Maintaining your vehicles battery

[xcel]

CarMax of all entities passed along some good advice. And we added some of our own.

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Jan. 19, 2010

One of the top choices for Hypermilers everywhere. The Optima Yellow Top.

Replacing a car battery can be a hassle. That’s why you what to keep your car battery in top-notch condition.

“Car batteries supply electrical energy to retain the memory in the onboard computers as well as the energy needed to start the engine,” said Tom Damon, ASE Master Technician for CarMax. "Proper maintenance is vital to keep your vehicle running year round, especially during the harsh winter months."

Here are a few do’s and don’ts to help you safely maintain your car battery for peak performance:

Do’s

• Wear proper eye, hand and clothing protection when working with batteries.
  
• Check the terminals where cables connect to be sure they are tight and corrosion free. If corrosion is present, have terminals cleaned by a professional.
  
• Lubricate terminals with a dab of petroleum jelly to keep cables clean and free from corrosion.
  
• Make sure the battery is firmly secured to its mounting bracket. An unsecured battery can become damaged and cause short circuits.
  
• Check the fluid level unless it’s a maintenance-free battery. If the fluid is low, add distilled water. If there is no fluid visible, then replace the battery.
  
• Keep your battery case clean. Dirt conducts electricity and can discharge the battery. Use a solution of baking soda dissolved in warm water to clean the battery. Wet the case and agitate with a nylon bristle brush to scrub surface. Rinse well with plain water.
  
• Batteries come in many different sizes. When replacing a car battery, make sure you choose the right size for your vehicle. When it comes to car batteries, bigger is not always better.
  
• Prior to disconnecting the battery, check manufacturer specifications on what items may be disrupted when disconnecting the battery. For example, the radio may require a security code when the battery has been disconnected.
  
• Always disconnect the negative cable first and reconnect it last.
  
• Charge battery in a well-ventilated area.

Don’ts

• If your battery is frozen, do not charge it, as it may explode! One visual sign of a frozen battery is that the sides are bowed out. This condition is dangerous; the battery will need to be replaced.
  
• If you need to charge your battery yourself, switch the charger to a low-charge setting. Most chargers have this feature, but if not, have a professional charge the battery.
  
• Don’t charge a dead battery with a car’s alternator. An alternator is not designed to function as a charger, and it may be damaged or have a shortened life as a result.
  
• Never lean over a battery when charging, testing, or jump-starting the engine.
  
• Don’t disconnect battery cables while engine is running (your battery acts as a filter).
  
• Don't let the battery get totally discharged. Most car batteries get their power from lead cells submerged in electrolyte and these cells can be damaged when the battery is totally discharged.
  
• Don’t let the battery get hot while charging.

The above should help keep you safe and give your 12V battery every opportunity to last. That being said, there is the ever present Jump Start procedure. If you have not yet been in the predicament to jump start a dead or extremely weak battery yet, you will. Be prepared.

Jump starting your car

First and foremost, read your manual! If you have a procedure in your hand checking off the steps as you go, the likelihood of error is decreased 100 fold. One more time, READ YOUR VEHICLES MANUAL FOR THE JUMP START PROCEDURE BEFORE OPENING THE HOOD TO JUMP START YOUR CAR!

Warning: Jump-starting a car can cause serious injury if you are not cautious. If you are unsure of what you are doing at any point, do not attempt to jump-start your car. Call for a roadside towing service for help instead.

1. Read your owner's manual. Some manufacturers do not allow jump-starts, and some have fuses that need to be removed before jump-starting. Other steps may need to be taken before you can successfully jump-start the car.
   
   A number of manufacturers place the car battery in a location other than the engine compartment. In this case, your car will have designated jump start terminals under the hood. If you are uncertain what to look for, always check your owner's manual!
   
   Prius-II drivers in particular, read this: Jump Starting a Prius II as just one not exactly straight forward example.
   
   
2. Make sure the dead car and the good car are not touching. They should be close enough so the jumper cables can reach from battery to battery without being taut.
   
