Best Time When to Replace the Battery of Your Truck

Do you know when to replace the battery of your truck? The battery is a component of your truck’s ignition and electrical system. Its primary responsibility is to supply power to ignite the engine. Apart from this, it also powers other electric components when the alternator is not functional. The tricky question is knowing when to replace the battery of your truck. It would help if you replaced your battery before your truck starts to demand a new one. There is no specific time to replace the battery of your truck. Before your battery dies, it will fail and you will experience some signs.

Signs On When to Replace the Battery of Your Truck

Your battery can let you down when you are in a hurry to leave in the morning and your truck fails to start. In such a situation jumpstarting your truck will be the best option but not a permanent solution. These are some signs that you need a new battery. 

Your Battery Struggles to Function When Weather Changes

When hot weather creeps, you might notice that your battery reacts to the changes. The reactions occur when the heat starts to evaporate water components of the internal fluids, the evaporation can corrode the internal parts of your battery.

During winter, the chemical reactions within your battery will slow down, which will drain your battery’s life. Your truck will need more energy to start because the engine oil will be moving slowly. The new battery can withstand extreme weather changes.

Your Truck Has Been at the Parking Yard for too Long

If your truck has been parked for a long time, the chances of getting its battery dead are very high. Your driving pattern influences the lifespan of your battery, most people think that frequent driving reduces the lifespan of a truck’s battery, but the opposite is true.

As you drive, the alternator charges your battery, which means that when your truck is left in the parking lot for a long time, its battery will drain. If you have several cars and rarely use your truck, consider test-driving it for 30 minutes to recharge the battery.

You Experience a Hard Starting

When your battery fails, the engine will take a long time to crank when starting your truck. Hard starting is an imminent indication that your battery is dying. If you experience this, take your truck for inspection since other mechanical issues can result in starting failures.

Battery Check Light

Having an old battery can trigger a battery check light on the dashboard. Thanks to several sensors that modern trucks have. An average battery lasts for three years. Some might be powerful to serve you longer, but it will depend on your driving patterns, the area’s climate, and the type of truck. In such a situation, the only warning you will receive is the battery check light on the dashboard. 

Conclusion

A truck battery is a component that should never fail. Knowing some signs it shows when starting to fail will save you to replace it earlier before it dies. There is no accurate time to replace and get a new battery. Performing a regular check on it is essential. 

Best Way To Get Truck Battery to Last Longer

If you are looking for a way to get truck battery to last longer, then this guide is for you. It becomes stressful when the battery of your truck goes flat abruptly. Several factors, like harsh weather conditions and how you use your truck, can affect the lifespan of your battery. You can prevent your battery from running flat. An average truck battery should last between three to five years of service. To avoid changing your battery every one or two years, check this guide and practice these simple methods.

How to Get Truck Battery to Last Longer

Here are some of the best-proven ways that you can be sure to get truck battery to last longer.

Always Test the voltage of Your Battery

A regular check on the voltage of your battery will save you from battery failure when on the road. Professional mechanics does battery checks, but there is a device you can use to check the voltage of your battery at home. 

A voltmeter is a device you can use to check the voltage of your battery at home. The digital voltmeters give very accurate readings. For good records, consider testing the voltage of your battery when your truck has been turned off for 12 hours.

To use a voltmeter, connect the positive lead to the positive terminal of your battery, then connect the negatives. After connection, the voltmeter will be able to read. The readings will be 12.4 and 12.8 volts when your battery is fully charged. If the readings are way below 12, consider calling a professional to inspect your battery.

Your Truck Should Not Spend Much Time Parked

The battery will not have time to charge when your truck spends more time in the parking lot. The battery will perform optimally when your truck is driven more regularly. It is necessary to take your truck out for a drive for not less than 30 minutes to warm up the engine and circulate the fluids.

If your truck sits for weeks, your battery will need attention when you want to use it. Always ensure it has a full charge and the level of electrolytes is correct.

Clean Your Battery Regularly

Dirt, dampness, and grime can cause leakages on the battery, which might lead to short-circuit. You can use a sponge to remove the grime and other impurities on the surface of your battery. 

The battery terminals and the clamps are prone to corrosion. Corrosion on such surfaces hinders current circulation. To give your battery a longer life, consider cleaning it to remove such impurities. When your truck is being serviced, you can tell your mechanic to clean the battery for you.

