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Maximize Car Battery Life

By Ben Mester

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Published: 10Sep2010
Word count: 527
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Car batteries are a very interesting component of the vehicle. Like the starter, they're technically only essential to start the car. After that they're pretty much non-essential components of the car. Why is that, you ask? Well most of the electrical systems of the car are run by the alternator, which is basically just your classic magnet inside a mesh of copper wire. Things like your radio, the spark for spark plugs, your air conditioning, everything else electrical is all pretty much powered by your alternator. Even the battery itself is charged by your alternator. Which begs the question, why do we even need batteries and starters in our cars at all.

The problem that's difficult to overcome is that it takes a lot of voltage to turn over an engine and start the car. A battery supplies a quick spike of energy that can't be generated by your alternator. That's why it's still essential. But the thing that I find most unfortunate is that a car battery is still quite expensive, even though its use is very limited in the car. You only ever use your battery for a few seconds a day, and yet it sometimes costs $100 to change it out every few years.

That's why I like battery booster packs. Battery booster packs are exactly what their name says they are, a device which boosts a dying or dead battery enough to give it that extra juice it needs to start the car. With a battery booster pack, you can prolong the life of a battery and have an emergency backup unit just in case. A battery booster pack is nice because it has built in jumper cables, so it functions as two tools in one.

Another little trick I like to employ is a rolling start. It's true that this will only work for stick shift vehicles, but that's just another reason why I prefer to drive a stick shift. If the battery in a stick shift car won't start the engine, put the car in neutral and push it by hand to get it rolling. Then, with your foot on the clutch, put the car in first gear and quickly let your foot off the clutch. If you're rolling fast enough, and about 3 miles an hour should do it, the momentum will give enough energy to start the car. Pretty neat trick, huh. I've used it plenty of times.

Car batteries and starters are essential components of your car, no one's doubting that. I just don't like changing them at the first sign of trouble when they're not technically critical to the vehicle's function. Things like oil changes, brake changes, and topping off the essential fluids are things I make sure to keep on top of. But batteries and starters can be used until absolutely worn out if you ask me.

I'm one of the old school car drivers. Things like heat warmers, automatic push start buttons, keyless entry, and the like are just more things on a vehicle that can end up breaking down. Give me power steering and power windows and I'm set. Everything else just seems like a headache.

I hope you learned something about car batteries and how battery booster packs might end up saving you some money. For more automotive tips, check out another of my articles on dent removal tools.

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