What Are the Effects of Cold Weather on Your Vehicle’s Battery?

Your car battery has more work to do when it is cold outside, there is no way to get around it. Keeping this in mind can help you learn what you have to do to take care of your battery and make the most of it. So, what does cold weather really do to your car battery? Keep reading to find out.

What Does Cold Weather Do to Your Car Battery?

A car battery works through a process of electrochemical reaction. This means that the chemicals inside the battery are what create the charge that is then used to power the vehicle. When the battery is warm or at a normal temperature, this process is fairly easy for the battery to complete and is not strenuous on the battery.

When the temperature drops, the chemical reaction takes much longer to occur. This means that it might take longer for the battery to turn over and for the vehicle to start. It also means that car batteries die when they are exposed to extreme cold for prolonged periods of time. Cold weather weakens the car battery, and prolonged exposure to cold can damage your battery permanently, causing you to need a battery replacement.

How To Protect Your Car Battery This Winter

There are a few things you can do to help protect your car battery this winter and help prolong the life of the battery. First, you should be starting your car every day, even if you are not going to drive it. This helps to keep the battery working and keeps that chemical process going.

Another thing that you can do is, if you have a garage or a carport, park your car to protect it from the elements. If you cannot, make sure you remove ice and snow from your vehicle as quickly as possible. You can do this by starting your car and allowing it to run for a bit to help melt off the snow and ice.

The last thing you can do if you are parking a car for the winter and do not intend to drive the vehicle, it may be in your best interest to remove the battery entirely and bring it inside. This will keep it from freezing, prevent damage, and make it so that your battery works when spring finally rolls around. While the normal cold is not going to destroy a battery, extreme cold certainly can and should be avoided.  

Categorised in: Batteries

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