Posted on 12/11/2016
The automotive battery hasn't changed much for a long, long time. It's still a series of cells that are connected in parallel to deliver about 12.8 volts, and each cell is still comprised of lead plates and acid. Just like in vehicles from the 1940s, the battery still relies on chemical processes to store electricity and deliver it again, and it's still charged by an alternator that's driven by the engine. Unfortunately, whether it's in your laptop, phone, tablet or car, any battery that can be recharged is only good for so many charge/recharge cycles before it starts to weaken. Cold weather is particularly hard on automotive batteries; the chemical reaction in the battery is only at about 50 percent efficiency in 35-degree weather. Here are some tips to make sure your battery lasts through its entire warranty phase: --Try to never completely drain the battery. Any time the battery is completely discharged, it has a definite tendency to weaken and compromise the batter ... read more