Car Smarts - How To Check If Your Vehicle’s Battery Is All Right
Car batteries do have a life expectancy and as a responsible car owner, you should know when to charge the battery or when to replace it. Everything in your vehicle that runs on electricity draws from the battery and just like any other power source, sooner or later, the battery will wear out.
When the car is turned off and the key is not in the ignition, some systems in the vehicle still draw a bit of power from the battery. These include your vehicle’s alarm system and the clock. These functions do not drain or become the cause of discharge of your car battery. However, what may seem like insignificant malfunctions may cause your battery to discharge. For instance, the failure of some of the car’s tasks to automatically turn off will draw current causing the battery to discharge. If your battery discharges, a few of the things you can check on are your cabin and trunk lights or even the cigarette lighter. If these do not automatically shut off, they will draw electricity from your battery. Other areas that you can check on are electricity relays or wires that connect your car’s electrical accessories to the battery.
This check is quite tedious and if you do not have the expertise, you should bring your car to a professional mechanic. Usually, an ammeter is used to see about the current drain on the battery. The ammeter is connected to battery and the drain is measured. There is a normal current drain of about 25 milliamps, but something exceeding about a hundred milliamps should be diagnosed further.
You should also investigate the condition of your car’s charging system. This system is responsible for making sure that your battery is recharged every time you turn the key to your ignition. Try turning on your headlights and checking its brightness. Rev up your engine and if the light seems to brighten after each pump on the pedal, the alternator may not be producing as much current as possible to charge your battery when the engine is running. You can also ask a mechanic or a knowledgeable friend to check your charging system with the use of a voltmeter.
Most importantly, you should check your car battery itself. If your car battery discharges and you would like to know if it is still capable of holding a charge, recharge it then disconnect all cables from it. Let it sit for a day and check if the charge does not run out. If it does not, then your battery is probably okay and you should check other parts and functions connected to it.
Most car batteries have indicators on its body which makes it easier for you to see whether it still has juice left. If the indicator lights up, it is time to replace your battery. If your battery does not have an indicator, you can ask your car mechanic to help you check.
See: Gas Credit Card
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