How to make your battery last longer

A battery is one of the key parts that keeps a vehicle running. However, when not well maintained, it can cause problems including the vehicle failing to start at all. Evaline Namuwaya looks at how the battery can be maintained properly.

In the midst of today’s chaotic lifestyles, a car’s failing to start due to a dead battery is awkward. At most, a car battery life expectancy is determined by the type of vehicle you drive, your driving habits and variable weather conditions.

Experts say the lead acid batteries found in the majority of cars like all batteries, have a lifespan. A car battery life expectancy is dependent on a variety of factors although a typical lifespan is about four-six years.

Dustan Kabuye, a driver of a towing truck, says one of the most common vehicle problems, especially in the city, are often due to a faulty car battery. “If you have a dead car battery, you will either need to replace the battery yourself, call a vehicle breakdown service or attempt to restart your vehicle,” he explained. Kabuye notes it is best to try and avoid the dreaded dead car battery before it happens.

Taking precaution
David Mulungi, a mechanic at CKK Auto Garage, takes us through it. He says, “although we cannott make needless long journeys just to keep the car battery in good working order, it is not good to use electric supplementary controls unless really necessary”.

Mulungi adds that using the secondary cabling in your car actually not only consumes more fuel but consumes more power from the battery, and if your battery is not getting fully charged reasonably frequently, this will have a harmful effect on the batteries’ ability to sustain high levels of power.

Car experts say, frequent short car journeys are also a major factor for the early termination in a battery’s lifespan. They stress that it actually takes about eight hours of continuous driving for the alternator to fully charge a modern car battery.

A battery that is frequently fully charged will last longer than one that is in a constant semi-charged state. Partially charged car batteries will often have half of the lifespan of a fully charged battery.

Car battery drain not holding charge
This is a very common problem, in that when a car battery drains, it fails to hold its charge. This is often a result of sulphation. Car battery sulphation occurs when your car battery never receives a full charge due to short jour
neys only. “If you usually only make short car journeys and it seems as though your car battery is struggling to start the car, it’s likely a sign of battery sulphation,” Mulungi argues.

Depending on the severity of the build-up and prolonged charge deficiency, the sulphation will prevent the battery from charging effectively and will require replacement. If under normal circumstances you are experiencing car battery drain, or if your car has been parked for a long period of time and the battery is dead, this is likely due to sulphation.

Charging car battery
Another way of keeping a car battery in good condition is constantly having it fully charged. This will allow your battery to provide more continuous efficient energy and have a longer lifespan. Apart from consistently allowing a car battery to be only partially charged by driving short infrequent journeys, the other main reason for battery damage or failure is due to charging techniques.

Choose slow charging method
Eric Magoola, a car owner, says a mechanic advised him to choose this method. “Unless extremely necessary, avoid fast battery charging and go for the slow method, the hotter the battery gets while charging, the more potential damage sustained and the higher the safety risk involved due to the greater release of hydrogen gas and release - all of which is a factor in fast charging,” he warns.

He adds that fast charging also increases the potential to overcharge which also damages car batteries. Slow charging avoids many of this dangerous and damaging issue, uses around two amps and takes around 10 - 15 hours.

Fast charging can be done in around one hour. If fast charging your battery is your only option, take safety precautions. If it is a lead acid non-maintenance-free and has vent caps on top, remove the caps and rest on top of the access tubes to allow for the release of gasses that are produced at a higher rate than slow charging.

Ensure there is good air-flow in the environment to aid in dispersion of gas and avoid the use of any flames, sparks and use of electrical equipment. With a well maintained battery, you will have a trouble free journey.

THE COSTS
Vehicle batteries come in different sizes and therefore cost differently. They have dofferent amp capacities. From small cars to lorries these include capacities of 36AH, 150AH, 200AH. An unnamed official from Battery Sales shop limited in Kampala says the costs vary with vehickle types. He notes that for small cars the price starts from Shs130,000, for sports utility vehicles Shs250,000 and for lorries Shs500,000. He also noted that some lorries use two batteries. The most popular types include Uganda Batteries and Chloride Exide.

MAINTENANCE TIPS
- Maintain electrolyte at upper level and never below lower level
- Never add acid, instead add distilled or de-ionised water.
- Keep terminal clean with petroleum jelly, not grease
- Ensure that battery is charged before use if vehicle has not been running for over a month or when horn and lights are weak.
- Get your battery checked at least once every two months at authorised service centres.
- Never pour out electrolyte once battery is filled (not even when battery is not is service).