A car is just like anything else in terms of care and maintenance. If you take care of it, it should last longer. That brings us to the idea of taking care of your car battery. One of the best things you can do is avoid letting it get too hot.
Car batteries have limited lifespans. Even the best batteries eventually wear out to the point that they no longer work. Unfortunately, heat is one of the car battery’s biggest enemies. According to Clore Automotive, makers of the PRO-LOGIX line of battery maintainers, heat will cause degradation faster than nearly anything else.
The Problem With Heat
We typically think of cold weather being harsher on our car batteries than warm weather. Yet that’s only a matter of perception. Battery failures occur more frequently in the winter because of cold temperatures inhibiting performance. But in terms of actual damage, summer heat is worse.
The problem with heat is really two-fold:
1. Corrosion
A car battery has two metal plates and an electrolyte inside its casing. As the electrolyte slowly evaporates, more of the surface on each plate is exposed. That exposure leads to corrosion. Unfortunately, heat accelerates corrosion by causing electrolyte to evaporate faster.
2. Sulfation
Sulfation is a natural occurrence inside car batteries. During discharge, crystals are formed and subsequently build up on each of the two metal plates. Every discharge creates more crystals. Eventually, sulfation prevents a battery from holding a charge.
Heat is a problem once again because it accelerates the normal self-discharge batteries experience. A battery will self-discharge at a faster rate as the temperature goes up. Therefore, heat encourages sulfation.
Avoiding Things That Cause Heat
With the background information out of the way, we can finally discuss the types of things that cause a battery to get too hot. At the top of the list is normal summer heat.
Think about how hot the inside of your car gets if it sits out in the sun for hours. It can get justice hot under the hood, especially if there is no breeze. As temperatures under the hood rise, a car’s battery will absorb at least some of the heat.
The best way to avoid this sort of intense heat is to park in the shade. Find a spot under a tree or, if possible, park in a covered garage or under a breezeway. Keeping the hood out of direct sun during the summer months will help your battery.
Other things that can cause a battery to get too hot include:
- Engine Overheating – We all know that an overheating engine is bad for engine components. It is also bad for the battery. An overheating engine increases the temperature under the hood, meaning everything else gets hot too.
- External Charging – The normal charging cycle that occurs when you drive doesn’t bother a car’s battery. Next turtle charging can. External charging generates heat. So if your battery is hooked to an older charger or maintainer that does not employ smart technology, you are risking overcharging and excess heat.
All car batteries will be exposed to some amount of heat. You can minimize the impact by parking in the shade, using external chargers with caution, and making sure your engine never overheats. You can also buy a thermal wrap at any auto parts store. A thermal wrap could help a lot.
Heat is a car battery’s biggest enemy. When batteries get hot, they degrade faster. It’s just one of the facts of automotive life. But avoid the heat, and your battery will last longer.