   
3. Turn the ignition key in both cars to the "off" position.
   
   
4. Wear eye-protection.
   
   
5. Identify positive and negative battery or jump start terminals.
   
   POSITIVE HAS A PLUS SIGN (+), NEGATIVE HAS A MINUS SIGN (-)
   
   
6. Lay the jumper cables on the ground, making sure that the red and black clamps aren’t touching each other. Be sure to use cables that are SAE approved.
   
   
7. Connect a red (positive) cable to the dead car's positive battery post or positive jump start terminal.
   
   
8. Connect the other end of the red (positive) cable to the live car's positive battery post.
   
   
9. Connect one end of the black (negative) cable to the live car's negative battery post. Do not connect the other end of the negative cable to the dead car's battery post.
   
   
10. Locate an unpainted clean metal part of the dead car's engine away from the battery. Be careful to avoid moving parts, such as fan blades and belts.
    
    
11. Connect the unused end of the black (negative) cable to this clean metal location.
    
    
12. Start the good car's engine.
    
    
13. Start the dead car's engine. If it doesn’t crank, wait for two or three minutes and try again. If it still doesn’t crank, you probably have a bad connection somewhere.
    
    
14. If the dead car's engine fails to crank, turn off the engine of the good car. Disconnect the negative clamp on the dead car’s engine to avoid sparks near the battery, then jiggle the other three clamps to be sure they’re making good contact with the battery terminals. Reconnect the fourth clamp.
    
    
15. Again, refer to your owner's manual. As soon as the dead car starts, you can disconnect the cables. You should take jumper cables off in the reverse order that you placed them although some owner's manuals recommend a different procedure. If this is the case with your car, stop here and follow your owner's manual to the letter from this point forward.
    
    
16. Disconnect the black (negative) cable connected to dead car's engine. Be careful not to drop this end.
    
    
17. Disconnect the black (negative) cable from the negative terminal of the good car's battery.
    
    
18. Disconnect the red (positive) cable from the positive terminal of the good car's battery.
    
    
19. Disconnect the red (positive) cable from the positive terminal of the dead car's battery.

Warning: Batteries contain acid and produce explosive H2 gases. These instructions are designed to minimize the hazard. Keep sparks, flames and cigarettes away from batteries at all times. Wear safety glasses and protect the eyes at all times. Do not lean over the batteries during any jump start or charging operation.

Caution: Never attempt to boost a battery with frozen electrolyte.

The most dangerous component in your car is not the gasoline you place in the tank but the ever present 12V battery under the hood. Take good care, do not take it for granted and it will start your car for many years to come.

[Bruce]

If you don't require deep-discharge capability (my engine typically isn't off long enough to have problems with a restart), does an Optima Yellow Top necessarily have a lower TCO than typical starter batteries? My impression is that they might last twice as long but cost more than twice as much.

[JimboK]

Originally Posted by Bruce

My impression is that they might last twice as long but cost more than twice as much.

Unfortunately, Prius owners have few options. No one has discovered an aftermarket battery that works in the Prius besides the YellowTop. So many Prius owners (including me as of 4 days ago) are installing it. It's generally no more expensive than a Toyota battery, depending on dealer price, and may be found for less.

[Right Lane Cruiser]

Mine has lasted quite well, but I actually do need the deep cycle characteristics with the winters and amount of driving in the dark I do. Unfortunately, I can't really claim to be a good example of longevity because I don't drive the Elantra much anymore.

[JimboK]

Another "Do" for batteries installed in trunks or passenger compartments (like the Prius'): assure proper venting. An ongoing PriusChat thread discusses the issue. Quite coincidentally, today an Optima representative weighed in on the topic there:

"All vehicles with original equipment battery locations in trunks or passenger compartments will have a vent provision that should be used. If you are custom mounting a battery in the trunk or passenger compartment we recommend venting the battery to the outside of the vehicle as well."