Never Use Electronic Accessories When the Engine is Off

Keeping the lighting system on or using the infotainment when your engine is off can drain your battery. When the engine is off, the alternator is not working, and the electrical system will drain power from the battery. 

Always check to ensure that all the electric components are off before leaving your truck. When leaving your truck, ensure it is locked. Doing this is for safety purposes, and also it will close the computerized system of your truck.

Conclusion

The battery should give you full service, but its lifespan varies depending on how you use your truck. After reading this guide, you will be able to know how get truck battery to last longer. Some of these pointers should be adhered to just the way you do your regular truck maintenance.

Dead Battery – What Causes The Battery Of My Truck To Die?

What causes a dead battery in a vehicle? In this guide, we will go through all that to give you better understanding. A truck battery is one of the electrical components that play a vital role in your truck. The battery is the source of power that ignites your truck and also powers other electrical parts when the alternator is off.

What Causes The Battery Of My Truck To Die

Several truck-related issues can make your truck not start. A faulty ignition can be the primary reason or even the wiring. When your battery is dead, your truck will not start. Several reasons can drain power from your battery. Letting your truck sit in the parking yard for a long time is one of them. Reading this article will let you understand the causes of a dead battery in your truck.

Leaving Your Headlights On 

After working the whole day, you all need to reach home as fast as possible to rest as you spend time with your family. As you rush to leave your truck and get inside the house, sometimes you might forget to close your truck’s doors or turn off the lights. 

The lighting system of a truck obtains power from the alternator, but because your engine will be off. It will drain power from your battery within a few hours.

Presence of A ‘Parasitic Draw’

When any electrical accessory is turned on, the power from your battery will drastically draw. Sometimes your truck cannot start even if all the accessories are off. If this happens, your truck might have faulty wiring draining your battery. Such is defined as a ‘parasitic draw.’

The alternator will charge your battery as you drive your truck. When you turn off the engine, the battery will not be able to charge. Such an issue can be solved by jump-starting your truck. Never jump-start your truck alone if you have never done it before.

Loose Battery Connections

If the battery wires are disconnected from the battery terminal, your truck will not be able to start. Sometimes the battery connections might be loose, especially when your daily drive is a bumpy road. The battery’s terminals might corrode with time, which will shut your engine down or get very little power to start.

The solution is to tighten the battery connector and regularly clean your battery to ensure that it gets adequate charge all the time.

Poor Weather Conditions

Cold or hot weather can either freeze your battery from the inside or deteriorate its chemical structure. If your battery is old, it will be affected by adverse weather changes. Sometimes, a new battery might also experience such an issue, weakening your battery and killing it with time.

Conclusion

A battery is an electrical component of your truck that has varied functions. But the primary function is to ignite your truck. For it to do this, it has to be charged and store power. Another role of the battery is to power other electrical components when the engine is off. As the engine runs, the alternator charges the battery and powers most electric components. This guide has elaborated on some of the common causes of a dead battery which you should know.

Choosing The Best Battery for Your Truck

How do you go about choosing the best battery for your truck? We might take some basic stuff, such as our truck’s battery, for granted as long as our trucks can ignite. But wait until you put off the engine and find it difficult to start. Previously, your truck would warn you when the battery was almost dying. The engine would become sluggish and turn over faster than expected. Such signals communicate that you need a new battery. Nowadays, your battery might seem in perfect condition up to the time it will not be able to turn on your engine. 

It is essential to consider cost when buying a new battery, but a cheap battery might not give you the long service you need. It is easy to choose the correct battery for your truck when you familiarize yourself with available options.

Considerations When Choosing The Best Battery for Your Truck

Batteries have different sizes and dimensions. If you buy a smaller one, it will be loose and unable to fit perfectly in the tray. A larger battery might sit at the edges of your tray, and a taller batter battery might come into contact with your truck’s hood or other metallic parts, leading to an explosion. Below are some of the top considerations when choosing the best battery for your truck.

Buy a Battery whose Terminal Configurations Fits Your Truck

Batteries have various configurations. Choose the configuration which is similar to that of your previous battery. If you take a different one, the wires might be short of reaching the terminals. You might force it to reach, but the road vibrations plus the pulling might overstretch the cables.

