Your car battery is one of those quiet achievers in your vehicle’s engine compartment. Without one, your car wouldn’t be able to spark to life or even cool your air-con. But is your battery up to scratch? Brisbane motorists rarely think twice about their car battery until they’re left stranded in a shopping centre car park with a car that won’t start. Knowing your car battery’s lifespan can save you the inconvenience.
What’s the Average Lifespan of a Car Battery?
A typical car battery will last three to five years in ideal environments. But we have a little problem in Brisbane. Our environment does not exactly work to our advantage. The hot Brisbane summers and high levels of humidity can bring your battery’s lifespan to around three years. This is because a typical battery’s lifespan can easily be cut short with high temperatures. This is exactly what happens in Brisbane.
Brisbane’s subtropical climate is especially tough on car batteries. Although in other states the battery can live for four to five years, our warmer climates cause the reactions within the battery to accelerate. This means Queenslanders have to check their batteries more often than people in other states.
What Shortens Your Battery’s Life?
A number of conditions contribute to shortening the life of your battery; understanding them can certainly help you maximise your investment.
The primary cause of dead batteries is heat. Brisbane’s summers can easily see temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. But if one delves beneath the bonnet of a car, it’s likely to see temperatures going well above 30 degrees. This is because high-temperature conditions bring about a quicker rate of battery fluid evaporation. For every 10-degree rise in temperature, the shelf life of the battery can be cut in half.
Small journeys can be remarkably harmful. For example, if your daily drives consist of runs to the corner store or deliveries to nearby schools, your battery just isn’t given the chance to fully recharge. The current drawn by the starter motor is considerable, and it certainly takes longer than five minutes to recharge it. This process causes battery sulfation because lead sulphates accumulate on the battery plates.
A battery in disrepair will degrade faster. The corroded terminals will cause resistance in your battery. This means your battery will have to work extra hard. Also, loose battery terminals can cause your battery to have electrical problems.
Warning Signs Your Battery is Failing
Your car usually indicates battery failure is imminent with several symptoms. These include sluggish crank engine performance, especially during the first start of the day. This is one of the earliest signs and should not be ignored. Other signs include dim headlights when your car is idle. This is another critical sign to check. It indicates that your battery is not working as it should. A flickering dashboard is another indicator. This light indicates whether there is a fault with the charging mechanism. Sluggish window function or poor air conditioning could also signal battery failure. Any of these signs could be a direct indicator that it is time to change your battery. It is critical to undertake a battery check at a workshop if such signs are noticed.
Testing and Maintaining Your Battery
It is vital to subject batteries to tests every year when they attain the age of three years. The tests can give information about the battery’s status and longevity. A battery is considered to be in good health if it operates at 12.6 volts or above when the engine is turned off. A reading below 12.4 volts is indicative of battery discharge. A battery can be considered deeply discharged if it reads below 12 volts. Load tests can give information about the battery’s performance.
Recharging a Flat Battery
If your battery dies, there are several alternatives for you to get back out there.
Smart chargers are the best and safest chargers to be used at home. These chargers have the ability to change the charging rate automatically and turn off when the battery is full to prevent overcharging. A completely drained battery takes 12 to 24 hours to totally recharge on a smart battery charger. This is the best option to recharge those batteries that have been idle or drained because the lights have been left on.
Trickle chargers ensure a constant and low rate of charging. These chargers work ideally for vehicles that are not driven regularly. Classic vehicles or second vehicles that sit idle for weeks can take advantage of trickle chargers.
A jump-start will get you going right away. It doesn’t completely recharge your battery. It takes at least 30 minutes of driving at highway speeds to put a large amount of power back in the battery. A full recharge takes several hours. Also, if your battery had to be jump-started, have it checked. It’s probably close to needing replacement.
Extending Your Battery’s Lifespan
Intelligent usage patterns can extend the battery life by months or even years.
It is necessary to drive your car regularly. You should at least have one 20-minute drive per week with a speed of above 60 kilometres per hour. It is always recommended to drive on the highway because the alternator generates power at high RPM. It is a good idea to take a longer drive if you usually drive a short distance.
Clean the terminals and ensure that the connections are snug. Perform the checks every quarter. This takes just a few minutes. This can eliminate battery failures. Remove any corrosion. This creates resistance that causes the battery to work extra hard.
Turn off accessories before shutting off. Turn off air conditioning, stereo, and lights before turning off the ignition. This cuts down the battery’s workload when it is to be restarted. It prevents leaving accessories on inadvertently.
Whenever possible, it is a good idea to park your car in the shade. Although this may not always be possible in Brisbane’s sunny climate, it is one way to ensure your battery does not heat up too much. Even if your car is garaged, consider investing in a car cover.
Modern Cars Require Special Batteries
Modern vehicles with stop/start technology demand specialised batteries. Failure to install the correct battery can create costly issues.
AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) type and EFB (Enhanced Flooded Battery) type Batteries have been developed to meet the demands of stop-start technology. These batteries can perform hundreds of charging cycles. A regular battery will not even survive a couple of months with such charging cycles.
It is a false economy to fit a standard battery to a model designed to take AGM or EFB. This is because the standard battery will not survive the aggressive stop-start cycles well. The stop-start function will also be lost. Always ensure that you replace your battery with the recommended type.
Professional Battery Services in Brisbane
At Bosch Service Brisbane, we recognise the challenges that Brisbane’s weather creates for car batteries. Our battery services include expert testing with the latest technology, replacement with batteries suitable for Australia’s climate, and proper disposal of old batteries.
Our batteries have been designed to cope with the high temperatures and moisture associated with the Australian climate and outperform many imports. Our team of technicians can match the ideal battery to your vehicle and driving style to ensure prolonged battery life.
Keep Your Battery Healthy, Keep Your Car Running
Your car battery is not given the attention it deserves. It is not just Brisbane’s tough environment that your battery faces. It’s imperative to take deliberate measures to ensure it’s functioning correctly. By understanding your battery’s lifespan and signs it’s near expiration, it is easy to maintain it and prevent breakdowns. Waiting until you’re stranded is not the time to consider your battery. If your battery is more than three years old or exhibiting warning signs of a potential failure, it is important to have your battery tested at the expert hands of Bosch Service Brisbane. Our team of technicians will evaluate your battery to determine its current status and if your charging system is working as it should. Contact us to schedule your battery check.
