
Heat will increase the rate of self-discharge as it lowers the internal resistance within the battery, so if you store it in a 90 degree Fahrenheit garage your battery may lose more than the 4-5%.
If you plan on disconnecting your car battery for any reason such as to go on vacation, or maybe you just dont use a certain vehicle throughout the winter, the best a way to keep your battery 100% peak shape is to hook up a smart charger that has a float mode that will keep your battery in optimum health while not in use.
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Disconnect The Negative Cable
Remove the negative cable using a slight twisting action and lifting the cable at the same time. Once the cable is free of the terminal, wrap the end with a plastic bag or a cloth and set it to the side of the battery well away from both terminals. Zip ties can be used to hold the cable in place out of the way.
Loosen The Nut Of The Negative Terminal
Loosen the nut of the negative terminal until you can twist the clamp that surrounds the negative terminal. Once you have loosened the nut and before removing the negative terminal cable, set the socket wrench aside in a safe place away from the battery, so there is no danger of accidentally causing a short circuit.
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Switch Off The Ignition & Use Safety Equipment
Before you begin to disconnect the battery, ensure that the ignition is turned off and remove the key. Also leave the drivers door open, because it can happen that the car will lock while replacing the battery. If you have an automatic, check if the car is in Park position or it should be in the first gear in the case that the car has a manual transmission. Since the car battery holds an electric charge and is capable of releasing flammable gas as well, it is strongly recommended to put on some safety gloves and goggles.
Why Disconnecting Car Battery For Storage Is A Good Idea
When going out of town for a longer period, disconnecting your car battery can do a world of good for the battery. Winters might be a time when you plan on going with your friends or family to the snowy mountains for a camping trip. It would be a good idea to remove the car battery while you are away.
Here are the reasons as to why disconnecting car battery when on vacation is actually a good decision to take.
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When And Why To Disconnect Your Car Battery
Planning on keeping your car parked and unused for a long period of time? Maybe youre going on a vacation and leaving your car behind. In cases like this, its a good idea to disconnect the battery.
Heres why: The battery is connected to your cars electrical systems, including components like the clock and the onboard computer, which can slowly but surely drain the battery over time.
Another scenario to consider is when the battery reaches the end of its life cycle. In cases like this, youll need to remove the old battery and replace it with a new one.
If In A Secure Garage Disengage Security System To Preserve Battery
If your vehicle is parked in a secure garage and has a security system, you may want to consider leaving the alarm system turned off. Leaving it on will only drain the battery more quickly. And if you dont have a choice but to park outside with the alarm turned on, drive the vehicle for at least 30 minutes a week to keep the battery charged.
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Disconnect The Negative Battery Terminal To Preserve Your Battery
As mentioned above, there are many components in your carlike clocks, computers and security alarmsthat continue to draw power from your vehicle when it is turned off. This is called key-off battery drain or parasitic drain, and it could cause you to wind up with a dead battery after multiple weeks with no driving. By disconnecting the negative battery cable first, you are disconnecting the battery from the chassis ground. If you disconnect the positive cable and accidentally slip the wrench to any other parts of the vehicle, you could damage electrical parts or componentswhich could prove to be very costly.