Buy a Battery that Meets or Exceeds the Manufacturer’s Minimum Requirements

Every manufacturer has various battery requirements for every truck based on the power needs—the accessories in your truck, like the starter, charging system, and engine size, determine the correct battery configurations you have to buy. The manufacturers’ requirements are the minimum ratings the battery purchase should have. Here are things to know when buying a battery.

The Cold Cracking Amps (CCA)

CCA is what your battery can produce on a cold morning after a long night parking. It is challenging for the engine to start when it is cold. If you buy a battery with a lower placement than the requirements of your truck, you will have a hard time starting your truck after a cold night. 

The Dimensions of the Battery

Batteries have numbers that reveal their dimensions and post location. For example, group 24, group 24F, and group 56. If your original battery has any of these dimensions, you need to note it down, as it will help you buy that battery that fits our truck.

The Battery Choice

Consider venting the battery, which uses acid. Chemical reactions take place as they work, and this lead to the production of vapor, heat, and expansion. Such reactions can make them explode if not vented. 

If you are an average driver, consider buying a conventional battery, but if you do more off-roading, a GEL-type battery will be the best option. 

Conclusion

The battery is necessary to start your engine, whether your truck is a manual or automatic transmission. Issues addressed in this guide will enable you when choosing the best battery for your truck.

5 Things That Can Drain Your Car Battery

In this guide, we will go through the things that can drain your car battery. The battery is an essential part of any car. It is this part that provides the initial energy which starts the engine. Apart from being an electrical component, the battery is part of the ignition system. Typically, the battery receives power from the alternator, which acts like an inverter. The battery stores the energy you need to start your truck, and other electrical components will need this power when the alternator is off.

Things That Can Drain Your Car Battery

A good battery should serve you for five years, but this depends on how you take care of your battery. Did you know your battery can drain faster depending on how you handle it? After reading this guide, you can understand some things that can drain your battery.

Human Error

Among the top things that can drain your car battery is human error. Sometimes, our car battery drains because of common errors. You have had a long day at work, got home very tired, and missed your family. You will leave your car parked with headlights and might forget to close your door or the trunk.

As the lights are on, they will drain power from your battery, and the battery will not charge if your car is parked. When this happens, your car will not be able to start in the morning. 

Loose or Corroded Battery Connections

If your battery’s connections are loose or corroded, your battery will not charge effectively. It is necessary to perform a regular battery inspection. Doing this will help you determine the loose wires and corroded terminals. When your terminals are corroded, you can clean them since the corrosion prevents your battery from charging even though the alternator will provide the much-needed power.

Parasitic Drain

Sometimes, an electric component of your car will continue running even after you have turned it off your car. Components such as the clock or radio memory will use the battery’s power when your car is turned off.

Sometimes, the parasitic drain exceeds normal when your car has electrical problems. The drain will result from faulty fuses or even wiring. Expect parasitic drain from faulty door light switch,

The trunk lock switch and any other after-market electrical component installed in your car also might drain your battery.

Extreme Temperatures

Your battery suffers when it is too cold or hot. The lead sulfate crystals accumulate, leading to your battery’s long-term depletion. Such accumulations make it difficult for your battery to charge.

Faulty Alternator

Among the things that can drain your car battery is when you have a bad alternator. The alternator charges your battery when your engine is running. The alternator provides power to all other electrical components of your car. When the alternator becomes faulty, your battery will not be able to charge. 

Your car will show some signs when the alternator becomes faulty. Usually, a good alternator will serve you for seven years or between 100,000 to 150,00 miles.

Conclusion

Shared above are some of the several things that can drain your car battery drain faster than usual. If you realize that your battery cannot hold power, first and foremost, think of how long the battery has served you. Other common factors that you should know have been discussed in this guide. Knowing them will enable you to take the necessary action in case your battery becomes weak.

5 Easy Steps To Truck Battery Reconditioning

What are the steps to do battery reconditioning? Every truck is equipped with an automotive battery. Whether your truck is electric, hybrid or internal combustion, it does not matter and it will still have a battery. Many take this valuable part for granted until it becomes less productive. It feels terrible when you start your truck, but nothing happens. You can prevent it by doing battery reconditioning. 

What is Battery Reconditioning?

A battery’s primary function in your truck is to supply the energy needed to start the engine. Also, it powers up other electronics. The alternator charges your battery as you drive. But it regularly discharges as the sulfate crystals build up on the plates of your battery. Your battery will require more time as the crystals keep accumulating. 

