Is Technology Hastening The Death Of Your Car Battery?

This is the time of year that you need to turn your attention away from sunny days at the beach and start preparing for the cooler temps of autumn and winter that are not too far away. Car maintenance is very important right now because you don't want to be left stranded at work or a traffic light with a dead battery. Chilly temperatures already make things tough for your car battery, but so can your use of technology. Keep these points in mind before you plug your electronic device into the car for charging.

Why Is Charging Electronics An Issue?

While the convenience of using your car battery as an electronics charger is not going to be enough to send the battery flat on its own, it is contributing to the early death of your car battery. This is because every item that draws a charge from your car battery places a drain on the battery. These include headlights, car stereos and electronics you are charging. While you are driving the car, the battery recharges itself via the alternator. However, while you are charging the battery and the car is not running, it does not.

Over time, car batteries get further away from a fully charged point because of undercharging that naturally occurs. Undercharging is the term given to recharging the battery not to a full 100%. If the average trip of your car is less than 20 minutes at a time, the battery does not have a chance to fully recharge. The older the battery is, the lower the battery capacity becomes and the closer it gets to dying.

How Can You Tell A Battery Needs Replacing?

There are a number of signs that you should consider replacing your battery now before the weather starts to change. These signs include:

• Turning the key in your ignition and the engine cranking but does not start the first time.
• Your car takes longer to start in cold weather.
• The car goes from easy to start to difficult to start in the space of just one day.

All of these are signs your car battery life is getting to its end and it needs replacing. If you suspect your car battery is on its last legs, head down to your local automotive store to get it checked. They can attach the battery to a voltmeter and diagnose the health of it.

If the battery is beyond help, you can purchase a good quality replacement car battery while there and not have to worry about any battery breakdowns during the winter months ahead.