Your auto starter battery may not be completely flat, but it could be sluggish in the morning. Low starter batteries are a surprisingly common problem in suburbia, especially on chilly winter days. Your cash flow is tight after unexpected expenses. Do you have to replace the starter battery now, or could you delay this for a while longer?
Reasons For Low Starter Batteries
All auto starter batteries eventually run low, and then fail completely when they wear out. In theory, an alternator recharges them sufficiently as we drive around town. However, short stop-start trips can prevent this happening, in which case we may need to rely on a remote battery charger. Other possible reasons include:
Repeated Use of the Self-Starter
Electric motors consume a disproportionate amount of energy when kicking in. Starter motors also have to turn over heavy gasoline engines. Repeated use in a short time will rapidly lead to a low battery. This could be a sign the engine, or starter battery needs a service call.
Gentle Discharging and Low Starter Batteries
Low starter batteries can also be due to automatic discharging. Again, there may be two reasons for this:
- Continual draw may continue while the vehicle is parked with the engine switched off. Leaving the lights on, or the clock, radio, alarm, or dash cam, all consume electricity. Even an in-car entertainment system can drain the battery surprisingly fast.
- All batteries, including lead-acid starter ones, continue functioning at a low rate even when idle. This is a slow process over many months. Consider leaving your auto battery on trickle charge to compensate for this, if storing your vehicle.
Opening and Closing Doors Also Has an Effect
We had an inquiry from an out-of-doors type who went camping in a national park for a week. They came from a city, and were accustomed to keeping their four-wheel-drive locked. They also packed their valuables back in it every time they went for a hike.
When it was time to return home, they discovered the low battery could not turn the gasoline engine over. Fortunately, a game ranger helped them with a jump start. The root cause of their problem was locking, and unlocking their doors and trunk numerous times!
Deep-discharging an auto-starter battery can be more than an inconvenience requiring a jump start. It can also shorten the operating life of individual battery cells, until one fails and the battery is permanently flat.
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