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Question of the Day: Oldest working tech or appliance in your house that you refuse to replace?
Car battery, alarm and tracker affect?
- Thread starter Ursus
- Start date
Firstly, What battery is it?
Usually a car battery should last you about 5 years. All the extra's should not make a difference if you have the correct size battery installed in your car. Also, if you have one of these cheap chinese imports, your most likely not getting the amps specified. That could lead to an early death.
Excessive vibration on the battery can also lead to an early death, ie: not clamped down properly.
Also, car batteries are shallow cycle batteries, ie: You should not run them flat. They are there to start the car and be charged up immediately by the alternator, if youre playing your radio off the battery its called deep cycling and it can also lead to an early death.
Usually, tho, if your battery dies early the alternator is to blame. If its overcharging your battery you might have to replace the battery and have the alternator repaired. However, if its undercharging there might not be anything wrong with your battery. It might just be flat.
Also, there is a common misconception that an alternator can charge a flat battery. This is not true. If your battery is completely flat you need to charge it with a battery charger. The flatter the battery, the more amps you need to charge it, and the alternator is just spread to thin across all the other things that need power in your vehicle to charge up a flat battery.
Usually a car battery should last you about 5 years. All the extra's should not make a difference if you have the correct size battery installed in your car. Also, if you have one of these cheap chinese imports, your most likely not getting the amps specified. That could lead to an early death.
Excessive vibration on the battery can also lead to an early death, ie: not clamped down properly.
Also, car batteries are shallow cycle batteries, ie: You should not run them flat. They are there to start the car and be charged up immediately by the alternator, if youre playing your radio off the battery its called deep cycling and it can also lead to an early death.
Usually, tho, if your battery dies early the alternator is to blame. If its overcharging your battery you might have to replace the battery and have the alternator repaired. However, if its undercharging there might not be anything wrong with your battery. It might just be flat.
Also, there is a common misconception that an alternator can charge a flat battery. This is not true. If your battery is completely flat you need to charge it with a battery charger. The flatter the battery, the more amps you need to charge it, and the alternator is just spread to thin across all the other things that need power in your vehicle to charge up a flat battery.