If you have ever owned a car or boat, dead batteries have been a part of your lifeWithout a battery, your car is not moving and can leave you stuck in places you would rather not beCar batteries also have a tendency to die on you when you least expect it and without warningThere are several causes of dead car batteriesThe most common is the build up of sulfate on the platesThis interferes and prevents the proper charging and discharging of the batteryThis situation is worsened in the following conditions: temperatures over 70 degrees, storing without a trickle charger connected to it, and discharging the battery below 10.5 voltsAnother common issue is losing electrolyte from overcharging or over heating the batteryFinally, under charging the battery will add to its untimely demise.

There are several strategies you can use to extend the life of your car battery and avoid a dead battery crisisRegular maintenance of your automotive battery is a must, especially in extreme weather conditionsRemember over heating is badCheck the electrolyte level in the batteryOne of the easiest cleaning tips, is to make sure the terminals are cleanYou can buy an cheap terminal brush and scrub off any corrosion on the battery terminals and cablesSometimes a dead battery is nothing more than corroded terminalsOnce they are clean, your car will crank right upCar batteries also need to be recharged after deep cycle discharges and jump starts.

If you run an auto shop or other mechanical service, you will need a car battery charger to recharge your batteriesThe time required to charge a car battery back to a full charge depends on the number of ampere hours (AH) depletedAmpere hours are calculated by multiplying the number of hours times the number of Amps that the battery supplied to the loadFor example, if a load was connected to a battery that used 7 Amps for 5 hours, the car battery supplied 35 AhsThe recharge time would then be calculated by dividing 35 Ahs by the amperage charge rate of the chargerOnce you are armed with this information you can make sure your batteries are fully charged and remain healthy.

If you are storing you batteries for a long period of time, such as a ski boat in winterA trickle charger is highly recommendedThese will slowly charge your battery and make sure it remains fully charged through the winter monthsIt is better to let the battery stay fully charged then try to recharge it in the springFully discharging the battery will reduce its overall life.

By taking these simple suggestions, you can extend the life of your battery and hopefully avoid getting caught with a car that won't start.

Sources : Cool Blackberry Share