Summers are the perfect season to enjoy outdoor activities. However, the extreme summer heat causes many problems for the people. The harsh UV rays are not only harmful to human skin but also cause severe damages to vehicles, especially car batteries. In fact, the car's battery is effected more in hot summer days than in winter. While you can't do much about the heat but you can surely take some precautions to ensure that your battery doesn't die in the middle of the road and leave you stranded. Following tips can help you in avoiding such scenarios.
Keep the car battery away from excessive heat
Heat is considered to be battery's worst enemy and hence the awful summer heat can lead to an internal breakdown. The only way to ensure that the excessive heat doesn't drain your car's battery is by parking it in a shaded spot. If you don't have a garage then you should buy a car protection cover to provide shelter for your car in every outdoor location. Make sure to get a sun cover that offers high UV resistance, like Lanmodo Automatic Car Umbrella, to give maximum protection to your car. A right cover will not only keep your car's battery cool but will also keel your interior safe from all the harmful materials.
Don't drive with lots of starts and stops
Too many short trips can cause the battery to drain out prematurely. The more your vehicle runs the better the alternator will work. As you turn on your vehicle, the battery uses all the power to startup and if you don't give alternator a chance to recharge the battery then your battery's life is cut short. If you drive your car once a week only for a mile then it better to increase your driving time and allow your battery to fully recover.
Cut down on car battery drain
Nowadays cars are loaded with numerous electronic devices like Bluetooth speakers, smartphone chargers, navigation systems, MP3 players, etc. But all these devices are eventually connected with the car's battery. So you must be very careful while using these devices but they tend to drain out the power very quickly. Don't use these devices when your engine is off. Also before getting out of the car make sure none of the interior or exterior lights are on.
Always keep the battery clean
Dirt and grease can easily drain the battery's power. Therefore it is extremely important to keep the dirt and debris away from the top of your car's battery. Clean up your car thoroughly on a regular basis and routinely examine every part of the vehicle is a must to ensure there is no dust accumulating. Use a paper towel or clean the area with a wire hand brush.
Go for a car battery charger
If you don't use your car much or you are having issues getting your car start then consider investing in a portable car battery charger. This valuable gadget slowly recharges your vehicle battery and keeps it from dying out. Not only this, but the charger will also keep the battery in good condition while you are on your vacations. Just remember to wear safety goggles first while plugging in the charger.
Proper car battery maintenance is important whether it is winter or summer because a dead battery can happen at any inopportune time. Just like winter snow damages the battery, the sizzling summer temperature also robs the battery of its power. So don't wait for summer temperature to rise up, instead start working on these tips to keep your car battery in good shape.