Reconditioning refurbishes your battery by removing the accumulated sulfates. It also replenishes the electrolyte solution in the battery, enabling it to recharge faster and function as a new one. Replacing a truck battery is damn expensive, and reconditioning it is the best deal. Here are 5 easy ways to recondition the battery of your truck.

Test the Battery

Before you start a battery reconditioning, you have to test your battery. Doing this will help you know whether your battery will respond to the reconditioning process or if it is time to get a new battery.

Your battery should read 12 volts and above. If the reading varies from 10 to 12 volts, you must recondition it. You can as well try battery reconditioning if it reads below 10 volts, but here it is better if you replace it.

Prepare an Electrolyte Solution

When conditioning your battery, you will replace the electrolyte inside it. It is necessary first to prepare the solution. Heat half a quart of distilled water to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Dissolve about 7 to 8 ounces of Epsom salts in this hot distilled water and put the solution aside.

Remove the Battery Cell Caps

Before doing this, wear protective gear such as gloves and goggles to protect yourself from burns.

If your battery is a sealed type, you have to locate the shadow plugs that cover the openings of your battery’s cells and carefully drill through them.

Replace Your Battery Solution

You have first to drain the existing fluid from your battery. You have a container in which you will drain the solution. Ensure you properly dispose of the drained solution. After draining all the solution from your battery, prepare to fill the solution with Epsom salt and water, which you had prepared. You can use a plastic funnel to fill each cell with this solution effectively.

Charge Your Battery

After filling each cell, install all the battery caps and insert the plastic plugs into the drill holes you made previously. Shake your battery for the solution to be evenly distributed within the battery.

Use a slow charger to charge your battery. Let it charge for 24 hours then you can test and install it in your truck.

Conclusion

Doing battery reconditioning gives a battery a new lease of life, and it will operate like it used to when it was new. This procedure is inexpensive and will save you from spending a lot of cash to buy a brand-new battery. To perfectly perform this procedure, follow the steps highlighted in this guide.

3 Steps To Check Battery Health Of A Truck At Home

The battery is essential as an electrical component of your truck, therefore it is important to check battery health regularly. The battery is vital when you want to start your truck, turn on the headlight, listen to music, clean your windshield using wipers, and run the air conditioning.

When your battery has low voltage, you will experience challenges when starting your truck, forcing you to jump-start it. A good battery will serve you for 4 to 5 years. However, you must regularly test your battery to ensure it is working perfectly. Here is how to check the battery health of your truck battery at home before deciding to replace it

How to Check Your Truck Battery Health at Home

You can use different ways to check the health of your truck battery. Here are some of the ways you can use it at home.

Check the Voltage Using a Voltmeter

A voltmeter measures any electrical device’s voltage, it can be analog or digital. Your choice depends on one’s test and preferences. When using a voltmeter, first, you have to turn off all the truck accessories that can drain power from the battery, like the radio, ignition, and headlights.

Remove the covers of the terminals of your battery and connect the positive point of the voltmeter to the positive terminal of your battery and the negative end to the negative terminal of your battery.

Check the readings. A healthy battery has a voltmeter reading of 12.4V to 12.7V. Any reading above this indicates a healthy battery, but if it is below 11.8, your battery is not in good condition.

A voltmeter may not be very accurate, and you must test your battery under load.

Performing Headlight Test

In case you do not have a voltmeter, you can observe the reactions of your headlights when you turn on your truck.

When your headlights are not as bright as they should be, your battery might be low on power. When the headlights get brighter as you turn on your truck, the alternator works perfectly, but it does not supply enough power to charge your battery.

If you never observe any change in your headlights’ brightness, your battery is healthy. 

Perform a Physical Inspection of Your Battery

It is necessary to perform a physical examination of your battery. Doing this will enable you to detect any cracks or physical damage to your battery. To inspect your battery, disconnect the terminals and remove them from the truck.

Place your battery on a flat surface and examine if it has any bulges. Budges usually result from overcharging or reactions of the chemical components of the battery.

Next, look at the terminals of your battery to see if they have debris accumulation and remove them. If you see any cracks on your battery, replace it.

Before installing your battery to its carrier, consider cleaning it using a soft brush, water, and some baking soda.

Conclusion

The above are 3 steps that will help you to check the battery health at home without necessarily having an expert do it. Doing this can also help you know how to make the battery last longer.