It’s no secret that a car’s battery is a vital component of any vehicle. Without a healthy battery, your car is at risk of not starting up or possibly causing additional electrical-related issues. Most people do not take into account the health of their battery and the maintenance needed from their Washington tire shop to ensure proper longevity. Below are 3 key tips to keep your battery up and running.
Start Your Car Regularly
Like anything electrical, battery capacity decreases over time. Vehicle batteries charge via the alternator while the vehicle is running. To prevent battery capacity from decreasing, you’ll want to consistently start your car and let it run for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This ensures your battery stays charged with enough juice to prevent you from experiencing a dead battery after several days of not driving. Taking a quick drive around your neighborhood can help keep your battery capacity up as well as keep your tires Washington NC from freezing over during the winter months.
Test Your Battery Voltage
Testing your battery voltage is an easy way to tell what stage of life your battery is currently at. To test your battery voltage, make sure your car has been off for at least a few hours. Take a multimeter and touch the correct positive and negative leads to the corresponding positive and negative leads on the battery. If you find there is corrosion or debris on the battery terminals, make sure to clean them off before testing to get an accurate reading. A good rule of thumb is to have a reading between 12.5 and 12.8 volts to ensure your battery is healthy. If you don’t have a multimeter, stop by a tires Williamston NC shop and have a technician give your battery reading.
Trickle Charge Your Battery
If your battery is showing signs of wear or struggling to crank up each time you drive your car, one option you can try before replacing the battery altogether is the trickle charge method. Trickle charging, in some cases, can bring back the life into your battery and increase the lifespan it has before replacement. Trickle charges can be commonly bought at auto part stores or online. This method can take a few hours but can save you from having to buy a new battery prematurely.
Pugh’s Tire & Service Centers | Washington Tire Shop
With these three tips, you should have no trouble keeping your battery in good condition. At Pugh’s Tire & Service Centers, we provide a variety of car-related services. If you are looking for a new battery, tires Washington NC, or any other car-related endeavor give us a call or stop by one of our many locations today!
