What Affects Car Battery Life?

Car batteries drain with typical use, but are recharged by the alternator as the car is driven. According to eHow there are several factors that contribute to poor car battery life. On average, a car battery lasts between three and five years.

This is an example of battery corrosion.

Factors that Contribute to Short Car Battery Life

• Too Many Short Drives Driving your car for less than 20 minutes at a time may drain the battery, according to eHow, because it’s not enough time for the alternator to fully recharge the battery. Limiting the number of short trips will help increase battery life.
• Extreme Temperatures Extreme temperatures also play a hand in battery life. Temperatures below freezing make it harder for enough energy to be generated and temperatures in excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit can drain a battery of its charge by affecting the battery’s internal discharge.
• Electrical Gadgets The car’s battery also provides power for the headlights, dome lights, and audio system. Accidentally leaving your car’s headlights on will drain the battery, as well as listening to the radio when the car is not on. Adapters can help power cell phones and other electronics. Many new cars have plenty of outlets for charging USB devices and can even power electronics that use 110-volt power. If the battery isn’t properly recharged, using these outlets can quickly drain the battery.
• Corrosion Corrosion builds up on the battery’s terminals over time and it inhibits the battery from functioning properly. The corrosion can be cleaned with a spray that is designed to clean the corrosion. There’s the DeoxIT Cleaner, Permatex Battery Cleaner, and CRC Battery Cleaner. Fisher Auto in Boulder, Colo., can also service the battery.
• Age As a battery ages, it also loses strength, and may just need to be replaced due to age.

Related: Signs that You Might Need a New Car Battery
Visit Fisher Auto in Boulder, Colo., for all of your car battery needs. We can service and install a new car battery. Call us at 303-245-6414 with your questions and to schedule a service appointment.