For car owners or everyday drivers that are not that familiar with every component of a vehicle will often ask.
Can a car battery recharge itself? The definite answer to this question is NO!
Here we are going to take a look at how car batteries are charged, maintained and then provide you some simple tips and tricks that you have to know to take care of your battery. We are going to tackle basic things that a regular driver should know about automotive batteries. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!
How Car Batteries Are Charged When The Engine Is Running?
Like our wallets, batteries are storage, and no matter how much they got, the amount that they can offer will always come from a source. They don’t have the ability to generate the charge or money.
If a wallet that can generate money is invented, all of us will surely buy it, right?
When it comes to automotive batteries, the source of energy that they store is the alternator of the vehicle. It is the component of the car that generates the AC current to charge the battery by converting the mechanical energy of the crankshaft to electrical energy. That is how the car recharges our automotive batteries.
When it comes to dead batteries, they won’t be able to receive and store the charge even if the alternator is perfectly fine. In a case like this, the options you will have is to get a new replacement or attempt to revive the battery.
Proper Ways Of Manually Recharging A Car Battery!
Charging the car battery while the engine is running is the automatic way of recharging an automotive battery. If the car’s alternator is failing or busted, the battery won’t be able to take or receive enough amount of current to get it charged. However, there are several ways you can do to charge your car battery manually.
To find out about these methods, they are listed below and explained below.
・Using A Battery Charger - One way of manually recharging a car battery is by using a device specifically designed to charge an automotive battery. With a car battery charger, all you have to do is to connect the cables to the right battery terminals of your automotive battery then start charging.
Most of these chargers are built to be portable to allow drivers to bring them all the time, but there are also chargers that you can use at home. The older ones which are not yet equipped with the sophisticated features that the new ones offer today.
・With A Speed or Trickle Charger - Same as using a battery charger, you can also charge a car battery by using a speed or trickle charger. However, this method will require you to place the device on a stable surface.
From there, you will have to connect the cables to the respective battery terminals of the car battery. Then plug the device into a power source then select the mode of charging before turning the device on. Once the device is turned on, you can leave it to until the battery is fully charged.
・Utilizing Jumper Cables - In this method, you are going to charge your car battery with the help of another car’s battery. You are going to use the jumper cables to connect your car battery to another charged battery then start your engine.
That way, the electrical system of your vehicle will start to function and charge your car battery. Just make sure to connect the right polarity of the batteries and then make a secured connection to make sure that your battery will take charge efficiently.
Maintaining An Automotive Battery To Extend Its Life!
Now that you already learned the proper ways of manually charging a car battery. You also have to know the right ways of maintaining a car battery to allow you to extend its service life.
Listed below are the good practices that you have to keep in mind to help you maintain an automotive battery and make it last longer.
Avoid Exposing The Battery To Cold Weather And Direct Sunlight
Covering your car when it is parked in a location without a roof will keep the battery from being exposed to direct sunlight or cold weather. Temperature fluctuations due to drastic weather conditions can shorten battery life. So, you have to make sure to avoid exposing your battery to extremely low or high temperatures.
Check The Electrolyte Level Of The Battery Regularly
One of the keys to keeping a car battery in top shape and extending its life is to check its electrolyte level regularly. This reduces the risk of overheating the battery which can significantly shorten its life. By making sure that the electrolyte level of the battery is always checked, it will deliver the optimum performance that you need.
Keeping Away From Short Drives That Can Wear Out The Battery
Starting the engine is the most demanding task that a car battery has and forcing it to work hard significantly shorten its life. Taking short drives will force you to stop your car’s engine and then start it frequently.
This will take a lot of toll on your battery and will eventually cause it to shorten its life. So make sure to avoid taking short drives as much as possible.
Always Clean The Battery
Making sure to regularly clean and provide the car battery with proper maintenance will keep it in top shape and at the same time extend its life. With proper maintenance and regular cleaning, the risk of it suffering from sulfation and corrosion will be reduced. So make sure to give your battery the proper maintenance that it needs and keep it clean as always.
A dead car battery is an issue that may limit your mobility or leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere. However, this is a problem that can be easily addressed by a simple jump start to get your battery back in business.
A jump start can be done in several ways; it can be done with the help of another car battery or by using a portable car battery jump starter. For vehicles with manual transmission, there is also a way to manually do it, but it will need a group people to push the vehicle.
For a dead car battery that can’t store charge anymore, reconditioning the battery is another way to breathe it a new life. To find out how this is done, you can simply follow this system.
In case you are having trouble with a dead car battery, and you don’t have a portable jump starter, or you can’t ask anyone for help. Don’t lose hope because there are several tricks that you can do to get your car battery back on track.
Find about these simple dead car battery tricks by referring to the list below.
Give It A Couple Of Aspirin
If you discover that you have a dead car battery and there are no one else around that can help you. Try dropping a couple of aspirin tablets on your battery to give it a boost.
Aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid that will react to its sulfuric acid to produce at least it’s the last hurrah and get your vehicle started. If this works, you have to make sure to head to the nearest automotive service station in your area to get a permanent fix.
Eliminate Corrosion With Baking Soda
For dealing with corrosion buildup on your battery. Making a baking soda solution and using an old toothbrush or a wire brush can help you get rid of them. All you have to do is to dissolve three tablespoons of baking soda in a tablespoon of warm water and use it to scrub the corrosion buildup from the metal parts of the car battery.
The Wonders Of Epsom Salt To Clean Battery Plates
One of the best ways to battle sulfation in batteries is to use the popular “Epsom Salt Solution”. Because it has excellent properties that break down the sulfate buildups from the battery plates.
All you have to do is to prepare the solution by dissolving an ounce of the wonder chemical into warm water. Empty the battery cells and then pour down the solution into every cell and then give it a little shake to make sure that every part of the cells is covered.
Conclusion
After answering the question, will a drained car battery recharge itself after being dead? And providing you all the basic information that you have to know about car batteries.
You will now have the necessary knowledge that will allow you to properly maintain your car battery and extend its service life. You can use BATTERY MAN GUIDE's reference to help you take care of your battery and make sure to get the most of it.
