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asked about Car Maintenance

over 3 years ago

How long can a car battery stand and how do we know if they are in good conditions?

5,476 Views 2 Answers

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2 Answers

0
Joon Quek

Hi Kg Yeo, the average car battery life is three to five years.

You can use either of these 2 ways to check if your car battery is in good conditions:

A) with a voltmeter by following these steps:

1. Turn off your ignition.

2. Remove the battery's positive terminal cover. Check and clean the battery terminals.

3. Connect your voltmeter's positive lead to the positive terminal on your battery. The positive lead on a voltmeter is usually red.

4. Attach the negative voltmeter lead to the negative battery terminal.

5. Check the voltmeter. If your battery is in good condition, the voltage should be between 12.4 and 12.7 volts.

- A reading lower than 12.4 volts means that your battery needs to be charged.

- If the reading is lower than 12.2 volts, "trickle charge" the battery, which is a slow charge. And then re-check.

- If the reading is over 12.9 volts, you have excessive voltage. Turn on the high beams to remove excessive voltage surface charge. Over voltage may be an indication the alternator is over charging the battery.

B) By cranking the engine by following these steps:

1. "Crank" the engine by turning the ignition until the starter engages and hold for 2 seconds. Have someone crank the engine while you check battery voltage drop.

2. At the time of the crank, check the reading of the Power Probe. It should not go below 9.6 volts.

- A battery with a volt reading less than 9.6 volts means the battery is sulfated and not holding/accepting the charge.

Reply

about 2 years ago

0
Glenn Tan

Hi there Kg Yeo. Typically, a car battery will last between three and five years depending on several factors such as

1) Extreme hot or cold temperatures

2) Increased electrical use

3) Driving time

4) Alternator and drive belt condition

Reply

over 3 years ago