It may well sound surprising, but it is true that high temperatures of summer months usually cause more damage to your car battery than the winter chills. Let us look at the reasons and things you can do to prevent summer heat related damage to your car battery.
Summer Heat Shortens Battery Life: Scorching heat of summer months and the associated high temperatures tend to shorten battery life.
This happens due to:
Evaporation: During summer months, the internal temperature of battery can reach up to 140 degrees. Due to such high temperature conditions, the fluid within the battery starts evaporating and consequently, the internal structure of the battery gets damaged since the internal plates are not protected as they should be.
Overcharging: Extreme temperature condition may well cause the voltage regulator to malfunction, resulting in overcharging of the system. This causes eventual permanent damage to the car battery.
Corrosion: High summer temperature results in corrosion as well as deterioration of lead plates present inside your car battery, which effect the performance of your battery.
Preventing Damage to Battery Due to Summer Heat:
Try to find a shady place for parking the car.
Older batteries usually require fluid to be added to them. Ensure that fluid levels are checked regularly and maintained in summer months.
Examine the battery for cracks or a bulge. If you find anything suspicious then check with your local technician immediately.
If the battery terminals have corrosion, remove the same using a copper brush, a clean cloth, or a scouring pad since corrosion functions like an insulator. The leak in energy makes the battery work harder than required.
Battery does not get required time to get fully charged during short trips. As such, limit the number of short trips you make.
Ensure that exterior as well as interior lights and other electronic such as radio are turned off before you leave the car.
Battery will self-discharge more frequently due to high temperature conditions. Thus, you should charge the car battery more often in case the car is not used too frequently.
Invest in a quality battery charger. If the car remains parked for prolonged time periods, then such charger will keep the battery from getting dead while it is not being used.
Signs of a Failing Battery:
If you notice these signs, then it will indicate that the battery is failing, and it is time to consult technicians.
You notice the illuminated check battery or engine light on your car's dashboard.
When the car is started, the cranking sound of the engine is slower compared to the sound that you hear when the battery is in good condition.
A bloated or swollen battery case is noticed.
There is corrosion at the battery posts where cable connections are present.
The interior lights or headlights are dimmer than normal.
Conclusion
We can say that high summer temperatures can cause serious damage to your car battery. As such, you need to take preventive steps as well as consult experts at regular intervals to be sure that your battery is functioning optimally.