Battery life: reasons and solution

Probably every car owner has ever faced a situation when his car refused to start because of a dead battery. And interestingly, it happens at the most inopportune moment. Well, if there would be someone who would not refuse and would give “light” from his car or help move it.

To prevent such troubles, it is necessary to diagnose and service battery. The only way to be completely sure that at the right moment, she will not fail. If you suddenly notice that your car battery runs out quickly, quick to determine the cause of this phenomenon and eliminate it, especially going on a long trip. Otherwise, you can be permanently stuck somewhere far away from the village, waiting for help. In this article we will talk about why the battery discharges the car how to determine the cause of the discharge and consider ways of solving such problems.

Features of the battery

Battery in the machine performs two main functions: it provides the starting the engine and protects the electrical system from any sudden voltage surges that may occur when power from the alternator. In addition, it supports lighting systems and alarm systems and also supplies electricity to some appliances at the idle motor. Because of the constant use, a battery naturally goes down. This is a normal phenomenon. However, when the engine starts to work, the process included a generator, which switches the entire burden on himself, providing the side chain of the machine generated electricity. Battery is not turned off, but rather will start charging from the supplied electricity. Thus, the battery lives in a constant cycle of discharge-charge.

Recommended

"IZH 350 Planeta Sport" – frisky Soviet bike

It is believed that of the entire line of Soviet motorcycles "IZH" truly sporty just one. It is easy to guess that it was "IZH 350 Planeta Sport".History motorcycleIn 1973 the factory "Izhmash" was made a real breakthrough: the line went down the fir...

How does the rear bushing front arm and how many it serves?

The Rear bushing front arm – one of the constituent elements of the vehicle chassis. He refers to the guide elements of the suspension together with the levers endures tremendous stress with wheels. However, with this this item, there are many ...

Oil consumption in the engine. Six reasons

It is Hardly possible to find a motorist who would not be worried about the increased oil consumption. It is especially annoying when it happens with another new motor. Here are the most common causes that result in the consumption of oil in the engi...

In this mode, modern battery can serve up to five years and longer, of course, if the car owner will support its viability. But unfortunately, it happens so that even a new battery becomes useless within a few months, losing the ability to hold a charge.

Reasons why a battery loses its properties

Consider the most common reasons why the battery is discharged. These include:

• A long period of service;
• Deferred maintenance;
• Improper connection of the equipment;
• Leakage current
• Malfunction of the alternator or additional equipment that provides charging the battery;
• The negligence of the car owner.

Let us Examine these reasons in more detail and consider ways to address them.

Life left

Nothing is eternal in this world. This truth applies to batteries. No matter how powerful a battery is, how much money worth, no matter how often served, over time it will no longer cope with their functions. And there is nothing you can do. What is happening inside the battery chemical processes contribute to the oxidation and destruction of the electrodes, so that they, in fact, destroyed.

Some “experts” are taken to restore old batteries, of course, requiring it for a fee. The process of "resurrection" battery is a kind of shock therapy with the use of high voltage. Indeed, after these procedures, the battery can work any time: week or month, and then “die” forever.

So if the battery is discharged and not holding a charge, but he served faithfully for 4-5 years, better to send him on a well deserved vacation, replacing it with a new battery.

Deferred maintenance

Most modern batteries are maintenance-free. Sealed in the housing evaporation of the electrolyte in such batteries is reduced to zero. However, even maintenance-free battery is discharged, if time does not make his charge.

As for the more familiar to us serviceable battery, without timely refilling of the electrolyte, they are unlikely long stretch. It is recommended at least twice a year to check its level in banks to measure the density and, based on the obtained results, add fluid and charge.

Maintain your battery is not limited to this. It is also necessary to monitor her condition. Oxidized terminals, dirt and moisture on the surface - all this leads to the fact that the battery is discharged.

Incorrect connection of electrical equipment

The Cause of the discharge can also become incompetent work of the electrician. In practice often happens that when you install the car audio mount-yourselfers confusing wires, which leads to the fact that the device is fully operational, bringing pleasure to the driver, however, in the electric circuit of the machine, there is an extra burden. In the end, the radio works, the battery is discharged, and all other electrical equipment at risk.

This applies not only to the recorders. Today, when the market is crowded with various devices and gadgets for cars, private motorists, without hesitation, install them in their cars, and the more, the better. Few people understand thatall these video recorders, radar detectors, rear view camera, navigation, speakerphone, video players, daytime running lights, illumination of thresholds, being connected to the side chain of the machine, create an additional load on the generator. You ask, why does the battery discharges? Yes, because when the generator ceases to cope, it helps the battery.

Leak current

If you have verified and disproved all previous versions, but the battery charge is low, the reason may lie in the leakage current. This phenomenon is an uncontrolled consumption of battery energy devices, which we usually leave turned on, when leaving the car: the electronic engine control unit, anti-theft alarm system, clock, radio etc.

They continue to feed even when the ignition is off. Allowable leakage, in which the battery is subjected to deep (critical) level, is 50-80 mA. But if this figure is exceeded, the battery can lose its properties is premature. For example, the leakage of 1-2 And sredneoblastnoj the battery discharges during the night.

Uncontrolled energy consumption may also be the consequence of insulation faults in the wiring or moisture on the electrical contacts. In this case, you'll have the short circuit for which the battery will run down even faster.

How to determine leakage

To establish the value of the leakage current, you'll need ordinary automobile tester, or multimeter, is included in the ammeter and the range of 0-20 A. the Measurements are produced by stringing the probe device to the battery terminal and the corresponding wire. One probe (polarity does not matter) connects to the “-” battery and disconnected from the battery ground. Similarly, you can double-check the amount of leakage by connecting the contacts of the ammeter to the positive terminal and the positive bus. Note: in no case do not connect this way a multimeter or tester, is included in the voltmeter – he simply burned up!

Generator Fault

Another reason why the battery is quickly discharged, can be failure of the generator. However, he either ceases to supply electricity to a battery or produced by him is not enough electricity for a full charge. To detect this fault easily. Enough to pay attention to the instrument panel. On all the cars in it equipped with the appropriate pointers. Red burning icon in the battery indicates that the battery is not getting charge, but the scale of the symbol indicates the voltage supplied to the battery. In case of problems with the generator it is recommended to immediately contact the electrician, because the reason there may be any number ranging from incorrectly tensioned belt and ending with the burnt relay for voltage control.

The negligence of the owner of the car

Often the owner of the car or the driver, without knowing it, becomes the originator of a quick discharge battery. Left for the night radio or light-signalling devices able to put the battery in a few hours. This result may lead and oxidation of battery terminals, moisture and dirt around them or long the simple machines in the frost.

Some tips

In fact, the reasons for the battery drain much more and for all possible scenarios is impossible. But still, try to follow these tips:

• Buying a new battery, pick the model, the capacity and the starting current which would correspond to the vehicle parameters;
• Produce timely diagnosis and service of batteries (topping up of the electrolyte, recharging, removing dirt and moisture from the surface);
• Leave on the night included appliances;
• Prevent malfunctions in the electrical system of the car;
• Don't trust the maintenance of your machine homegrown electricians.